Total construction starts rose 6% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.13 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential building starts gained 17%, nonbuilding starts were 4% higher, while residential starts slipped 1%.
On a year-to-date basis through April total construction starts were up 13% from the first four months of 2023. Residential starts were up 22%, while nonbuilding starts gained 14% and nonresidential building starts rose 5%.
Highway and bridge starts gained 8% for the month and are up 11% for the year. For the 12 months ending April 2024, total construction starts were up 2% from the 12 months ending April 2023. Nonresidential building starts were down 8% while residential starts were up 3%, and nonbuilding starts were up 16% on a 12-month rolling sum basis.
Nonbuilding construction starts gained 4% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $310 billion. Environmental public works starts rose 31% in the month, while miscellaneous nonbuilding rose 20%, and highway and bridge starts gained 8%; utility/gas starts shed 34% in April following a large gain in March.
On a year-to-date basis through April total nonbuilding starts were 14% higher. Miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were up 28%, environmental public works improved 24%, highway and bridge starts rose 16%, and utility/gas plants were 10% lower on a year-to-date basis through April.
For the 12 months ending April 2024, total nonbuilding starts were 16% higher than the 12 months ending April 2023. Utility/gas starts were up 26%, miscellaneous nonbuilding starts rose 19%, environmental public works starts moved 14% higher, and highway and bridge starts rose 11% for the 12 months ending April 2024.
The largest nonbuilding projects to break ground in April were the $834 million I-405 Brickyard Improvement project in Bothell, Wash., the $533 million Flat Ridge wind farm in Harper and Kingman counties in Kansas, and a $490 million resurfacing project in Lanai City, Hawaii.
Nonresidential building starts rose 17% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $423 billion. Manufacturing starts more than doubled during the month due to the start of two large projects. Institutional starts rose 16% due to a gain in healthcare and transportation projects, while commercial starts lost 1% due to a pullback in parking and warehouse projects.
On a year-to-date basis through April, total nonresidential starts were up 5%. Institutional starts were 19% higher, while commercial and manufacturing starts were each down 6% on a year-to-date basis through April.
For the 12 months ending April 2024, nonresidential building starts were 8% lower than the previous 12 months. Manufacturing starts were down 31% and commercial starts were down 13%, while institutional starts were 9% higher for the 12 months ending April 2024.
The largest nonresidential building projects to break ground in April were the $3.7 billion UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, Calif., the $1.8 billion Linde Blue Hydrogen plant in Beaumont, Texas, and the $1 billion Scout Motors EV plant in Blythewood, S.C.
Residential building starts moved 1% lower in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $395 billion. Single family starts fell 7%, while multifamily starts gained 13%. On a year-to-date basis through four months, total residential starts were 22% higher. Single family starts improved 32% and multifamily starts were 4% higher on a year-to-date basis.
For the 12 months ending April 2024, residential starts were 3% higher from the previous 12 months. Single family starts were 10% higher, while multifamily starts were 7% lower on a 12-month rolling sum basis.
The largest multifamily structures to break ground in April were the $300 million 1690 Revere Beach Parkway in Everett, Mass., the $270 million Innovative Urban mixed-use building in East New York, N.Y., and the $160 million 120 E144th Street apartment building in Mott Haven, N.Y.
Regionally, total construction starts in April rose in all five regions.
