Related, NYC union coalition strike deal

The "historic ... win-win" agreement ends a period of contentious legal action between the developer of the $25 billion Hudson Yards project and the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York.

By Kim Slowey • March 8, 2019

Bankrupt contractor reaches settlement with FIU bridge collapse victims

If approved in bankruptcy court, Magnum Construction Management will pay up to $42 million to victims of the March 2018 incident and their families.

By Kim Slowey , Kathleen Brown • Updated May 3, 2019

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Legal Issues

Contracts, disputes, change orders and delays can keep builders up at night. Construction Dive covers some of the top issues facing the industry.

By Construction Dive staff

Former Arkansas construction exec sentenced to 3 years prison for bank fraud

Matthew Beasley, former president of contractor Cobas Inc., submitted fake invoices to his bank in order to be able to draw on a business line of credit.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 28, 2019

Massachusetts contractors faced $2.7M in wage theft penalties in 2018

State Attorney General Maura Healey is just one state official trying to get construction companies to pay up after cheating their workers out of pay.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 28, 2019

Justice Department sues Ohio contractor, sub for fake invoices, kickbacks

The agency claims that subcontractor Wise Services gifted CB&I AREVA MOX Services employees in order to persuade them to submit about $6.4 million of false invoices on its behalf.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 27, 2019

$12B Texas bullet train construction could start this year

Texas Central Partners is pressing on with the Dallas-to-Houston line and will appeal a court ruling that denied it railroad designation and land rights.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 22, 2019

BUILD grants take $600M hit in new spending bill

With the federal transportation infrastructure program reduced to $900 million, competition for funds will be even fiercer in the next award application round.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 22, 2019

New York contractor pleads guilty to minority fraud

The Erie County District Attorney's office said that Nichter Construction falsely stated that it had met the minority contracting requirements on a state project.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 22, 2019

Justice Department subpoenas $9B Honolulu high-speed rail records

A federal grand jury is pursuing an investigation into funding and management of the beleaguered line, which has almost doubled in costs since 2012.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 21, 2019

Cal/OSHA cites Shimmick, Con-Quest $65K in tunnel death

The accident led the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to require bidding contractors to submit more detailed safety plans.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 21, 2019

Trump administration to kill $929M grant for California bullet train

The USDOT's move comes after the California High-Speed Rail Authority said it would reduce the $77 billion project to just its $10 billion Central Valley section.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 20, 2019

Amazon may sign PLA for Virginia HQ2

With the tech giant nixing its New York plans, Arlington officials may push harder to give local construction unions pre-hire bargaining rights.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 19, 2019

Trump declares national emergency in goal of getting $8B for wall

Congress' offer of $1.4 billion meant to avoid a shutdown is just a fraction of the $5.7 billion requested for border wall construction, and Democrats have vowed to fight Trump's move.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 15, 2019

High stakes: State cannabis laws make contractors' obligations hazy

Laws permitting medical and sometimes recreational marijuana present challenges for employers — not the least of which is finding workers who can pass a hiring or post-accident/incident drug test. 

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 14, 2019

State cites sub for $12M of wage theft violations

The California Labor Commissioner's Office claims that RDV Construction bounced paychecks and illegally deducted up to 25% from employees' pay.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 13, 2019

Federal lawmakers propose $1.4B for border wall

President Trump has not said whether he will agree to the deal, which will cover only 55 miles of new barrier construction.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 13, 2019

Feds sue New Jersey contractor for $679K to resolve delinquent OSHA fines

Frame Q owes $473,178 from eight jobsite inspections dating back to March 2014, along with government penalties, interest and fees.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 12, 2019

2 contractors settle SBA 8(a) fraud allegations for $3.6M

The VMJ Construction/Vigil Contracting case is an example of how costly penalties can be for procurement fraud under the federal program.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 8, 2019

Related wins TIF approval for $7B mixed-use Chicago riverfront project

The subsidy could generate as much as $551 million for infrastructure on the 62-acre plan dubbed The 78, which could receive the go-ahead next month.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 8, 2019

Study: Difficult to control respirable silica levels during chipping, crushing

The findings suggested that workers performing demolition and related activities would be best protected by respiratory gear, even when dust control measures are in place.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 7, 2019

Indictments cast shadow on Philadelphia construction industry

The charges against Local 98 IBEW union leader John Dougherty and others range from bribery to fraud, forcing some to consider how much undue influence the city's unions have over the local industry.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 7, 2019

FAA spec update includes precast concrete for first time

With the Federal Aviation Administration's new specifications, precast suppliers and contractors are poised to get a bigger piece of construction and renovation projects at the more than 19,000 airports in the U.S. 

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 6, 2019

Trump light on trade, infrastructure details in State of the Union address

Though the White House spent much of 2018 attempting to steer the national conversation toward infrastructure, the topic received just two sentences with no specific appropriations mentioned.

By Emma Cosgrove • Feb. 6, 2019

Minnesota groups push for state to allow teens to work on construction sites

Some in the state's construction industry want regulation to echo federal law that allows 16- and 17-year-olds to work on jobsites.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 6, 2019

Details emerge of prevailing wage deal between union, NYC on housing projects

This revelation echoes a proposal currently on the table that would require prevailing wages on many city construction projects receiving financial assistance from a local agency.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 6, 2019