Winter construction attracts a hardy bunch: there is ice, snow and frigid wind to deal with, but a steadfast group of construction workers labors through the winter season.

• Author: Schmitz, Richard F.

It was a dark and stormy night. In Alaska. In winter. Even so, such conditions cannot be a barrier to a vibrant construction industry. Considering how much of the calendar covers a Northern winter, Alaska's construction industry is required to adapt to the many challenges presented by the Arctic, sub-arctic and North Pacific climates.

It has, does, and will continue to do so, says Great Northwest Vice President Tony Johansen.

In Alaska, large-scale winter construction falls into two main areas: emergency work or projects under a demanding timeline, and environmental factors that require work be done when a cover of snow and ice protects the land.

The latter category covers almost all work done in the North Slope oil patch, Johansen explained. In 2003, major repair work caused by last November's Interior earthquake falls in the first category.

For general contractor Brad Cure, owner of The Perfect Set in Juneau, winter conditions bring many of the same concerns that the state's big players must contend with, such as increased cost and the hazards of working in inclement weather.

"Everything always takes longer when it's cold," Cure said. "Cold fingers, cold tools ... I try and look for more indoor work in the winter."

It's the same for Great Northwest, which is doing a lot of earthquake damage repair over the winter.

"It's tough. There's not much to enjoy about construction work in the winter--except the cash flow," Johansen said.

"Winter construction in Alaska is extremely expensive. Historically, contractors look at a more relaxed lifestyle in the winter because that's the time you repair equipment and do estimate work--indoors where it's warm.

"It's also less efficient to work in the winter. You need to wear more padding, heavy boots, mittens."

One factor that makes winter construction more expensive is the season's impact on equipment. "At minus 20, metal starts to become brittle. There's no hard and fast temperature, but generally it's pretty much impossible to run equipment when it's below minus 30," Johansen said.

At very cold temperatures, equipment needs special oil and other fluids. "But sometimes you don't need that because you just run the equipment 24 hours a day, so it never cools off," he added. Still, the constant operation increases wear and adds to the overall cost of fuel.

Damage to roads caused by last year's 7.4 earthquake unexpectedly placed Great Northwest in the thick of winter construction, Johansen said.

El Nino...