Louisiana TIMED program advances project designs

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) and Louisiana TIMED Managers (LTM) recently issued an additional 22 consultant contracts to finalize design along the major TIMED corridors.

"With these additional design contracts underway, the accelerated TIMED Program continues on a fast-track to completion," said Buddy Porta, DOTD TIMED program spokesperson. "The TIMED Program is on schedule to be complete by 2012, 20 years earlier than the original estimate."

The contracts include final design of segments on US 165, US 167, US 425 and the environmental assessment of the new Florida Avenue Bridge over the Industrial Canal (IHNC). These 22 contracts represent $16.8 million in engineering fees and are all expected to be complete within the next two years.

"With these consultant contracts underway, all of the TIMED Program projects are either complete, in pre-construction phases (environmental evaluation, design, right-of-way acquisition) or under construction," Porta said.

Additional TIMED Program information can be found online by going to www.timedla.com.

The TIMED Program is the single largest transportation program in state history. The $3.5 billion program includes 16 specific transportation projects that include four-laning 500 miles of state highways, 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.

ABC Bayou Chapter installs 2004 officers

At a banquet in January, the New Orleans Bayou Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. installed a new Executive Committee and Board of Directors for 2004.

David F. Mayer, manager of business development for Barriere Construction Co. LLC, was elected president of the Bayou Chapter. Mayer has been a representative member of ABC since January 1996 and has served as membership committee chairman, PAC committee member, secretary in 2002 and president-elect in 2003.

Mayer also serves on ABC's state board in Baton Rouge. Last year's president, John Donahue of DonahueFavret Contractors, passed the gavel to Mayer at the ceremony in the Riverview Room at Jax Brewery in New Orleans.

Mayer encouraged members to get involved and participate during the coming year.

"It gives me great pleasure to announce that the ABC Bayou Chapter is teeming with opportunity in 2004," Mayer said. "Our Board of Directors is casting a wide net in hopes of catching new members and new involvement. Our chapter needs to grow; the more contractors, subcontractors, associates and professionals that join Bayou, the stronger our voice is."

The Bayou Chapter, with approximately 200 members, consists of general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and associates, and has offices and craft training as well as apprenticeship education facilities in St. Rose.

Members of the 2004 Board of Directors include David Mayer, Barriere Construction Co, LLC, president; John Donahue, Donahue Favret Contractors Inc., past president; Paysse McWilliams, Norman Voelkel Construction, president-elect; Rachelle Myers Albright, F.H. Myers Construction Corp., secretary; Ronnie Dawson, Ericksen, Krentel & LaPorte, CPAs, treasurer; Todd Trosclair, All Star Electric Inc., parliamentarian; Kathy Berni, Arthur J. Gallagher of La. Inc.; Kevin Clement, Brice Building Company; Rick Edwards, PALA Interstate LLC; Vincent Giardina, LeGlue & Company CPAs; Melissa Gibbs, Gibbs Construction LLC; Sam Kimbrough, Cypress Electrical Contractors Inc.; Jim Lewis, Landis Construction Co. LLC; Eileen Long, Broadmoor; Phil Rebowe, Rebowe & Company CPAs; Julie Savage, Chaffe, McCall, Phillips, Toler & Sarpy; Dana Stumpf, Durr Heavy Construction LLC; and Jim Zimmerman, Cory, Tucker & Larrowe Inc.

Also recognized was the Bayou Chapter's "Man of the Year," Phil Shuler of Chaffe, McCall, Phillips, Toler & Sarpy. Shuler serves as chapter attorney and has represented ABC Bayou Chapter for more than 20 years. He was acknowledged for his dedicated service to the chapter and his work in the advancement of the Merit Shop Philosophy of ABC.

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national trade association representing more than 23,000 merit shop contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers and related firms in 80 chapters across the United States.

ABC honors contractor safety records

During the February Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) national convention in Honolulu, the association honored merit shop construction firms that demonstrated an outstanding commitment to safety.

Performance Contractors Inc. of Baton Rouge; Boh Bros. Construction Co. LLC of Baton Rouge; and Davis International of Baton Rouge were recognized for their safety records during the ceremony.

Award winners were selected from member firms achieving Platinum status in ABC's Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP) program. The criteria used for selecting national safety winners included each member's self-evaluation scores, lost workday case rates and total recordable rates.

"We salute these safety award winners for their dedication to construction workplace safety," said Kirk Pickerel, ABC president and CEO. "Creating safe work environments is top priority for ABC. That is why in 2000, ABC signed a national partnership agreement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that provides leadership on job safety. Today, some 40 ABC chapters have signed similar agreements with OSHA.

"ABC provides member firms with safety training programs, information and an annual safety training and evaluation process that serves as a benchmark and guide to maintaining an effective construction safety program," he said.

The National Safety Excellence Awards are presented in three major Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code categories: SIC 15 - General Construction; SIC 16 - Heavy and Industrial Construction and SIC 17 - Specialty Construction.

NAWIC's Baton Rouge Chapter to host Block Kids Event

The local chapter of NAWIC (The National Association of Women in Construction) recently hosted its annual Block Kids event at the Jones Creek Library.

Judges included Tracy Hollier, Harmony Corp. of Baton Rouge; Blaine Guillory, Nichols Construction of Baton Rouge; and Chad Thompson, Associated Builders and Contractors of Baton Rouge.

The Block-Kids Building Program is a national building program competition that is sponsored on the local level by NAWIC chapters and other organizations. The program introduces children to the construction industry in an effort to create an awareness of and to promote an interest in future careers in one of the many facets of the industry.

The program is open to all elementary school children in first through sixth grades. Local winners advance to the regional competition and one semi-finalist from each region is entered in the national program competition.

At the local competition awards were given to the top three projects. These projects included a crane making a lift, a drawbridge and a school.

Brittany Aucoin a fifth Grader at Parkview Oaks, Megan Jacaruso a fifth grader at Parkview Oaks, and Taranto Wilson, a third grader at Children's Charter School, placed first, second and third, respectively.

GAGE Telephone Systems partners with IPx Connect

GAGE Telephone Systems Inc., an industry leader in telecommunications, recently formed a strategic partnership with IPx Connect, a provider of Web conferencing and online training solutions, to deliver telecommunications training and certification to GAGE Telephone Systems' team of professionals.

IPx Connect's live instructor-led online training will enhance employee knowledge of the latest technology, keeping them at the forefront of the telecommunication industry and giving GAGE Telephone Systems a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

"Telecommunications is an industry that is constantly changing and it's critical for our success and that of our customers for us to stay on top of changes in technology," said Greg Wood, president of GAGE Telephone Systems. "With the convergence of voice and data and the demand for new technology such as VOIP, its more important than ever to make sure our team stays on the cutting edge.

"We've always made significant investments in training because we strongly believe it has a direct correlation with performance in the field and servicing customers' needs. Our partnership with IPx Connect brings GAGE Telephone Systems' commitment to customers to the next level."

GAGE Telephone Systems will utilize IPx Connect's state-of-the-art IPVideo platform, which enables trainers to interact with employees via the Internet in their location. IPx Connect will deliver a variety of training programs such as Convergence Technologies Professional (CTP), an industry certification developed by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA).

Training will focus on such topics as data networking, telephony networking, and convergence technologies. This intensive training program enhances knowledge of the latest telecommunications systems, identifies opportunities to increase efficiency at customer sites, and provides ways for customers to maximize their communications systems to increase profitability.