December 2001

U.S. Bankcorp Piper Jaffray
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State by State

State by State

Compiled by Therese Dunphy

Alabama

Calera—Lafarge Corporation, a subsidiary of Lafarge S.A., recently acquired Blue Circle Cement’s Roberta Cement Plant located in Calera, Ala., which is currently completing a $230 million expansion program. Construction is 75 percent complete on a new $170 million kiln line. Also nearing completion is a $60 million limestone quarry expansion. Once completed, the expansion program will boost annual capacity from 770,000 tons to 1.5 million tons per year of cement. Two existing kilns will be shut down and salvaged once the new line has started up in early 2002.

Alaska

FAIRBANKS (AP)—The state has asked businesses with company trucks that pass through Alaska communities to be on higher road alert in the wake of the terrorist attacks. Companies are under instructions to review files of all their drivers and complete required background checks. The state also wants carriers to review their security measures for storing and transporting hazardous materials.

Arizona

PHOENIX (AP)—The Federal Transit Administration gave the metro Phoenix light rail project a recommended rating which means the project is cost effective and environmentally beneficial. It also means there is a local financial commitment and that local land use supports light rail. The light rail project is a 20.3-mile line from north-central Phoenix through downtown and links the Arizona State University in Tempe and downtown in Mesa.

Arkansas

heber springs—Charlie Norris, a former Caterpillar engineer wrote to the Heber Springs Sun-Times to inform readers of the correlation between well-maintained highways and road safety. “There are two safety matters concerning our state highways that need improved monitoring and maintenance… First, the shoulders of our two-lane paved roads need improved maintenance… Secondly, maintenance of the white and yellow lines that mark the lanes on our state roads is inadequate… The solution for each of the above maintenance problems is the same: improved monitoring of the condition of shoulders and lines… Working together, we can save lives.”

California

moorpark—Truck traffic is becoming an issue of contention between the city of Moorpark and Ventura County, according to the Ventura County Star. Three mining companies in the area, Best Rock, Grimes Rock and Wayne J. Sand & Gravel, want to increase truck traffic by 1,576 trips a day. The report said that city officials are concerned about the impact of traffic through their downtown. Representatives for the mining operations said that if the county denies its request, material will have to be hauled four to five times as long and could raise safety concerns.

Colorado

GREELEY (AP)—Weld County commissioners rejected a plan for a gravel mine near Platteville. The decision dealt a financial blow to landowner Tom Sharkey, who spent $3.5 million on the 1,650-acre property with plans to mine it for gravel. Neighbors opposed the plan at public hearings, saying the gravel mine could bring traffic woes, dust, noise and a negative impact to wildlife. Weld County Commissioner Chairman Mike Geile said his decision to deny the application is based in part on traffic safety concerns.The proposed haul route overlapped school bus routes, and trucks entering and leaving the site would use a no-traffic light intersection with U.S. 85.

Connecticut

NEW HAVEN (AP)—A group that is trying to come up with a comprehensive transportation plan for the state recently made its first project recommendations. The Transportation Strategy Board endorsed spending $13.5 million to begin 21 small projects, including improvements to commuter rail and bus service, studies for highway improvements and tourism transit for southeastern Connecticut. The Legislature mandated these projects in a law passed this past spring. The money to pay for the projects is coming from last year’s budget surplus. These projects are a tiny part of a plan to improve transportation statewide. The plan, being worked out by the board, is expected to span decades and cost billions of dollars.

Delaware

Dover—On Nov. 1, Secretary Nathan Hayward presented the Delaware Department of Transportation’s Fiscal Year 2003 Operating and Capital Budget Requests before the state budget director. The $558.3 million package includes the department’s operating request of $236.3 million and capital request of $360.2 million. With a requested base operating increase of less than 1 percent, the department recognizes a fiscal environment that requires a responsible approach to meeting the transportation needs of the state. The department’s budget request is available on the internet at www.deldot.net.

Florida

Hernando county—Hernando County commissioners unanimously approved steep increases in builder impact fees for schools and roads. According to The Smart Growth Network, the fees are intended to relieve taxpayers from disproportional burdens of new construction costs and to make growth pay more for itself. The single-family home builder fee for schools will jump from $1,173 to $2,406, and for roads from $1,237 to $1,845.

Georgia

atlanta—In January, the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) will begin to scrutinize large projects in metro Atlanta’s 13 counties that fail federal air quality standards, according to The Smart Growth Network. Size thresholds will be lowered by the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) in its 10-county area from 500,000 to 400,000 sq. ft. for office and mixed-use projects, from 500,000 to 300,000 sq. ft. for commercial projects and from 500 to 400 homes for residential projects. GRTA can withhold state and federal road construction funds from projects that would negatively impact area traffic and air pollution.

Hawaii

HONOLULU (AP)—A top economist predicts a yearlong downturn in the state’s economy because of the sudden slump in tourism caused by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the mainland. Other economists expect to release their forecasts soon. Meanwhile, the state’s Council on Revenues, a panel of economists, is scheduled to discuss the state’s economic plight. Six days before the terrorist attacks, the council had forecast state tax revenues would grow by 4.1 percent in the current fiscal year, ending June 30. Based on the Gulf War experience 10 years ago, state economists said Hawaii’s annual economy could see a loss of between $500 million and $1 billion with the loss of between 12,000 and 28,000 jobs.

Idaho

BOISE (AP)—It is expected to cost more than half a billion dollars to keep traffic rolling along on the state’s busiest stretch of interstate over the next 20 years, a study says. Without about $605 million in pavement improvements, lane additions, new interchanges and expanded public transit, commuters between Boise and Nampa will be faced with Los Angeles-style gridlock. But right now, only about half of the needed funding is available.

Illinois

south elgin—Fox River Stone Co. once again received positive press for its efforts to control dust at its South Elgin quarry. The Chicago Daily Herald noted that the quarry has increased its berm around the mine to 10 ft. in order to block dust and has also installed a $10,000 raised platform which allows truck drivers to either cover their loads with tarps or hose them down.

Indiana

Carmel—A truck fire in a Martin Marietta Aggregates mine caused traffic snarls, but no injuries, according to a report in The Indianapolis Star. The article reported that the fire started in a room 150 ft. below ground and put itself out when it ran out of oxygen.

Iowa

STEAMBOAT ROCK (AP)—The basic structure was finished for eastbound lanes for a U.S. Highway 20 bridge designed to minimize environmental disturbances to the Iowa River Greenbelt. The basic structure for the bridge’s eastbound lanes was finished with a construction technique known as “launching.” About 4.5 million lbs. of steel I-beams were pushed a quarter-mile across the water using rollers and hydraulic jacks. Concrete bridge piers will hold up the structure, but they are on the riverbanks, not in the river, causing fewer environmental intrusions. The launching system, including the roller system and jacking platforms, was designed by Ashton Engineering of Davenport. The total cost for the bridge is $21 million, significantly more than a traditionally built structure, officials said. Concrete still must be poured to provide pavement for the bridge decks. The eastbound and westbound lanes of the bridge are scheduled to open to traffic in late 2002, when U.S. Highway 20 will have been widened to four lanes for the entire stretch between Dubuque and Fort Dodge.

Kansas

WICHITA (AP)—Kansas’ $125 million sand and gravel industry is warning that a newly passed water use regulation designed to protect groundwater could eventually spell the industry’s end. The regulation requires sand and gravel companies whose digs cause groundwater evaporation to buy water rights when they expand or move to a new location. Since no rights are available in western Kansas, where the state’s largest pits are located, that means operators who exhaust an existing site would simply have to go out of business, said Woody Moses, a spokesman for the Kansas Aggregate Producers Association. Lisa Taylor, a spokesman for the Kansas Department of Agriculture, said sand and gravel operators would “just have to wait” until a water right “became available to purchase.” Moses said buying water rights would not be feasible. “Sand and gravel are not high-value commodities,” he said. “What we’ll see is operations moving to Oklahoma or Colorado and trucking into Kansas. It’ll cost counties and townships more for gravel, and it will move jobs and money out of Kansas.” Moses said the trade group will probably seek help for the issue from state lawmakers.

Kentucky

MOREHEAD (AP)—Three environmental groups toured a scenic stretch of land that they fear could be ripped up to make way for a four-lane highway. A $56 million proposal to connect Interstate 64 to the parallel U.S. 60 with a four-lane highway has been met with opposition from environmental groups. But local officials who back the interchange cite a need to alleviate the snarls of traffic along I-64 at Kentucky 32. The proposed interchange would cut in half a 12-mile section of the Sheltowee Trace, a national recreation trail. Public opposition to the road has generated about 20 meetings on the issue since the state held a public hearing.

Louisiana

BATON ROUGE (AP)—Industry groups are shooting back at a former statewide business leader who said Louisiana’s right-to-work law treats industrial contract workers unfairly by keeping wages low. According to Dan Juneau, president of Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, “workers have the power to use collective bargaining as a tool if they feel it is needed to counteract allegedly unfair working conditions. The law protects them from being forced into collective bargaining units against their will; it does not prevent them from joining unions.”

Maine

washington—Lane Construction officials are in discussions with the community’s planning board, according to the Bangor Daily News. The newspaper reported that the company is pitching a proposal to develop a quarrying, concrete and asphalt operation. Residents have raised concerns about truck traffic, noise, dust and air pollution. The board has hired an engineering firm to review the company’s plan and ensure its accuracy.

Maryland

baltimore—Governor Parris N. Glendening received the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) 2001 Distinguished Service Award for making expansion of transit and ridership a state priority since he took office in 1995, using its entire $15 billion transportation budget as an incentive for Smart Growth. Accepting the award, the governor said, “Our investment in transit lies at the heart of our Smart Growth initiatives as we improve the quality of life in Maryland by building walkable communities centered around transit stations. Transit must be our present and our future, and our commitment must be genuine. Maryland is charting a course other areas of the country may wish to follow.”

Massachusetts

boston—The results of the decade-long “leapfrog” development in the Greater Boston area are stark social and economic disparities between first-ring and farther-out suburbs, a severe lack of affordable housing near jobs and ensuing congestion of roads by commuters, says the first comprehensive study of the region’s wealth and growth, “Boston Metropatterns.” According to The Smart Growth Network, the study covers 162 cities and towns of Eastern Massachusetts between the ocean and I-495.

Michigan

LANSING (AP)—The Michigan Department of Transportation plans to spend more than $1.5 billion on road and bridge repairs next year across the state, the agency announced. For the fifth year in a row, the state will spend more than $1 billion for repairs, The Detroit News reported. And state officials plan to spend more than $1 billion on such repairs for at least the next few years. Southeastern Michigan has one of the worst climates for maintaining roads. Repair plans for 2002 call for $350 million to be spent on roads in Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair and Wayne counties, with $209 million being spent in Wayne County.

Minnesota

MAPLEWOOD (AP)—3M Corp. said that it will appeal a jury’s award of compensatory damages to six Mississippi laborers who were exposed to asbestos as far back as the 1950s. A jury in Lexington, Miss., awarded $150 million to the laborers in the lawsuit involving 3M and two Pennsylvania companies, AC&S and Dresser Industries. 3M’s share of the verdict was $22.5 million. 3M, in announcing its appeal, said the two 3M safety products cited in the lawsuit did not contain asbestos and noted that only four of the six plaintiffs had claims against the Maplewood-based company.

Mississippi

JACKSON—Central District Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall announced groundbreaking ceremonies commemorating the new Interstate Highway 220/Industrial Drive Interchange. Hall said that the Mississippi Transportation Commission awarded the contract to Key Constructors, Inc., of Madison, Miss., at the low bid of $13,454,253.82 to construct the I-220/Industrial Drive Interchange between Interstate Highway 20 and U.S. Highway 49. According to Hall, the new interchange is also expected to alleviate the majority of truck traffic and congestion in West Jackson’s industrial area. Construction is expected to be completed in the Spring of 2004.

Missouri

jefferson city—The Missouri Department of Transportation received two environmental excellence awards. MoDOT received the 2001 Globe Award for its geocarpon-relocation project associated with improvements made to Route 13 at Collins Junction. It also received high honorable mention for its work with the Callaway Farms archaeological site along Route 94 near Wainwright.

Montana

HELENA (AP)—Montana’s public schools received $46.6 million, or about 10 percent of their total funding last year, from various uses of state land, the managers of the holdings were told. The amount represents a 5-percent increase in revenue from the years before, reports to the state Board of Land Commissioners showed. The largest single part of that money—$20.7 million—came from mineral leases on state land.

Nebraska

lincoln—The Nebraska Department of Transportation’s budget for the FY2002 State Highway System program totals $311.7 million and includes 161 new projects. Additionally, it includes $8.3 million for Statewide Planning & Research, Safety and Enhancement Projects that are not specifically identified in the budget.

Nevada

LAS VEGAS (AP)—Nevada state regulators have approved rules for a “universal energy charge” that taxes utility customers to help low-income people pay their power bills. The Legislature enacted the law establishing the utility tax, but directed the state Public Utilities Commission to set the rules for implementation. Lawyers for mining, industry, casinos and Nevada Power itself have argued that they should be exempt from the tax on all or part of the energy they consume. The law sets a $25,000 cap per three-month quarter for industrial customers.

New Hampshire

concord—The New Hampshire Department of Transportation recently instituted E-ZPass, an electronic toll collection system for toll roads. According to the NHDOT, the system will allow it to process more traffic and increase vehicle throughput times through its toll plazas.

New Jersey

trenton—Acting Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco and Transportation Commissioner James Weinstein announced the awarding of $65 million to municipalities from all 21 counties for local street repair and resurfacing projects. This amount represents a portion of the $170 million available through the New Jersey DOT’s FY2002 Local Aid program. Municipal aid funding is based on a formula that takes into account population and road mileage. In addition, municipal projects are selected for funding on a competitive basis by a panel of engineers who evaluate the condition of a roadway, the amount of traffic it carries and the role the road plays in the surrounding transportation network.

New Mexico

VELARDE (AP)—Plans to reopen a gravel pit on the southern side of Velarde face opposition from Rio Arriba County officials and a citizens group. Jerome Romero of Velarde wants his six-acre pit to be grandfathered under the county’s gravel-mining ordinance, meaning it would escape having to comply with stricter standards for new mines. But county officials said the gravel pit hasn’t been used continuously and, therefore, should have to comply with the stricter requirements for new mine development before it is allowed to produce again. Vecinos del Rio, a Velarde citizens group that has long opposed gravel mining operations in the community, has come out against the reopening of the mine. The county Planning and Zoning Commission is expected to hear an appeal from Romero and will make a recommendation to the County Commission about his application.

New York

sand lake—Troy Sand and Gravel Co. is being investigated by the Department of Environmental Conservation and the state attorney general’s office. According to The Times Union, residents’ complaints have led the agencies to research whether or not there is a connection between blasting at the quarry and well problems in the area. The company denies any connection and cites the results of four test blasts in 2000, which indicated little impact on nearby wells. The state also said that it has investigated the mine six times a year and turned up no violations.

North Carolina

RALEIGH (AP)—The North Carolina Mining Commission has rejected a recommendation to reinstate a mining permit for an Avery County quarry within view of the Appalachian Trail. An administrative law judge made the recommendation for the Putnam mine of Clark Stone Co. The state Division of Land Resources revoked the permit Sept. 7, 2000, saying its proximity to the trail would cause an unsightly view and too much noise. Division officials awarded the permit May 13, 1999, before they realized that it could be seen from the trail. The division held public meetings to discuss the permit and then allowed Clark Stone to modify its proposal. Charles Gardner, the director of the division, said the modified proposal wouldn’t satisfy his concerns about the negative impact on users of the public trail. The case led to a change last year in the portion of the state’s Mining Act of 1971 that now outlines who must be notified about proposed mines or proposed changes to existing operations. The new rules are intended to ensure that the public is aware of proposed mining projects, a spokesman for the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources said.

North Dakota

Minnewaukan—The relocation of U.S. 281 is causing a stir in Minnewaukan, according to the Devil’s Lake Journal. City planners there are pushing for the highway to stay its original course, with a bridge at Round Lake and a bridge on the north side of the city.

Ohio

swanton township—The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is investigating some of the worst water shortages in Ohio and vowed to hold local quarries responsible if the investigation reveals evidence of quarrying operations affecting private water wells. According to The Toledo Blade, 68 written complaints of dry or diminishing wells have been filed so far this year with the Ohio DNR. Representatives of the agency said that there could be reasons other than the quarry, such as the region’s sprawling development, its golf courses or farms.

Oklahoma

CATOOSA (AP)—An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper broke both of his legs when he fell into a quarry. Trooper Jack Choate was listed in fair condition at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, a spokesperson said. Choate was searching for a stolen car at the quarry near Catoosa. He was standing at the edge of the quarry when the ground gave way and he tumbled 60 to 80 ft. Choate was in the 40° to 50° water for about 45 minutes.

Oregon

oregon city—The battle over a proposed gravel pit beside the Molalla River continued when the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners resumed public hearings on the matter. According to The Oregonian, more than a dozen speakers testified against granting Molalla River Reserve Inc.’s application to amend the county’s comprehensive plan and create a mineral and aggregate overlay district that would allow quarrying river rock on 90 acres zoned exclusively for farm use. A decision had not been made at presstime.

Pennsylvania

new castle—At press time, the comment period on Quality Aggregates’ request to mine a 197-acre site near McConnell’s Mill State Park had just expired. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, approximately 100 people attended a meeting held by the state Department of Environmental Protection, which would issue the permit. The company has offered to build 10-ft. berms along the area’s boundary, eliminate any blasting on weekends and holidays when the park has the most visitors and leave a top layer of soil in place when blasting within 600 ft. of the park to reduce the danger of fly rock.

Rhode Island

providence—The Rhode Island Department of Transportation rolled out 22 new highway cameras on I-95, I-195, Route 6 and Route 10. The Intelligent Transportation Systems combine computer and communication technologies to make transportation more efficient.

South Carolina

beaufort—Financing for U.S. 278 is being cobbled together from various sources, according to the Carolina Morning News. In late October, the South Carolina DOT identified $7 million in unused revenue already appropriated for Beaufort County. In September, the state highway commission voted to allocate $2 million for the highway improvements, with the county providing a matching $1 million.

South Dakota

PIERRE (AP)—Some South Dakota road projects could be delayed or dropped because the state’s gas tax isn’t generating as much money as expected. Although no decisions have been made, regional engineers have been told to start choosing which projects must be finished and which can be delayed. The DOT budget in fiscal year 2001 was nearly $400 million. More than $225 million came from federal funds and $170 million was in other funds, most of it fuel tax revenue. Efforts will be made to keep the projects that involve state and federal matching funds, administrators said. That means state funds-only projects likely will be targeted most often. Many of those are repair and maintenance on lesser traveled roads.

Tennessee

OCOEE (AP)—Construction to widen a stretch of U.S. Highway 64 through the Ocoee Gorge has been postponed a year, state officials said. The Polk County highway project will begin work in fall 2002 and is estimated to finish the following spring. The project, originally scheduled to begin this fall, wasn’t ready for bids and also was delayed by other construction work.

Texas

AUSTIN (AP)—Texas transportation officials are reportedly delaying some highway construction projects until next spring and are putting off merit raises and new buildings for their workers after their state bank accounts dropped to only $4 million. Flawed budget projections were blamed for the unprecedented low reached Oct. 4 in the state’s highway fund which pays for the Department of Transportation’s budget, including road construction and maintenance. According to the Austin American-Statesman, the fund has since received an infusion of gas tax revenues and now has more than $100 million, but will drop again as the department pays for salaries, operating expenses and road repairs before the next round of gas tax receipts arrives. Some state officials have accused the Transportation Department of wasteful spending in the past.

Utah

spanish fork—Valley Asphalt Inc. will pay a $300,000 fine for violating the Clean Air Act and its former president will pay an additional $25,000 fine for negligently releasing asbestos into the air, according to a report in The Deseret News. According to prosecutors, the company had buried asbestos contaminated waste insulation at one of its sand and gravel pits and later dug up the material and shipped it to another of its locations, with the former president’s knowledge.

Vermont

MONTPELIER (AP)—Transportation Agency officials say they are completing this year’s highway and bridge projects and preparing for work next spring. By this time next year, the state will have spent about $8.6 million to rebuild eight bridges between Bolton and Montpelier. The first phase of bridge reconstruction at the Exit 14 interchange in South Burlington is done and more will be done next season. The $12.5 million project at St. Albans includes reconstruction of several bridges and three miles of highway.

Virginia

RICHMOND (AP)—The Virginia DOT is spending cash budgeted for new road projects this fall to pay its payroll and maintenance expenses. Although no construction has been delayed yet by the cash transfers, legislators are worried that the practice could lead to a cash shortage for VDOT. The last cash shortage in 1999 delayed road projects statewide, until the General Assembly bailed out the department with new funding and bonds. Legislators expressed irritation that VDOT is once again struggling to pay its bills.

Washington

seattle—The chief of the Forest Service has asked Interior Secretary Gale Norton to end a two-year moratorium on new mining claims in southern Oregon, instituted in the closing days of the Clinton administration. According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth told Norton that public response has strongly opposed the suspension of new mining claims on 1.15 million acres of federal land.

West Virginia

CHARLESTON (AP)—Kanawha County’s prosecutor is pledging to crack down on overweight trucks. “We are going to start looking into criminal violations, and they will not be limited to the driver of the truck,” Prosecutor Mike Clifford said. His review comes in the wake of an accident Sept. 6 that killed two people. State officials can issue citations up to $1,600 each time they stop a grossly overweight truck.

Wisconsin

verona—Three years after the Dane County Board rejected a proposal for a sand and gravel pit in Verona, Payne and Dolan Inc. has decided to give it another shot. According to the Capital Times, the producer plans to apply for a conditional use permit for a 117-acre plot. The company has said that no blasting will be required.

Wyoming

LARAMIE (AP)—Many of about 70 people at a meeting on the future of U.S. 287 urged state DOT officials to widen the highway. Transportation officials said widening the road could take a long time, cost about $2 million per mile and would require the Legislature’s approval. In 1999, the DOT proposed widening U.S. 287 to four lanes along with nine other sections of two-lane roads at a cost $700 million, or $2 million per mile.