November 2002
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Alabama
MONTGOMERY—According to the Associated Press, the Alabama Environmental Management Commission recently voted to allow Florida Rock Industries, Inc., to operate a granite quarry near Opelika. The company is building a quarry near Opelika to produce skid-resistant road surface material.
Alaska
ANCHORAGE—According to the Anchorage Daily News, the Denali Highway is deteriorating badly due to a lack of funds. The highway has not been maintained since July and the official position of the Alaska Department of Transportation is that it lacks the funds to maintain the highway. The transportation department used to spend $110,000 a year to maintain the road, but did not allot enough money this year. DOT northern district boss Ralph Swarthout said there are no plans for doing anything on the Denali this year.
Arizona
PHOENIX—The State Transportation Board recently awarded a $24.4 million contract to realign a five-mile section of SR 260 and build a new, wider bridge at the Interstate 17/SR 260 interchange in Camp Verde. The contract was awarded to Ames Construction, Inc., of Burnsville, Minn., to build SR 260 as a new five-lane roadway on a new alignment located approximately one mile west of the current path through downtown Camp Verde.
Arkansas
LITTLE ROCK—According to the Associated Press, six more projects were recently designated as recipients of money from the Delta Regional Authority. The Delta Regional Authority was established by Congress in December 2000 to channel aid for economic development in eight states. Arkansas’ share is the second-highest among the states at $4,476,097. The West Memphis Transit System received $250,000 and an additional $250,000 in Arkansas highway and transportation funds to complete the project. The Arkansas Rehabilitation Services was awarded $197,610 to expand existing transportation in a 21-county region and the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department and local contributors provided a combination of funds totaling $3.15 million to complete the project.
California
ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST—According to The Daily News of Los Angeles, wilderness activists are lobbying for a bill that would declare 200 square miles of Angeles National Forest off-limits to gravel quarries, logging, oil drilling, off-roaders, and mountain bikers. U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer has introduced legislation that would give wilderness status to 2.5 million acres from San Diego County to the Oregon border.
Colorado
DENVER—According to The Denver Post, a debate is taking place in Colorado over public transit projects. The state estimates that it will spend $650 million on public transit projects over the next 20 years, and several groups are voicing how they want the money spent. Groups interested in receiving a portion of the money are officials who want to expand light rail throughout the Denver metro region, those who want a statewide rail system to transport tourists, and those who want a transit system to support the disabled.
Connecticut
HARTFORD—U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta recently announced a $9.6 million grant in Federal Transit Administration funds to the Connecticut Department of Transportation for the New Britain-Hartford Busway project. The grant will be used for preliminary engineering and project management services for the development of the 9.4-mile bus rapid transit facility.
Delaware
DOVER—Delaware Department of Transportation Secretary Nathan Hayward III recently introduced guidelines and application features for the Transportation Enhancement (TE) Program. The goal of the TE Program is to provide the funding needed to support development and implementation of a variety of non-traditional projects that highlight the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of the transportation system.
Florida
PENSACOLA—Martin Marietta Materials recently offloaded 20,000 tons of limestone at the eastern end of Pensacola’s port, according to the Pensacola News Journal. The company signed a 21-year operating contract to use five acres of a 10-acre site formerly used to receive material dredged from the shipping channel. The new contract may deliver an estimated $200,000 a year to the port. The company will deliver about 38,000 tons per vessel every other month.
Georgia
CHEROKEE COUNTY—According to The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, four major road widenings and high occupancy vehicle lanes along I-575 are among $5.3 billion in transportation projects to be considered for funding by the Atlanta Regional Commission.
Hawaii
HONOLULU—Governor Ben Cayetano recently announced that he is evaluating whether to close or privatize five non-core airports that the state operates due to decreasing airport revenues caused by the aftermath of the Sept.11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Idaho
BOISE—According to the Idaho Statesman, Boise Mayor Brent Coles is pushing for a regional public transportation system that would include a commuter railway. Coles is promoting the creation of a light-rail system to handle commuters from Caldwell to Mountain Home, and the city has purchased more than 18 miles of track. ValleyRide, the regional transportation authority, has been working on public transportation plans, but finding a way to pay for the project is not yet evident. The project would cost $100 million to build and operate.
Illinois
SCHAUMBURG—The year-long project to rehabilitate the Franklin Street Connector at the Stevenson Expressway (Interstate 55) and the Dan Ryan Expressway (Interstate 90/94) near Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood was completed almost four weeks ahead of schedule. The $17.9 million project involved the replacement of seven bridges, complete pavement reconstruction of the Franklin Connector from Cermak Road to the Dan Ryan, reconstruction of two ramps between the Stevenson and the Dan Ryan, and improved highway lighting.
Indiana
COLUMBUS—Cummins, Inc., recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of the opening of its Columbus Midrange Engine Plant. Cummins also received certification for its medium-duty ISB engine from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA approval certifies that the ISB complies with the strict new emissions standards that went into effect Oct. 1.
MONROVIA—According to The Indianapolis Star, plans are in progress to rebuild Indiana 39 between Monrovia and Belleville in phases. Indiana Department of Transportation’s Development Engineer Bruce Conrad estimates that a total of nearly $13.7 million is planned in construction money on the 7-mile stretch. State construction lists show about $1.7 million of work scheduled for Indiana 39 next year.
Iowa
According to the Associated Press, a Dallas County judge recently ruled that only one company may dig in eastern Dallas County. District Judge Darrell Goodhue gave approval for the Hallett Materials mining operation to continue operations, but denied a gravel mining permit to Martin Marietta Materials. The gravel mining debate involving local residents, the county, and the mining companies has lasted for more than two years.
Kansas
TOPEKA—The Kansas Department of Transportation recently had to sell nearly $400 million of refunding bonds, according to The Bond Buyer. Kansas legislators transferred $95 million from the state highway fund to balance the general fund budget for the current fiscal year. Governor Bill Graves reconvened a committee, Transportation 2000, to study the impact the budget crisis will have on the Kansas Comprehensive Transportation Plan, passed by the Legislature in 1999.
Kentucky
LOUISVILLE—The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, recently awarded the $221 million McAlpine Lock Replacement project to the joint-venture of TGM Contractors, consisting of project sponsor Traylor Bros., Inc, Evansville, Ind.; Granite Construction Co., Watsonville, Calif.; and Massman Construction Co., Kansas City, Mo. The project, located on the Ohio River at Louisville, Ky., will provide a new 1,200- x 110-ft. concrete lock to replace the existing auxiliary 600-ft. lock and an obsolete 360-ft. two-stage lock. The existing access bridges to Shippingport Island will be replaced with a fixed, concrete bridge, spanning both the new and existing 1,200-ft. locks.
Louisiana
LAFAYETTE—According to the State Times/Morning Advocate, it would cost the state $4 million to build sound walls on either side of the planned Interstate 49 Connector through Lafayette. According to state Department of Transportation and Development guidelines, the projected cost outweighs the benefit to make building the sound walls reasonable and feasible. Any noise abatement programs for the proposed interstate project must be paid for by local taxpayers.
Maine
BANGOR—According to the Bangor Daily News, Steven Haynes and Juanita Sprague recently opened the state’s first museum dedicated to Maine’s lost granite industry, The Maine Granite Industry Historical Society Museum. Haynes and Sprague have pieced together facts and photographs into an exhibit featuring some of Maine’s quarries. With the help of others, they collected logbooks from granite companies that illustrate how many men worked in particular quarries, who bought their stone and for what reason, from where it was shipped and how much they were paid.
Maryland
EDGEWOOD—According to the Baltimore Business Journal, Strescon Industries, a maker of precast concrete, is planning to build a manufacturing facility in Edgewood, supplying more than 100 new jobs in Harford County.
Massachusetts
BOSTON—Two high-level executives at Aggregate Industries were recently arrested and charged in federal court with mail fraud, witness tampering, and conspiracy to collude and fix prices on stone contracts. Aggregate Industries is one of the largest suppliers of road construction products in Massachusetts. If convicted on the conspiracy offense, the two executives each face a maximum possible penalty of 5 years’ incarceration and a $250,000 fine. The mail fraud offense also carries a maximum possible penalty of 5 years’ incarceration and a $250,000 fine. The witness tampering offense carries a maximum possible penalty of 10 years’ incarceration and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Transportation, Office of the Inspector General, and the Office of Investigation.
Michigan
LANSING—According to the Associated Press, the Michigan Senate recently approved a $3.1 billion transportation budget. The transportation budget will allow the state to continue its five-year, $1.5 billion-a-year plan for road construction and maintenance.
Minnesota
BEMIDJI—Gesell Concrete Products, Inc., and Bemidji Blacktop, privately held ready mix, asphalt, and aggregate companies serving northwestern Minnesota, have been acquired for cash and stock by Knife River Corp. Gesell Concrete Products operates ready-mix plants in Bemidji and Bagley, Minn., and a concrete block plant in Bemidji. Bemidji Blacktop operates a portable asphalt plant throughout the region, supplying and placing asphalt for a variety of projects. Annual production of aggregates is about 600,000 tons, and the companies produce about 200,000 tons of asphalt and about 50,000 cu. yds. of concrete per year. The operations of Gesell and Bemidji will be combined with those of Thorson, Inc. The consolidated company will be called Northstar Materials, Inc., and Dennis Sorenson, president of Thorson, will become president of Northstar Materials.
Mississippi
JACKSON—The House Appropriations Committee recently approved transportation funding for 2003. Funding includes $2 million for the new Mississippi 304 under construction between Odom Road and Interstate 55, according to The Commercial Appeal. Mississippi 304 is a segment of Interstate 69, which is designed to link Canada with Mexico. Representative Roger Wicker said Mississippi is scheduled to receive $328 million under the Fiscal Year 2003 Transportation Appropriations Act. The majority of the money in the bill goes to operations and maintenance and to improve highway safety.
Missouri
JEFFERSON CITY—The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) suspended or eliminated $30 to $40 million in design contracts with engineering firms, and more than $90 million in right-of-way land purchases involving those projects, according to The Kansas City Star. The cuts will affect more than 300 projects. The cuts were a result of the defeat of Proposition B. The statewide ballot measure would have raised sales and gasoline taxes to provide $483 million annually for transportation.
Montana
BILLINGS—Yellowstone County commissioners recently met with county attorneys to discuss the stipulations commissioners have placed on a plan to build a gravel mine near a local school, according to the Associated Press. The state Supreme Court recently concorded with the District Court that the commissioners had exceeded their authority when they denied the permit to the project two years ago. After the District Court decision, county commissioners granted the permit, but added 14 conditions. The stipulations may place a burden of $500,000 on the owners of the gravel mine, Dale and Terri Myers, according to the Myers’ lawyer. Lockwood school officials and residents of a nearby mobile home court oppose the mine, and the owner of the home court has threatened to sue the county on the grounds that the gravel pit will infringe upon the residents’ right to a clean and healthy environment.
Nebraska
WEEPING WATER—According to the Associated Press, the Weeping Water Mine of Martin Marietta Aggregates was one of eight U.S. mining operations given a “Sentinels of Safety” award for its safety record during 2001. The award was presented in September in Washington by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration in conjunction with the National Mining Association.
Nevada
BOULDER CITY—According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Nevada Department of Transportation officials recently proposed building a four-lane freeway to route traffic around Boulder City with interchanges at Railroad Pass and U.S. Highway 95. A group of Boulder City residents have formed the Boulder City Bypass Coalition and are actively supporting the southern bypass project.
New Hampshire
CONCORD—Aggregate Industries, Inc., recently announced that it has acquired the aggregate and ready-mixed concrete assets of Wakefield Materials. The assets will become part of the Northeast region of Aggregate Industries. Seven ready-mixed concrete plants in New Hampshire, combined with four others in Massachusetts, produced a total of 850,000 cu. yds. in 2001.
New Jersey
NEWARK—According to the Courier News, the Route 31 road project to eliminate the Flemington traffic circle did not receive funding in the coming year’s Transportation Improvement Plan. The project had been scheduled to receive $11 million, but transportation officials state that the plan has not been canceled or delayed. Construction for the project is estimated to begin in 2005.
New Mexico
SANTA FE COUNTY—According to the Albuquerque Journal, Santa Fe County officials have been engaged in a legal battle with M&R Sand and Gravel. Earlier this year, the county filed a lawsuit against the company, claiming the mine was illegal because it wasn’t zoned for sand and gravel mining when the Roybal family purchased the 10-acre property in 1991. The Roybals filed a countersuit against the county, claiming the county is attempting to depreciate the value of the mine in an attempt to later purchase the land for county open space.
New York
ERWIN—According to the Star-Gazette, an Erwin mining issue is still unresolved, relying on the decision from state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Erin Crotty. Dalrymple Gravel and Contracting Co., Inc., Pine City, N.Y., appealed Administrative Law Judge Richard Wissler’s decision. Crotty cited two issues in ruling against the granting of a state mining permit to Dalrymple.
North Carolina
GREENSBORO—According to the News & Record, Rankin Fryar, owner of a sand rock mine on McLeansville Road, has partnered with Florida-based Star Environmental Services to develop a construction debris landfill at the former mine site. The landfill faces local opposition from residents. Research shows that there are 22 subdivisions within two miles of the site.
North Dakota
BISMARCK—More North Dakotans are using seat belts this year compared to last year, but the state is still below the national average of 75 percent. That is the result of this year's annual observational seat belt survey conducted by the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT). Last year, North Dakota’s seat belt use rate was 57.9 percent. This year, the state use rate is 63.4 percent. The survey was conducted in June in 16 counties by DLN Consulting, Inc., Dickinson, N.D. Observers looked for drivers and passengers wearing shoulder harnesses in automobiles, vans, pickups, and sport utility vehicles. The survey was conducted on state, federal, and interstate highways.
Ohio
DAYTON—According to the Dayton Daily News, plans for a connection from a western beltway to Interstate 70 have been canceled for now. The transportation committee of the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission voted to plan an interchange on Interstate 75 near Austin Road. Postponement of the beltway project may result in the interchange being considered for state funding more quickly. The interstate-grade beltway system is strongly opposed by local residents, but others contend the beltway system is needed to preserve jobs in the metropolitan area.
Oklahoma
TULSA—According to the Associated Press, Oklahoma’s roadways do not compare well to other states; transportation officials state they are not getting enough funding to improve the condition of state roads. The condition of Oklahoma’s interstate highways falls below the national average on the International Roughness Index.
Oregon
PORTLAND—According to The Oregonian, a key advisory committee endorsed Ross Island Sand & Gravel’s plan for reclaiming the Willamette River Island. The amount of habitat the company must create must now be sorted out in negotiations between the company and the Oregon Division of State Lands. The company proposes developing 22 acres of wetlands in the lagoon’s southern end and wants to donate the island to the city by 2004.The company ended its Ross Island mining operations last year, moving to a new quarry near the Columbia River.
Pennsylvania
LAWRENCE COUNTY—The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection recently made a decision to allow Quality Aggregates, Inc., Neville Island, Pa., to mine near McConnell’s Mill State Park in Lawrence County, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The agency asked Quality Aggregates to submit $125,800 in performance bonds for a proposed limestone quarry. The DEP must approve the bond and make a final compliance check on safety issues before it issues the company a permit. Quality Aggregates will not be allowed to blast within 1,000 feet of the park for two years. After the two years, the company may apply for permission, and its request would be reviewed by the public.
Rhode Island
PROVIDENCE—According to The Providence Journal-Bulletin, the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council (RIPEC) recommends transferring millions of dollars in revenue to transportation from other parts of the state’s budget in order to allow construction and repair of roads and bridges. The RIPEC’s plan would transfer $7 million in gas tax money to the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, along with $31 million in registration and drivers’ license fees.
South Carolina
RENNO—According to The Greenville News, the reopening of an old rock quarry is the subject of a debate between area residents and Hanson Aggregates Southeast, Inc. Hanson leased the land 10 years ago and now wishes to mine the rock, but area residents are concerned that mining the quarry will mean increased noise, traffic, dust, well problems, and structural problems with their homes. The 936-acre mine has not been operational since sometime in the 1970s. Hanson has decided to begin mining because Laurens County is attempting to pass a countywide zoning ordinance. Voters will decide in November during an advisory referendum whether they want the council to initiate zoning. If Hanson can get the state Department of Health and Environmental Control to issue a permit before the County Council passes zoning, the mine would be grandfathered in, according to Stephanie Monroe, county planner.
South Dakota
MINNEHAHA COUNTY—According to the Argus Leader, county commissioners recently upheld a Planning Commission decision to deny permission to Dakota Road Builders for a new gravel pit. Denial was based on the fact that the company had not provided all the paperwork to be in compliance with the first gravel pit it operates nearby.
Tennessee
CLARKSVILLE—The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating whether to issue a permit to Vulcan Materials to establish its own river barge-loading facility on the bank of the company’s Red River site, according to The Leaf-Chronicle. The plan would allow Vulcan to transfer crushed limestone to barges. The project would entail dredging a small area of the river and building a concrete work pad and a rail spur connecting to the site.
Texas
HOUSTON—According to the Fort Worth Star Telegram, under the fiscal 2003 transportation appropriations bill, Texas stands to lose about $275 million. Officials with the Texas Department of Transportation are expressing concern that the national amount of highway funding for this fiscal year is crucial because of the effect it will have on future transportation funding plans.
Utah
UTAH COUNTY—According to the Associated Press, Utah County has not passed a sales tax for transit projects that would help fund the Brigham City to Payson commuter rail project. A sales tax of 25¢ per $100 must be passed before the Lehi-Payson portion could be built.
Vermont
MONTPELIER—According to the Associated Press, Vermont’s roads experience a significant amount of run-off-the-road fatalities because a large majority of the state’s roads are rural. Rural roads lack safety features such as guard rails, rumble strips, and visible signs to enable drivers to see if they are approaching a curve, according to James Baron, spokesman for the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA). According to an ATSSA study, Vermont was one of the top 15 safest states, but the study determined that 50 of the 76 traffic fatalities in Vermont in 2000 occurred in off-the-road accidents.
Virginia
RICHMOND—Governor Mark Warner recently announced that a contract has been signed with Kellogg, Brown, and Root, Inc., Houston, to perform the preliminary engineering for the first segment of the Coalfields Expressway in southwestern Virginia. The $30.6 million contract includes all preliminary engineering activities for the 6.5-mile section from Bull Gap to Harmon Junction. VDOT and Kellogg, Brown and Root have a comprehensive agreement to design and build the Coalfields Expressway as a public-private partnership under provisions of Virginia’s Public-Private Transportation Act.
Washington
SPOKANE—According to The Spokesman-Review, the Kootenai County Planning Commission postponed its decision on a 470-acre rock mine between Post Falls and Stateline. The commission asked Spokane Rock Products to form a proposed development agreement with county staff, and recommended a 300-ft. visual buffer zone of the eastern edge of the site, along with implementation of the newest technology to control dust and traffic. Spokane Rock Products would mine up to 50 acres at a time, and once the mining was completed, cap the area with topsoil for farming or development.
West Virginia
CHARLESTON—West Virginia recently observed the second annual “Put the Brakes on Fatalities” Day on October 10. The observance is an effort to encourage safe driving practices and to promote safer roadways, with the goal of achieving zero traffic deaths for that day. October was selected for the safety observance because it is one of the peak months for traffic fatalities.
Wisconsin
SPRINGFIELD—According to the Capital Times, the Dane County Board’s Zoning and Natural Resources Committee recently denied a conditional use permit to Northwestern Stone for a quarry on Schneider Road. Northwestern Stone owner Dick Bakken said that even though he won’t be able to develop a rock quarry on the site, he will still try to get a temporary use permit so that he can extract aggregate from the site for use in the U.S. 12 reconstruction project.
Wyoming
CHEYENNE—According to the Associated Press, the state of Wyoming will receive $728,215 in federal highway funds, due to the lowering of its blood-alcohol limit from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent earlier in March. The money is part of $90.4 million distributed by the U.S. Department of Transportation to 31 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.