Although transportation spending attracts public attention because it affects travel, commercial spending for new and ongoing projects in the region is at a record pace.

The Majestic Star Casino ($450 million) on the North Shore, a new Children's Hospital ($625 million) in Lawrenceville and a new Pittsburgh Arena ($290 million) for the Penguins in the Uptown area amount to more than $1.3 billion in construction in Pittsburgh.

Then there's the 23-story Three PNC Plaza ($178 million) and Millcraft Industries housing and retail projects ($102 million), both Downtown; Bakery Square ($113 million) in Larimer; plus hotels, office buildings and parking garages at the Pittsburgh Technology Center, SouthSide Works and elsewhere.

Mostly privately funded capital projects being built in the city alone could eclipse $2 billion in 2008, officials have estimated.

Mike Welsh, business agent for the Greater Pennsylvania Regional Council of Carpenters, characterized the activity as part of the region's biggest building boom since the 1990s, when Heinz Field, PNC Park, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Fort Duquesne Bridge repairs and South Hills light-rail rehabilitation were under way at virtually the same time.

He said the trades union currently has about 1,000 apprentices, from "heavy highway" workers to pile drivers.

When the Building and Construction Trades Council members are included, up to 13,000 union workers will be engaged in such jobs as wiring, plumbing, finishing walls and laying floor tile.

"Employment is going to grow," Mr. Welsh said. "It helps make up for the slowdown in the residential building market and plants cutting back or shutting down."

Some of the other high-cost, high-impact new or recently begun projects include:

• A permanent Meadowlands casino and hotel in Washington County, $155 million;

• U.S. Steel Corp. improvements at the Clairton Works, $1 billion over several years;

• New Westinghouse Corp. headquarters and office complex in Cranberry, $164 million;

• Emissions controls at Allegheny Energy's Hatfield Power Plant in Greene County, $550 million;

• Duquesne Light Co.'s refurbishing and upgrades to its power distribution system, $500 million; and

• North Shore, South Side, Pittsburgh Technology Center and Downtown hotels by Kratsa Properties, of Harmar, $80 million.

Other major projects are pending, including the largest potential development in Cranberry's history, The Summit at Cranberry, a joint enterprise by the Simon Property Group and Lauth Property Group.

The firms are trying to close a funding gap in nearly $80 million worth of transportation improvements necessary to gain approval for the shopping-residential-office complex that would span Route 228 from Route 19 in Cranberry to Myoma Road in Adams.