Mayor Proposes Downtown Construction Initiative

NEW YORK CITY-The Coordinated Construction Act for Lower Manhattan, recently proposed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, aims to speed up construction of the projects outlined in his vision for Lower Manhattan, as well as promote fairness and cost efficiency. Provisions include allowing public agencies to pre-qualify bidders and allowing the city and the utility and telecommunications companies to bid together on infrastructure projects which greatly reduce the need to rip up streets repeatedly.

Other provisions would require the use of contractors with state-certified apprenticeship programs on large projects, which increases safety on the worksite, ensures minority access to construction jobs and trains a future-skilled workforce. The city would be required to follow state laws on the hiring of minority and women-owned businesses which ensures wide opportunities.

The seven-point plan would also allow the use of owner-controlled insurance programs and the use of alternate dispute resolution if so desired. Another requirement is that all public agencies use ultra low diesel fuel with construction vehicles and to make it easy for public agencies to purchase construction goods, such as fuel, cooperatively.