I-85 Repairs Aren’t Affected By Atlanta’s Construction Labor Shortage
Construction workers survey a section of an overpass that collapsed from a large fire on Interstate 85 in Atlanta, Friday, March 31, 2017. Many commuters in some of Atlanta’s densely populated northern suburbs will have to find alternate routes or ride public transit for the foreseeable future after a massive fire caused a bridge on … Continued
David Goldman / Associated Press
Construction is ahead of schedule to repair the Interstate 85 overpass, which collapsed after a fire. And that’s despite the shortage of construction workers in Atlanta.
To repair the overpass and meet the June 15 deadline, construction company CW Matthews took skilled workers from other projects, according to David Moellering, the executive director of the Georgia Highway Contractors’ Association.
“When you look at them as a whole, they would tell you that they need more workers, but on that specific project, they have the crews already filled and … those folks are working 24 hours a day to get that back open,” Moellering said.
But Moellering said other, lower-profile projects in Atlanta are experiencing labor shortages. To fill that gap, he says many workers are on the job seven days a week. But he adds companies are increasing daily wages and bonuses to keep and attract workers.
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