Don McLoudDon McLoud is the executive editor of Equipment World. He can be reached at [email protected].RoadbuildingCal. wildfires close freeways, create thousands of evacueesWildfires raging in Southern California this week have led to thousands of residents evacuating their homes. A fire out of control in Ventura County reached the Pacific Ocean on December 6 destroying homes along the way. The fire jumped Highway 33 and crossed the 101 Freeway into Solimar Beach, burning 50,500 acres, according to the […]December 6, 2017Roadbuilding511 App now allows drivers to request roadside assistance in S.C.Drivers needing roadside assistance in South Carolina can now request help on the S.C. Department of Transportation’s 511 App. The State Highway Emergency Program, or SHEP, responders can change tires, perform minor repairs and provide small amounts of gas. They also can help clearing wrecked vehicles from travel lanes. SHEP has helped about 800,000 motorists […]December 6, 2017WorkforceHurricane recovery sends construction unemployment to record lowU.S. construction unemployment tied a record low in October, at 4.5 percent, with recovery from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma and other disasters appearing to lead the jobs increase, according to Associated Builders and Contractors. The last time construction unemployment reached 4.5 percent in October was in 2006, the ABC says. The October 2017 rate was […]December 4, 2017DealersNew England Manitowoc crane dealer marks 60th yearShawmut Equipment is celebrating its 60th anniversary of selling and renting cranes, serving as one of Manitowoc Cranes’ leading distributors. Shawmut was founded in 1957 in Connecticut by George O’Connell as a crane distributor for Connecticut and western Massachusetts. It represents all Manitowoc crane brands: Manitowoc, Grove, National and Potain. It became one of Grove’s […]December 4, 2017RoadbuildingNew I-15 interchange near Las Vegas to reduce congestion, noiseA new interchange to Interstate 15 near Las Vegas is being built to relieve traffic and reduce traffic noise for nearby residents. The $33.7 million interchange at Starr Avenue will include six lanes, landscaped medians and bike lanes and is scheduled to be completed in mid-2019. The project completes construction of Starr Avenue between Las […]December 4, 2017RoadbuildingModest rise in transportation construction forecast for 2018Transportation-related construction activity is expected to increase next year after dropping in 2017, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. The association predicts an annual increase of 3.2 percent for 2018 compared to an expected 2.8 percent drop this year. The largest market segment – public road projects by state and local governments […]December 4, 2017RoadbuildingS.C. hybrid, electric vehicle owners to pay new fees in 2018South Carolina owners of hybrid and electric vehicles will soon start paying a new fee, as property tax notices begin going out in January reflecting the new charges, according to the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles. Hybrid vehicle owners will pay $60 every other year, and electric car owners will pay $120 every other year. […]December 4, 2017RoadbuildingWorker killed when core drill strikes power line on I-44 near St. LouisA contract worker trying to obtain a road core sample was electrocuted November 29 along eastbound Interstate 44 near St. Louis when the truck-mounted core drill he was operating struck a power line. Stephen J. Tepatti, 39, of Florissant was working around 9:45 a.m. beneath a power line that stretched over the highway. He was […]December 1, 2017RoadbuildingReward issued for tractor-driving historic bridge wrecker in Ind.Some residents in Boone County, Indiana, are rallying to save a historic, one-lane Pratt truss bridge that has been closed for a year after being damaged by a tractor. They have issued a $2,500 reward for information that leads to the tractor driver who wrecked the bridge on November 10, 2016. The Boone County Sheriff’s […]December 1, 2017RoadbuildingWYDOT tests vehicle-to-vehicle communication tech for I-80The Wyoming Department of Transportation is preparing to install vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology on some of its snow plows, patrol cars and other vehicles under a trial program to provide real-time traffic information to drivers on Interstate 80. WYDOT says that it, along with the University of Wyoming and other project partners, including Sirius XM, tested […]December 1, 2017Previous PagePage 222 of 261Next PageTop StoriesVintage Equipment“The Great Tractor Race” – Cat’s 1931 Film Reveals its Early Crawlers in Zany EventWatch Caterpillar Ten, Twenty, Thirty and Sixty track-type tractors traverse rugged, hilly terrain and crash through buildings.Compact equipmentMassimo Expands UTV Line with 6-Seater T-Boss 900LThe DirtWhat’s New on Komatsu’s Next-Gen PC220LC-12 Excavator? – Almost Everything!Market PulseTop-Selling New and Used Construction Equipment in the First Half of 2025Featured SponsorThink like a thief to protect your fleet. Watch our on-demand webinar.
