Dive Brief:
- Voters who turned out at the polls Tuesday gave a wide variety of construction initiatives the thumbs up, according to Engineering News-Record, including electing two governors supporting heavy infrastructure agendas.
- Victors in Tuesday's vote included the $1 billion terminal project at Kansas City International Airport (KCI); a Denver bond measure that will support a transportation initiative with $937 million; a $1.05 billion Texas bond package that will fund transportation and other construction projects; and a $922 million school bond issue for new school projects and renovations in Mecklenburg County, NC.
- A few climate change and green initiatives also came out on top. Post-Hurricane Irma, Miami voters approved a $400 million bond package that will be used to beef up the city's stormwater systems and to perform other flood-related upgrades. Denver passed a green roof initiative, according to the Denver Business Journal, which would mandate that buildings of 25,000 square feet or more install rooftop greenery and solar panels.
Dive Insight:
The results of Tuesday's elections represent a major win for the industry, particularly for those tapped to update and rebuild the nation's infrastructure.
For KCI officials, voter approval means that Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate will be able to move forward with a one-terminal replacement of the existing three terminals that currently serve the airport's travelers. Voters, according to the Kansas City Council, had to approve the project even though public funds will not be used to finance it.
The design for the new terminal, released last month, will include a 12-lane security checkpoint, two concourses with 35 total gates, people-movers, live performance spaces, and a two-story, animated fountain.
Schools also came out on top on Election Day. Significant school construction spending can be transformative for communities, just as a 20-year, $10 billion program to relieve overcrowding in the Los Angeles school system has proven. In August, the Los Angeles Unified School District opened the $160 million Maywood Center for Enriched Studies, marking the end of the country's largest school construction program.