March 18, 2020

Most jobsites in Boston are shut down; is Seattle next?

Photo by Benjamin Minnick [enlarge]

Construction workers were busy last week building improvements on the Seattle waterfront.

The city of Boston on Tuesday shut down most construction sites in a continuing effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. It was the first major city in the U.S. to shut down construction sites, according to the website ConstructionDive.

That came on the heels of six counties in the San Francisco Bay Area on Monday ordering residents to stay at home, except to get groceries, medical care or other needed services.

A mandate from the city and county of San Francisco said only workers in essential activities could go to work. Some of those essential industries include health care, law enforcement, first responders, grocery stores, media, garbage collection and airport operations. The list of exemptions also had construction on it, including housing (especially affordable and for the homeless), utilities, plumbing, electrical, and roads and highways.

Construction around the Puget Sound area was going full bore yesterday. But could that come to a screeching halt like in Boston?

A spokeswoman from Gov. Jay Inslee's office responded in an email that lawmakers have not included construction sites in any proclamations.

“Not yet, as you likely know everything is moving quickly and evolving so that could change,” she wrote.

A spokesman from the city of Seattle wrote, “Seattle's response to COVID-19 is rapidly evolving, but as of today, construction work continues.”

In Boston, the city suspended all regular activity at construction sites for at least two weeks, but told contractors to maintain necessary crews to keep the sites safe and secure to prevent materials from blowing away and keep trespassers out. It is giving contractors until Monday to button down their jobsites.

A news release from the city of Boston said only essential construction work will be permitted during the suspension, including:

• Emergency utility, road or building work, such as gas leaks, water leaks and sinkholes.

• New utility connections to occupied buildings.

• Mandated building or utility work.

• Work at health care facilities, shelters and other facilities that support vulnerable populations.

• Work that ensures the reliability of the transportation network.

• Work necessary to render occupied residential buildings fully habitable.

The city said it will review individual requests for exceptions to the construction moratorium, but only if the projects support increased public health and safety.

Recent numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 4,226 COVID-19 cases across the U.S.

Yesterday afternoon, Washington State Department of Health reported over 1,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and the death toll topped 50. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported 218 confirmed cases. The Boston Globe said no deaths have been reported in Massachusetts.