OT - When The Going Gets Rough aka As Your Pothole Grows

Too_Many_Tools · 2006-04-08T04:37:11+00:00

How are the roads that you drive on?States Delay Highway Projects Due to Costs By KELLI KENNEDY, AssociatedPress WriterFri Apr 7The cost of building roads has gotten so high, not even dirt is cheapanymore. As a result, many states are postponing scores of highwayprojects.The reconstruction work from the eight hurricanes that have hit theUnited States since 2004 has combined with a rise in population in somestates to drive up the demand for labor, material and equipment. That,in turn, has pushed up wages and prices.Surging fuel prices, China's immense demand for concrete and steel andthe reconstruction of Iraq are also pushing U.S. road constructioncosts higher."We plan for cost increases, but this has been a situation that a lotof events have come together all at one time," said Lowell Clary, anassistant secretary at the Florida Department of Transportation.Until 2004, highway material costs nationally were fairly steady, witha 12-year average annual increase of 1.8 percent, according to the U.S.Bureau of Labor Stats. But those costs rose 12.5 percent in 2005, thebureau said.According to the bureau, hot-rolled steel bars and structures were up45 percent in 2004 from the year before, and diesel fuel was up 27percent. Marked increases were also reported for crushed stone,ready-mix concrete and asphalt paving material.In Florida, concrete went from $564 a cubic yard in 2004 to $749 lastyear, and a cubic yard of dirt climbed from $4.38 to $7.24, accordingto the state Transportation Department."Between higher labor increases and the materials increases, we'rehaving to pass that on to the customer, therefore our prices are upsubstantially," said Mike Horan, a paving contractor near Sarasota.Florida has about 8,000 projects in various stages in its five-yearwork program but was forced to defer 62 of them when its highway budgetcame up short about $1 billion, Clary said. Seven projects weredeferred in booming Miami-Dade County.Ricky Leme often sits in bumper-to-bumper...

Apr 08, 2006 20 Replies

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Brian Elfert 20 years ago

The last time I bought concrete here in Minnesota was about two years ago and it cost me around $135 for one yard. That was for one of those you haul it type trailers of concrete. A concrete truck would probably have been around $100 a yard if I needed more.

I've heard over the last year or two that concrete is nearly impossible to get in Florida. Concrete suppliers won't even talk to you if you aren't a contractor or somebody who buys concrete all the time.

Brian Elfert

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