US construction employment increased in 269 out of 358 metro areas between December 2016 and December 2017, declined in 43 and stagnated in 46, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America.
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif. added the most construction jobs during the past year (14,300 jobs, 15 percent), while the largest percentage gain occurred in the Cheyenne, Wyo. metro area (25 percent, 800 jobs).
The largest job losses from December 2016 to December 2017 were in Columbia, S.C. (-3,200 jobs, -20 percent), while the largest percentage decrease for the year was in Grand Forks, N.D.-Minn. (-24 percent, -1,000 jobs).
Association officials said that firms in many parts of the country have continued to expand as private-sector demand for new construction projects continues to hit record levels. They cautioned, however, that public-sector funding for roads and bridges declined in 2017 making it hard for many firms that build infrastructure to expand. Worse, lagging investments in infrastructure will lead to greater economic inefficiency as traffic grows, bridges age and waterways continue to degrade, they warned.
“One of the biggest threats to the current economic expansion is that our aging infrastructure will cause shipping and traffic delays, which will raise costs, slow schedules and create new inefficiencies,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “Rebuilding public infrastructure will help our economy remain competitive and ensure that construction employers continue to add jobs.”