By Justin Kern Special to The Daily Reporter Supporting toll roads in the state could mean doom to an office seeker’s campaign. But advocates for tolls and other revenue sources say avoiding tolls altogether could mean worse for the roads ...

Tagged with: Craig Thompson Department of Transportation Doyle infrastructure Joint Committee on Finance Local 139 McGowan Neumann Pat Goss Scott Walker TDA toll roads tolls Tom Barrett transportation budget Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Association WisDOT WTBA

By Paul Snyder A request to shift federal high-speed rail money to repair the Hoan Bridge is reigniting the road vs. rail debate, despite the inquiring lawmakers’ insistence it’s not an either/or matter. “To me it’s just about priorities,” said ...

Tagged with: Federal Highway Administration Gwen Moore high-speed rail Hoan Bridge International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 McGowan Plale Sinicki TIGER Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Wisconsin Department of Transportation WisDOT

By Paul Snyder Campaigns for the state Legislature and the growing debate over transportation spending are likely to collide in the November elections. Many Wisconsin counties are lining up advisory referendums to ask voters if they support a constitutional amendment ...

Tagged with: Construction Business Group Craig Thompson election International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 McGowan state Legislature transportation budget Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Association transportation spending Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce

By Paul Snyder Union officials are blaming counties for killing a bill that would have required licenses for crane and heavy equipment operators. Counties wanted their employees exempted from licensing, said Robb Kahl, executive director of the Construction Business Group, ...

Tagged with: bill Construction Business Group crane heavy equipment International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 license Local 139 McGowan Parisi Robb Kahl Wisconsin County Highways Association

By Paul Snyder Nuclear power plant construction in Wisconsin likely will be just as difficult to accomplish after the legislative session as it was before. “It’s definitely disappointing,” said state Rep. Jim Soletski, D-Green Bay. “I’m not saying we should ...

Tagged with: Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin Clean Energy Jobs Act CUB Higley International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 Local 139 McGowan nuclear energy Soletski

By Sean Ryan The federal government Tuesday officially shifted toward project labor agreements, confirming the fears of nonunion contractors. Starting May 13, federal agencies can require PLAs on projects that receive more than $25 million in federal money. Mike Zignego, ...

Tagged with: ABC International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 Local 139 McGowan Michael Best & Friedrich LLP nonunion Obama PLA project labor agreements Steve Stone union Zignego Zignego Co.

By Paul Snyder Construction industry representatives Wednesday pounded on a state bill that would add to upcoming federal certification requirements for crane operators. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Joe Parisi, D-Madison, would require a state license for crane operators ...

Tagged with: Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin International Union of Operating Engineers McGowan Mielke Milwaukee Occupational Safety and Health Administration osha Parisi

By Paul Snyder

staff writer

It’s not at all rare to have some union official or contractors association representative telling me about their members who are looking for work or on the brink of closing shop. It instills in them a fight to get whatever jobs are available.

Tagged with: blog high-speed rail Hot Topics McGowan Rail Snyder

By Paul Snyder Twin Lakes-based Powers Lake Construction Co. Inc. has filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code. Jerry Kerkman, an attorney with Milwaukee-based Kerkman & Dunn representing Powers Lake Construction, said the construction and excavating ...

Tagged with: Chapter 11 International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 Local 139 McGowan Wanta Wisconsin Department of Transportation Wisconsin Underground Contractors Association

By Sean Ryan State legislators want hard figures on the annual cost of running a Madison-to-Milwaukee high-speed rail line before approving construction. That is unlikely to happen. People around the country are asking the same question about operating costs for ...

Tagged with: Alberta Darling Doyle high-speed rail International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 Joint Committee on Finance Klein McGowan Wisconsin Department of Transportation