DOTD opens bids for TIMED segments

The Louisiana Dept. of Transportation and Development received bids on two TIMED segments in September.

With a bid received on Sept. 24 of $12.6 million, James Construction Group Inc. was the apparent low bidder on the US 167 project in Dubach. Construction is scheduled to begin in the next several months. The 2.6-mile segment will be widened to five lanes through the town.

Bids were also accepted on a West Napoleon project in Jefferson Parish. Boh Bros. Construction Co. was the apparent low bidder on the segment between Roosevelt and David with a bid of $12.2 million. This widening project should also begin within the next several months.

"The accelerated schedule of the TIMED Program has DOTD opening bids for construction every month over the next few years to ensure all construction is underway by 2008," said Buddy Porta, DOTD TIMED Program spokesperson.

The TIMED (Transportation Infrastructure Model for Economic Development) Program is the single largest transportation program in Louisiana history. The $3.5 billion improvement program includes widening 500 miles of state highways to four lanes on 11 project corridors, widening and/or new construction on three major bridges and improvements to both the Port of New Orleans and Louis Armstrong International Airport.

The program is designed to enhance economic development in Louisiana through an investment in transportation projects..

Volvo Construction Equipment Rents Opens West Monroe Rental Center

Volvo Construction Equipment Rents Inc. (Volvo CE Rents) recently announced the opening of its third franchised equipment rental center in Louisiana. The new Volvo rental franchise, owned by K. Paul and Margaret L. Bullock, principals of JPS LLC, opened at 164 Sterling Avenue in West Monroe.

The equipment rental center is an independently owned and operated Volvo Construction Equipment Rents franchise.

The center will carry, in addition to Volvo construction equipment, a comprehensive line of essential equipment and tools for the construction, commercial, industrial, and homeowner markets. Principal Volvo products for its equipment rental franchises include the company's compact excavators and wheel loaders and backhoe and skid steer loaders.

Volvo CE Rents, which began its franchise equipment rental initiative in 2001, has rental centers open in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, California, Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, South Carolina, New York, Minnesota, Arkansas, New Jersey, Alabama, and Kentucky.

In addition to these franchises now in operation, the company has franchise development agreements in place with other North America business interests for 38 future locations.

NAWIC's New Orleans Chapter installs new officers

The National Association of Women in Construction's New Orleans Chapter recently installed its 2003-2004 officers during a September installation dinner at Messina's Restaurant in Kenner.

New officers include President Mary Ann Choina, Associated Builders and Contractors; President-Elect Lauren Landry, HCI Construction & Design; Vice President Grace Bishop, Modulex; Secretary Millie Munsch, Barriere Construction; and Treasurer Tara Kopelman, American Machinery.

The following members were installed as board directors: Adria Bell, Denise LeBlanc, Mary Ann Linker, Anne Lovas, Phyllis Rambeau and Diane Ryan.

Outgoing President Alice Fort recognized the following members for their contributions during 2002-2003:

• Industry Appreciation Award: Barbara Alleman
  
• WIC of the Year Award: Grace Bishop, CIT
  
• Recruiter of the Year Award: Mary Kay Cowen
  
• Most Interested New WIC Award: Kristin Koenig

NAWIC was founded in Ft. Worth, Texas, in 1955. Since its founding, the association has grown to about 6,500 members with more than 200 chapters in the United States and Canada.

DOTD, partners promote traffic safety with Traffic Safety Summit

The Louisiana Dept. of Transportation and Development, in partnership with the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, the Federal Highway Administration, Louisiana State Police, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently held the first Traffic Safety Summit at the Marriott Hotel in Baton Rouge.

The theme of the summit was "Managing Highway Safety in Louisiana" and featured an agenda focused on the costs of highway crashes and the three E's of traffic safety: engineering, education and enforcement.

The summit focused on the national and statewide theme for October, "Put the Brakes on Highway Fatalities."

The goal of the summit was to generate renewed interest and greater awareness of the critical highway safety issues and concerns in Louisiana to reduce the number of deaths on Louisiana highways. In an effort to revitalize traffic safety in Louisiana, the Dept. of Transportation and Development used the event to incorporate existing ideas into proactive programs with the help of numerous local, state and federal partners.

"This safety summit represents our renewed commitment to reducing highway accidents and fatalities in Louisiana. By bringing our federal, state and local partners together, we can combine resources, revitalize safety programs and focus on our common goal - to save lives," said Dr. Kam Movassaghi, secretary, Louisiana Dept. of Transportation and Development.

Invited speakers included Dr. Jeffrey Runge, administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; Mary Peters, administrator, Federal Highway Administration; and Annette Sandberg, administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.