In Which States Can Construction Continue During Shutdown Orders?

“Can I go to work?” is a question on a lot of Americans' minds amid COVID-19 shutdowns and “shelter-in-place” orders. The answer to that varies on where builders live and what the local government considers “essential.” If you’re in California or Illinois, feel free to lace up your boots. But if you are Pennsylvania or Masschusets, you’ll have to ride out the storm at home. Find out more about how the coronavirus is affecting construction in your city.

To help battle the coronavirus outbreak, governors of several states have shut down all but essential services in recent days. This has left building departments, state building associations and elected officials inundated with questions from contractors in affected areas. Heads of AEC firms of all sizes and functions, including subcontractors and architects, are looking for guidance on whether their work can proceed.

For now, it appears that the shutdowns that have been enacted so far exempt most construction activities, but with caveats. (Click here for Construction Dive's map tracking construction closures across the country.)

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