The Heavy Constructors Association of Greater Kansas City (HCA) was founded in 1950 and consists of approximately 150 general contractors, specialty contractors, major suppliers, suppliers and affiliate members. Our members help build and maintain most of the region's critical infrastructure, including roads, highways, bridges and preparing sites for major commercial and public development, all with a commitment to making it better for you...
Veteran labor executive, Bridgette Williams, to become Deputy Director of Heavy Constructors Association
Capital Projects Management Department
City Hall Should Follow Through On This "Capital" Idea
By Edward R. DeSoignie, Executive DirectorThe Heavy Constructors Association of Greater Kansas City
As was reported in this morning's editorial in The Kansas City Star - http://www.kansascity.com/340/story/1572085.html - a proposed Capital Projects Management Department would speed completion of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of major construction projects such as roads and public buildings.
The Heavy Constructors Association has long advocated for improvements to the city's contracting process to eliminate inefficiencies and foster better construction management practices. Such improvements will enhance our ability to deliver high-quality, cost-effective projects to the citizens on a timely basis.
The Star noted the issues raised by local contractors and labor union leaders who don't like to or even refuse to bid on Kansas City, Mo. projects. Many times they would rather deal with other cities in the metro area that offer more streamlined construction regulations with less red tape.
The Star cited a consultant, Tshibanda & Associates, which said dozens of already-funded capital projects managed by various city agencies are behind schedule by as much as 30 months.
Instead of having to deal with different city departments that may not communicate well with each other, contractors should be able to go to one department that will move things forward efficiently and equitably.
This is especially true at a time when we are hunting high and low for projects that will allow us to keep our employees on the payroll - and perhaps even hire new ones. That, in turn, will spread positive economic ripple effects throughout our region.
Let's tell the folks at City Hall we think this is a great idea and that we want to see it happen. And soon.
Highway Improvements:
A Key Component of Economic Growth
The Heavy Constructors Association of Greater Kansas City
Economic Development:
A Crucial Component in Evaluating Road Projects
Back in the day, when transportation planners sat down to put together a list of road projects, about the only issues on the table were pavement conditions, traffic volumes and accident rates.
Those factors are still vitally important and must be carefully weighed. But Kansas has taken a progressive step forward by adding economic development considerations to the mix.
Say there are two road projects competing for funding. All things being equal, which project will lead to more business development, business expansion and more jobs?
This kind of thinking might be a bit jarring to transportation purists, especially old-school engineers. They might not see what transportation planning has to do with creating jobs that will support families years down the road.
But we live in a time when our infrastructure needs far outpace our infrastructure funding. And as we strive to emerge from the Great Recession, economic impact must enter into every decision we make.
Economic impact analysis looks at things like long-term jobs, regional GDP and growth in income expected to result from transportation projects.
As a member of the Transportation-Leveraging Investments in Kansas Task Force, I have been immersed in discussions of this topic for more than a year. The task force, appointed by former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, is advising the Kansas Department of Transportation as it hammers out a new approach to transportation planning.
Here are some of the things I've learned through my participation in T-LINK:
- Every $1 spent on infrastructure puts $3 back into the economy, according to a Kansas State University study.
- The U.S. 24 State Avenue reconstruction to five lanes from 118th Street to K-7 employed 329 people at an average wage of $26.55 an hour. More than 170 companies provided products and services for the project.
- The Interstate 70-110th Street interchange in Wyandotte County - near the Kansas Speedway - generated 17,500 jobs and added economic value worth $186 million.
- The Interstate 435-Nall Avenue interchange in Overland Park - near the Sprint Nextel headquarters - generated 17,500 jobs and added economic value worth $4.1 billion.
Balance is the key. For example, the evaluation process must be balanced to ensure fairness to rural areas, where road projects may not create as many long-term jobs as their urban counterparts.
But no matter how we look at it, we must realize that a new day has dawned. Transportation infrastructure is a key component of economic development. And without economic development, the best engineered roads will lead to nowhere.
The face of economic recovery
Heavy construction supports thousands of families
With America's infrastructure and economy at a critical juncture, the people who create that infrastructure have launched a campaign to raise public awareness of the jobs they do.
You already may have seen the billboards, emblazoned with the faces of "heavy constructors." These are the faces of the people who make it possible for commuters to get to their jobs, and for food and other essential goods to be delivered where needed. They're the ones who don vests and hard hats, braving the elements as they crank up powerful pieces of equipment. They're laborers, operators, mechanics, truck drivers, masons, flaggers and crew supervisors - hard-working folks with good-paying jobs. They build our highways, streets, bridges, sewers and water systems.