[VIDEO] Construction Groups Urge Trump to Buck Republicans on Road Spending

[VIDEO] Construction Groups Urge Trump to Buck Republicans on Road Spending

VIDEO JAN 5, 2017

Construction News Tracker is presented by Caterpillar and produced by ForConstructionPros.com

President-elect Donald Trump maintained throughout his campaign that he wanted to spend one trillion dollars on infrastructure, but the reality of that position is it smacks right up against the long standing position of the Republican Party base of less spending small government. Congressional leaders are tamping down expectations of big money expenditures, instead offering talk of a possible federal tax credit program to generate public private sector spending or repatriation of corporate money now parked overseas. AGC leaders say they’re worried over the mixed signals on the issue. Other trade associations such as AARTBA and AASHTO are urging members to lean on congressional representatives in their home districts to engage the topic of necessary infrastructure funding going forward in hopes of getting the president-elect;s ear on the topic.

CNN.com

edited by kcontents

2016 was a mixed bag for construction. The latest numbers show over 211 metro areas saw employment increase between November 2015 and 2016, the lowest statistic in four years. However, the total number of workers at 6.7 million registered in November was the highest number in eight years according to AGC economists. Residential construction added nearly 209,000 jobs in November, said Ken Simonson, and yearly a 4.8% increase. As for the losses, AGC officials who compile the stats say much of it can be attributed to the continuing nationwide struggle with worker shortages.

New Commerce Department numbers show the nation's home building sales in November rose 5.2% from October to a seasonally adjusted rate of 592,000 — the highest rate since 2008 — and 16.5% above that of 2015.

According to Dodge Data, the value of project starts dropped 6% in November from the seasonally adjusted annual rate of 638.3 billion — thats a three month decline. In fact, all three tracks followed by Dodge saw fewer November starts — residential, nonresidential and non building. What saved 2016 for the year was the value of the year to date starts for January to November was unchanged at 627.2 billion. Just 

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