road construction and transportation work continue to dominate construction industry nationally

According to new government figures analyzed by the Washington-based Associated General Contractors of America, overall public construction projects registered a strong 5.4 percent increase between January and July of this year over the same half-year period in 2017.

The numbers were slightly lower in private construction projects, which have seen a 5.2 percent increase between January and July of this year over the same months last year.

The largest public construction gains, at exactly 14 percent, have been seen in transportation projects.

Highway construction projects showed a 3.6 percent gain over last year, while educational construction work, largely confined to university and school facility building, registered a marginal 0.6 percent increase.

In private sector projects, the biggest gains so far have been in single-homebuilding, which was up by 8.5 percent, with commercial construction in terms of retail space and warehouse work, up by 4.7 percent.

Also in the private sector category, office construction project saw a 5.8 percent increase in the last half year, with oil and gas pipeline construction up by 0.4 percent.

According to the Department of Commerce, overall construction spending has steadily increased from 0.77 trillion in the summer of 2011 to $1.3 trillion in July.

By Garry Boulard

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