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 8th
National
U.S. sees deadliest day in COVID-19 outbreak-NBC News. The number of confirmed cases is also nearing 400,000.
Top public health official says number of dead could be lower as Americans practice social distancing-CNN. Public health experts caution that nobody has a crystal ball with the ability to pinpoint the precise number of people who will die in a pandemic, and they warn that despite the varying numbers, this is no time to relax social distancing measures.
States
California
Governor Newsom: California’s COVID-19 curve is ‘stretching,’ cases jump by 10 percent-The Mercury News. Gov. Gavin Newsom said California is experiencing a steady but “moderate” increase in the number of patients who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Florida
State accelerates Signature Bridge and related projects-Miami Today. Due to a reduction in traffic throughout Florida during the fight against COVID-19, FDOT will expedite crucial improvements to the state’s transportation system and provide much-needed jobs, said FDOT Secretary Kevin J. Thibault.
Tempers flare as Miami-Dade construction sites take COVID-19 precautions but stay open-Miami Herald. While the construction industry in Miami-Dade scrambles to raise safety standards to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, public and private sentiment that the job sites should shut down continues to grow.
New York
New York Has Largest Single-Day Death Toll From Coronavirus-Wall Street Journal. A record number of people in New York died of COVID-19 on Monday, but officials said they are cautiously optimistic that the number of new cases in the nation’s hardest-hit state is plateauing.
De Blasio cites potential good news amid otherwise daunting picture-Politico. Mayor Bill de Blasio said that the number of gravely ill coronavirus patients showing up at city hospitals is finally showing signs of leveling off while acknowledging that the official death toll may far understate the number of New Yorkers who have already died from the virus.
Pennsylvania
Construction companies in Pennsylvania cautiously return to work-ABC 27. Typically, March and April are when construction starts to ramp up, but it’s a slow start back with limited staff and other changes made as part of the Safety Plan required by PennDOT to resume work.
Industry
Turner, Rosendin transform Coachella Valley, California, facilities into coronavirus treatment centers-Construction Dive. General contractors and their subs have stepped up in recent weeks to quickly build or retrofit medical buildings in areas reeling from the coronavirus outbreak. The facilities are seen as a crucial step, alleviating pressure on traditional hospitals.
Tips For Construction Companies To Get Through COVID-19-Bisnow. With tips coming from Turner & Townsend USA Managing Director John Robbins, a company’s approach on how to contend with local and state shelter-in-place orders depend on what phase of work and part of the country they are in.
COVID-19 is a chance to invest in our essential infrastructure workforce-Brookings Institute. As federal, state, and local leaders look to provide economic relief, they must pay special attention to the support and protection of our current infrastructure workforce.
Contact our editors if you have COVID-19 news impacting the AEC industry to share.