Raleigh Scaffolding Collapse Kills 3 Construction Workers

Three construction workers were killed and another seriously injured late Monday morning when an exterior lift system tore from the side of an office building under construction in downtown Raleigh.

A witness, LeRoy Kelley, said workers were dismantling a "mast climber" on the 11-story  Charter Square Building on Fayetteville Street when the elevator-like system collapsed, sending a mobile scaffolding platform to the ground.

As a residential land developer, activating the Homeowner Association (HOA) and handing over responsibility for the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs) to it is a big step. On the plus side, it means your project is well-advanced, and it’s also one less thing on your plate. On the down side, you’ve made a tremendous investment in the project and may be nervous about how effective the HOA will be at maintaining your vision.

These days everything seems to be connected. You can connect your home appliances to your WiFi network and even remotely start your car from the touch of your mobile phone. Technology is used in almost every element of our lives. Why not apply this technology to our streets as well? Local agencies are beginning to adopt Complete Streets policies that provide alternative modes of transportation for all users. The next evolution in transportation is to integrate technology with Complete Streets principles to create a transportation system that is accessible and reliable. It’s time to start thinking of Complete Streets as Smart Streets.

Last year I wrote an article called Two Simple Checks to Verify the Validity of Your Project's Schedule. With the prime construction season just around the corner, I thought this would be a great time to offer those tips once again. I hope you find them helpful!