Construction

For decades, supply chain strategy was defined by one overarching goal: efficiency. General contractors and specialists invested heavily in optimization technologies designed to reduce material haulage costs, streamline multi-site delivery logistics, and maximize equipment and fleet utilization across complex project environments. The prevailing belief was simple: the more optimized a supply chain became, the more competitive a contractor would be when pursuing and executing large-scale work.

Dust accumulates quickly at construction sites, creating environmental, operational, and air-quality concerns. One of the primary benefits of street sweeping in these environments is reducing pollution. Effective sweeping removes debris, trash, and pollutants from road surfaces before they can enter storm drains and contaminate waterways. Street sweepers also catch particulate matter that could get into the air.

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — Walter Burke, PE, has been named Resident Engineer for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Fredericksburg Residency. Burke will lead highway maintenance and operations, land use, and emergency response for more than 4,760 miles of state-maintained roads in the counties of Caroline, Spotsylvania, and Stafford. He will lead more than 120 employees and serve as the primary local government liaison for all VDOT programs.

As the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary, an iconic bridge marks a milestone of its own. In July 2026, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge connecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey, turns 100 years old. The chief engineer of the bridge was Polish-born Ralph Modjeski, founder of the firm now known as Modjeski and Masters. When the Benjamin Franklin Bridge opened in 1926, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world.

RICHMOND, VA — Dan Villhauer, PE, Assoc. DBIA, has joined Garver as Mid-Atlantic Water Business Team Leader to lead the firm’s water business growth in Virginia. A Virginia native with a career dedicated to supporting municipal utilities, Villhauer will focus on building long-term client relationships while expanding Garver’s water and wastewater planning, design, and delivery capabilities across the Commonwealth.

BALTIMORE, MD — During a virtual industry forum, the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) announced four separate procurements for reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Restructuring the procurements into multiple contracts allows for greater competition within the contracting community, expands opportunities for the local workforce, and will expedite the award of new contracts. During the procurement process, work will continue on the project.

As the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) unveiled a list of 250 transportation improvements that have fueled the country’s economic growth and enhanced quality of life during the past two and a half centuries.

Seventy-eight percent of U.S. voters want Congress to pass a new federal highway, bridge, and transit bill before the current law expires on September 30, 2026, according to polling recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).

In response to years of mounting congestion and safety concerns, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is in the midst of a full reconstruction of the I-495/I-90 interchange, one of eastern Massachusetts’ most heavily traveled highway junctions. The project, which started in 2021, is designed to address longstanding operational deficiencies while improving mobility for both passenger vehicles and freight traffic moving through the region.

At the time of its opening in November 1957, the 3.5-mile-long Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) was the world's first, and then-longest, immersed tube tunnel to connect two man-made islands. Nineteen years later in 1976, a parallel immersed tube was added. In September 2025, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) made history again, with the final breakthrough of twin bored tunnels. Currently undergoing expansion, the HRBT connects Hampton and Norfolk, Virginia.