DBIA’s mission is to provide the best resources available to help inform and empower our industry. In these uncertain times, that mission is even more important. As our communities fight the Coronavirus, we are working to find the best information available to help design-build teams navigate the unknown. This daily newsletter will provide the latest COVID-19 news for the AEC community.
Design-builders deliver in times of crisis and we will again.
If you have COVID-19 news impacting the AEC industry from your organization, state or community please email us.
April 22nd
National
Senate Passes Small Business Coronavirus Aid-US News & World Report. The half-trillion-dollar interim package for small businesses, hospitals and virus testing now moves to the House with a vote planned for Thursday.
First U.S. coronavirus death happened weeks earlier than originally believed-NBC News. Two previously unreported COVID-19 victims from February in California appear to be the nation’s first confirmed coronavirus fatalities. Two deaths on Feb. 6 and Feb. 17 were not initially thought to have been COVID-19-related, but further testing has revealed that they were.
US could see a higher summer death toll as CDC warns of a winter coronavirus outbreak that may be worse-CNN. A second coronavirus outbreak could emerge this winter in conjunction with the flu season to make for an even more dire health crisis, said the director of the CDC. “There’s a possibility that the assault of the virus on our nation next winter will actually be even more difficult than the one we just went through.”
States
Missouri
Tarlton Completes Missouri’s First COVID-19 Alternate Health Care Facility- Civil + Structural Engineer. Hotel converted in less than 100 hours to support hospitals in case more beds are needed
Nevada
State officials issue new COVID-19 guidance for construction workers-KLAS-TV. The Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued new guidance for the construction industry. The new memo lays out social distancing rules for work breaks, including lunch and before and after work. It also encourages sites to do things like temperature checks and surveys on workers every day.
New York
Trump says federal government will help New York secure more virus testing- Associated Press. President Donald Trump said he and Gov. Andrew Cuomo agreed in an Oval Office meeting Tuesday to work to double coronavirus testing in the state over the next few weeks.
North Carolina
NCDOT delays two projects in Robeson County because of budget shortfall caused by COVID-19-Robesonian. The NCDOT is anticipating a shortfall of at least $300 million in its budget for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, because people across the state have adhered to the stay-at-home order to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, according to the Transportation Department.
Industry
Coronavirus crisis inspires industry collaboration: ‘We’re all in this together’-Construction Dive. Since the coronavirus outbreak hit the U.S., many in the industry have noticed a bright spot emerge from the crisis, which is a push toward more collaboration among stakeholders. This collaboration has been central to the industry’s quick reaction to keeping sites healthy and operational in an unprecedented and fast-changing situation.
Contractor Backlog Clearing Up As Construction Projects Pause-Bisnow. “There’s going to be a lot of pain in the retail sphere, and I think that we’re going to see that landscape change quite a bit, even to the extent that retail is incorporated into larger multifamily projects.”
Feds Expand ‘Guidance’ of Virus-Essential Construction Sectors, Jobs-Engineering News-Record. As states and municipalities continue to cope with the spread of COVID-19 and regulate essential and non-essential business, the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security on April 17 updated federal guidance on essential infrastructure by expanding categories of construction workers that are considered critical.
Bipartisan senators announce $19.5B water infrastructure proposal-The Hill. Lawmakers announced two pieces of draft legislation that together would invest $19.5 billion into the country’s water infrastructure. One draft bill would aim to increase water storage, offer flooding protection and repair wastewater and irrigation systems among other measures. The other aims to help communities meet their drinking water needs.
Contact our editors if you have COVID-19 news impacting the AEC industry to share.