December 2002
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Alabama
TUSCALOOSA—Terry Bunn, vice president, S.T. Bunn Construction Co., was recently elected the 57th president of the Alabama Road Builders Association (ARBA). ARBA also received a 2002 “Chapter Excellence Award” from the American Road and Transportation Builders Association for developing a comprehensive member communications program.
Alaska
ANCHORAGE—According to the Anchorage Daily News, developer Dave Hultquist is gathering more information for his proposed plan to build a subdivision in the old Sand Lake gravel pits. The public hearing to decide on the subdivision has been postponed until Hultquist gathers necessary information. Hultquist faced neighborhood opposition with his original plan, and has filed a new plan that addresses residents’ complaints. A major concern of residents was contamination of wells in the pits by the new development.
Arizona
MOHAVE COUNTY—Sundt Construction, Inc., was recently recognized for environmental excellence by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association. Sundt Construction was recognized for the $16 million, 7.5-mile reconstruction project on U.S. highway 93. Nearly 3,000 boulders and 20,000 cacti were salvaged and placed back into the project to maintain the integrity of the desert.
Arkansas
LITTLE ROCK—Currently, there are 22 Interstate construction projects across Arkansas totaling approximately 148 miles. Twenty-one projects totaling approximately 151 miles are now complete.
California
SACRAMENTO—According to American City Business Journals, Inc., Teichert Aggregates is planning to open a 404-acre open-pit mine in Sacramento County. Teichert has applied to the Sacramento County Planning Department for a use permit for a rock quarry. Teichert expects to mine 86 million tons of granite and other hard rock aggregates over 25 years, starting in 2005.
Colorado
CONIFER— A variety of federal, state and local officials, citizens, and members of Jefferson County’s business community recently celebrated the completion of the U.S. 285 Mountain Corridor Project at a roadside ceremony in Conifer. The widening of the U.S. 285 corridor was identified as one of Colorado’s high priority projects in 1996, when Colorado’s Transportation Commission established the statewide list of 28 Strategic Transportation Projects. It is the seventh Strategic Project to be completed.
Connecticut
NEW HARTFORD—According to The Hartford Courant, residents are trying to defeat a sand and gravel excavation in their neighborhood. Canton developer Henry Bahre’s company, Canton Village Construction, proposed removing sand and gravel from 4 of approximately 160 acres the company owns. Total excavation would take up to six years. The inlands/wetlands commission approved the application, but the planning and zoning commission denied the company a special exception for the mining operation, claiming that the Bahres failed to demonstrate the proposed truck access minimized danger; the excavation would protect property values; and the proposal would not be detrimental to public health, safety, and welfare. Canton Village sued the commission, claiming in part that commission members misunderstood laws controlling the impact of gravel operations on dust emissions.
Delaware
WILMINGTON—Sterling Construction Company, Inc., recently announced that its affiliate, Texas Sterling Construction, L.P., has acquired the Kinsel Heavy highway construction business from a subsidiary of Insituform Technologies, Inc. The acquisition includes the purchase by Texas Sterling Corp. of construction equipment for its appraised value of approximately $4.4 million, and the assumption of equipment leases with a future obligation of approximately $1.4 million.
Florida
WEST PALM BEACH—According to the Palm Beach Post, the city of West Palm Beach recently filed suit against the Florida East Coast railway and Rinker Materials, accusing them of illegally operating a gravel yard. The city has fined the company a total of $1.85 million and now wants to foreclose on the 24.5 acres. Two years ago, Mayor Joel Daves ordered the facility to close, but they refused and continued operating and were fined $1,000 a day. The FEC and Rinker filed a suit claiming the city was illegally interfering with interstate commerce, and the city counter sued, stating the FEC, which owns the property, was exploiting federal law to protect commerce. In August of 2000, a district court judge said the operation isn’t exempt from the city’s zoning rules and said the city had the right to close it. Since the ruling, the FEC and Rinker have continued operations.
Georgia
ATLANTA—According to The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, a $5.3 billion transportation plan for relieving metro area gridlock over the next three years was adopted recently by the Atlanta Regional Commission. All spending for roads, public transit, or pedestrian travel until 2005 is under the plan and more than 560 projects are included in the plan.
Hawaii
HONOLULU—According to The Honolulu Advertiser, the state is losing out on millions of dollars in federal grants because airport money that was contributed to other expenses since 1991 has not been fully accounted for. Hawaii receives grants by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program, but is not eligible to tap into a discretionary fund included in the program to preserve and enhance airport operations.
Idaho
MERIDIAN—According to The Idaho Statesman, the Meridian City Council recently decided against redesigning one of the city’s busiest intersections. Council members were concerned that if they delayed a design decision further, construction would be delayed a few more years.
Illinois
MADISON COUNTY—David A. Dietzel, P.E., county engineer of the Madison County Highway Department, was the recipient of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association’s 2002 Ralph R. Bartelsmeyer Award. Dietzel played an important role in developing ARTBA’s legislative blueprint for the reauthorization of the nation’s highways and mass transit programs scheduled for 2003.
McHENRY COUNTY—According to the Chicago Tribune, McHenry County State’s Attorney Gary Pack has filed a lawsuit against Wonder Lake, alleging that the Village of Wonder Lake did not follow proper procedures when it annexed the bottom of Wonder Lake earlier this year. Wonder Lake wants to annex the site so Harvard Aggregate can dig a gravel pit and build an asphalt-mixing plant. In return, the company has promised to pay the $4 million to $5 million lake-dredging tab and store the lake bottom sediment on the site. But Bull Valley officials oppose the project and tried to annex the same property to prevent Harvard Aggregate from digging.
Indiana
MONROVIA—According to The Indianapolis Star, plans are in progress to rebuild Indiana 39 between Monrovia and Belleville in phases. State construction lists show about $1.7 million of work on Indiana 39 next year, and Indiana Department of Transportation’s development engineer Bruce Conrad estimates that nearly $13.7 million is planned in construction money on the seven-mile stretch.
Iowa
DALLAS COUNTY—According to the Des Moines Register, Dallas County residents claim that blasting at an area limestone quarry is damaging their homes. Schildberg quarry has been in operation since the 1970s, but area residents are now concerned with the quarry’s request for a permit to expand its operations. Dallas County spends about $450,000 each year to buy 85,000 tons of stone from the quarry, but will spend an additional $70,800 more to get resources from quarries further away if the permit is not granted.
Kansas
HAYS—More than 25 people recently gathered on Oct. 17, 2002, to attend the Kansas Ready Mixed Concrete Association’s annual Concrete Pavement Repair Seminar in Hayes, Kan. Topics included flowable fill, fast track patching, and ultra-thin whitetopping.
Kentucky
BOONE COUNTY—The Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled that the Boone County Fiscal Court acted properly when it denied Martin Marietta Materials, Inc., a zoning change to open a limestone mine in the county.
Louisiana
LAFAYETTE—According to The Advocate, the state Department of Transportation and Development recently received hundreds of letters in opposition to the Interstate 49 connector. One group, the Concerned Citizens Coalition of Lafayette, said that the interstate would be better off if it passed through rural St. Martin, as opposed to older neighborhoods in Lafayette. If any of the comments sent in by citizens raise issues that require further studying, the project will be delayed until the issue is resolved. The Federal Highway Administration can officially sign off on the project and start trying to gain congressional funding of the $300 million project only when all of the issues concerning the project are resolved.
Maine
AUGUSTA—According to the Maine Sunday Telegram, the U.S. Department of Transportation will allot nearly $1 million in funding to the Maine Department of Transportation for improvements to the Bangor to Bar Harbor highway corridor. The Federal Transit Administration will provide $990,644 in funding under its New Starts program for the project, which will fund a study to determine how to alleviate heavy congestion.
Maryland
PIKESVILLE—Former Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend recently joined residents, business leaders and elected officials to celebrate the completion of the new $20 million Reisterstown Road bridge over the Baltimore Beltway and the $3.7 million Pikesville streetscape project. The event, held adjacent to the Beltway interchange, recognized the community's support and cooperation during construction of the projects to create a new gateway to the Pikesville and Owings Mills communities.
Massachusetts
BOSTON—Republican Mitt Romney was elected governor of Massachusetts during the November elections. Romney proposes combining the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and the Massachusetts Highway Department in order to save an estimated $35 million to $50 million.
Michigan
BERRIAN COUNTY—According to the South Bend Tribune, the state Court of Appeals recently overturned a Berrien County Trial Court decision that had allowed sand mining in a Hagar township critical dunes site. Three appellate court judges sided with the citizen group Preserve the Dunes, ruling that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality should not have issued a permit to TechniSand, Inc., for dune mining.
LANSING—The Michigan Aggregates Association has been awarded a Safety and Training grant by the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services. The grant funding will allow the association to provide noise sampling and hearing conservation program assistance for aggregate producers throughout the state.
Minnesota
KASOTA—The National Asphalt Pavement Association recently awarded the River Bend Asphalt Company the 2002 Diamond Achievement Commendation for Excellence in Hot Mix Plant/Site Operations. The Diamond Achievement Commendation is earned through a self-assessment process and is open to all of the hot mix asphalt industry
Mississippi
JACKSON—The Mississippi Road Builders Association received an Honorable Mention 2002 “Chapter Excellence Award” from the American Road and Transportation Builders Association. The Mississippi Road Builders Association was recognized for its Construction Careers Program.
Missouri
JEFFERSON CITY—House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt recently secured $340,000 in federal funding for the four-lane Highway 21 project, according to the Jefferson County Post. Highway 21 has been dubbed Blood Alley because of more than 40 fatalities attributed to it in recent years.
SPRINGFIELD—According to the Springfield News-Leader, Springfield Underground received the Springfield Contractors Association’s Developer of the Year award recently at the Salute to Construction banquet. The locally owned company has been in the crushed stone business in Springfield since 1946. The Springfield Underground quarry mines and then manufactures the crushed limestone used in various construction materials.
Montana
HELENA—An innovative CD-ROM that will assist Montana students in learning about traffic laws and safety was sent to every middle and high school in Montana during October. Funded by the Montana Department of Transportation, the “Montana Rules” CD-ROM is a fast-paced animated game about road safety. About 11,050 copies of the CD-ROM were distributed throughout the state. Montana is the first state to create this type of CD-ROM and distribute copies to schools at no charge.
Nebraska
KNOX COUNTY—According to the Associated Press, Knox County and two townships are suing the federal government for more than $4 million in damages to county roads and bridges they claim has been caused by silt that has built up because of two dams built on the Missouri River in the 1950s. Sediment has filled in Lewis and Clark Lake behind Gavins Point Dam near Yankton, S.D., and formed large deltas where the Niobrara River enters the Missouri River. It has decreased flows from tributaries because of clogged channels, and increased groundwater levels, causing flooding and damaging roads and bridges, according to the complaint.
Nevada
Las vegas county—A proposal for the Regional Transportation Commission that will raise $2.6 billion over the next 25 years to pay for roads, highways, and an expanded transit system through taxes on developers, aviation fuel, and retail sales was passed on the November 5 election.
New Hampshire
CONCORD—According to the Union Leader News, the Executive Council is reviewing a contract on the next phase of a separate Manchester Airport access highway. The council has reviewed a three-year $6.5 million engineering and environmental consulting contract for the road with McFarland-Johnson, Inc., Binghamton, N.Y. Plans call for the two-mile stretch of road to begin at the Bedford toll plaza on the F.E. Everett Turnpike, run across the Merrimack River, and then go north to the airport.
New Jersey
TRENTON—The New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway have been selected as New Jersey’s top two transportation infrastructure projects of the 20th century by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association. Former Governor Alfred E. Driscoll, former Congressman James J. Howard, and former Congressman Robert A. Roe were also named the state’s top public officials for their advocacy of transportation development and investment.
New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE—Sandoval County Magistrate Margaret Cassidy-Baca and her family are suing the County Commission, former commissioner Patty Thomas, and other county officials for depriving them of a $10 million mining contract, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The Bacas are seeking $10 million in actual damages and up to $100 million in punitive damages. The complaint claims that county commissioners violated the Bacas’ civil rights by denying them due process when the commission refused to allow the development of a sand and gravel mine on their 1,269-acre property.
New York
ELMIRA—According to the Star-Gazette, Dalrymple Gravel and Contracting Co., Inc., Pine City, N.Y., is seeking a permit to mine sand and gravel on a site near Coopers Plains. Erin Crotty, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, ruled that a hearing must be held to consider whether the mining operation would create excessive noise and also whether reasonable alternative sites are available. A citizens’ group, Coopers Plains-Long Acres Against Gravel Mine, has fought the permit application for the last two years. Crotty’s ruling also dismissed objections to the proposed mining operation based on its potential impact on wetlands, traffic, endangered and threatened species, surface waters, and the flood plain. It also dismissed challenges to the permit based on visual impact, adequacy of the archaeological investigation, and potential damage to the primary aquifer.
RATHBORNE—According to the Associated Press, David Watson, Sr., 48, was recently killed when operating a front-end loader at a gravel pit. Watson was loading gravel into a screening device when the loader slid down a 15-ft. embankment and rolled over onto the operator’s cab.
North Carolina
CHARLOTTE—Vulcan Materials Co. Cabarrus Quarry was recently recognized by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation as a Wildlife and Industry Together site for its efforts to promote conservation, wildlife restoration, and wildlife protection activities.
RALEIGH—Martin Marietta Materials recently had to cut third quarter earnings projections by about 15¢ per share due to a decline in commercial construction and state budget deficits.
North Dakota
BISMARCK—MDU Resources Group, Inc., recently acquired 213-megawatts of electric generating facilities from an affiliate of El Paso Corp. for cash. Brush Power, LLC, a subsidiary of Centennial Power, Inc., the independent power production unit of MDU Resources, will own the facilities.
Ohio
CINCINNATI—According to the Associated Press, a recent study conducted for the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments, a planning group that recommends transportation projects for possible federal funding, concluded that adding a fourth lane to Interstate 75 through southwestern Ohio would cost $800 million and would not do much to alleviate traffic congestion in 30 years.
Oklahoma
GRANITE—Willis Granite Products, Inc., has enjoyed an average increase of 20 percent in sales each year since its ownership change in 1983, according to The Daily Oklahoman. Willis Granite Products mines, processes, and sells granite. The company owns a 350-ft. tall, one-mile long granite mountain that a geology report claims is more than 500 million years old.
Oregon
EUGENE—According to The Oregonian, Eugene Sand and Gravel filed a complaint last February over Mark Reed’s testimony against its proposed gravel operation. Reed, a professor of geological science at the University of Oregon, faces thousands of dollars in potential fines for what the complaint claims is an unregistered public practice of geology. Eugene struggled to gain zoning approval for its 575-acre gravel pit, and Reed testified and submitted reports as a private citizen in opposition of the pit.
Pennsylvania
DANVILLE—The American Road and Transportation Builders Association recently recognized the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for the $12 million, 1,440-ft. Danville-Riverside Bridge and an associated 325-ft. underpass to carry State Route 54 over the north branch of the Susquehanna River, connecting the communities of Danville and Riverside. The project team created a plan that addressed community concerns about the impacts of a modern-looking bridge on Danville’s historic district.
Rhode Island
FOSTER—Officials from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) recently visited Foster to deliver on the Department’s promise for safety improvements to Route 6. Joined by state and local leaders, RIDOT Director William D. Ankner, Ph.D., highlighted the Department’s recent safety improvements to this roadway in the Northwestern part of the state.
South Carolina
HORRY COUNTY—According to The Myrtle Beach Sun News, Horry County Councilman John Kost recently announced that the state will not be helping the county with its portion of $1.1 billion in new and improved roads. Kost predicts the county could fall $1 million short in fiscal 2004 on the Road Improvement Development Effort.
South Dakota
PIERRE—In the Senate, Tom Daschle of South Dakota, was reelected by the Democrats, even though the party lost control of the chamber. Several senators issued public statements supporting Daschle.
Tennessee
CHATTANOOGA—According to the Chattanooga Times/Chattanooga Free Press, Tennessee mining laws do not require companies to reclaim or grade and revegetate sand and gravel sites, except in Shelby County. State environmental regulators are trying to push for reclamation requirements to be expanded to include lands mined for sand, gravel, limestone, chert, or stone. Sand and gravel industry officials such as Vulcan Materials Co. spokesman John English and Tennessee Road Builders Association’s Kent Starwalt disagree, saying that regulations on air and water quality for sand and gravel mining operations are strong enough and more regulations could increase the cost of building roads.
Texas
AUSTIN—HDR Engineering, Inc, was recently recognized for its environmental stewardship on the James D. Pfluger, FAIA, Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge. The new bridge fulfills community needs for recreation, safety, transportation, and public gathering. The project team collected spoils on a barge with silt fencing to minimize release of water into Town Lake during the construction of underwater drilled shaft foundations and also worked closely with Austin’s Green Water Treatment Plant to minimize sediment and discharge on water quality and aquatic life.
Utah
SALT LAKE CITY—Winter weather conditions will prevent Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) crews from repairing bridge joints along I-15 this year. Due to the weather sensitive nature of the repairs, the majority of the remaining work has been postponed until next spring.
Vermont
BURLINGTON—Vermont voters recently approved a $24.8 million bond sale to finance an expansion at the Burlington International Airport. The referendum had recently been planned for last November, but was delayed for a year due to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The bonds, which will be secured with general airport revenues, will be sold by the city at the end of March 2003. Of the $24.8 million in bonds, $16 million will be used to expand the airport’s parking garage to acommodate more than 900 additional cars, nearly doubling capacity, as well as for other improvements to surface parking areas and walkways.
Virginia
RICHMOND—Luck Stone Corp. was recently awarded the 2002 Community Impact Award by the Virginia Aggregates Association. Luck Stone is the 15th largest construction aggregates supplier in the United States.
Washington
FAIRFIELD—A slim majority of voters (50.3 percent) in Spokane County and Fairfield passed a measure that will allow the Town Council to levy higher taxes for street repairs.
SEATTLE—According to The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, projects such as replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct and the Evergreen Point Bridge, widening and improving Interstate 405, and extending state Route 509 have encountered funding obstacles since the defeat of Referendum 51.
West Virginia
CHARLESTON—The Contractors Association of West Virginia (CAWV) was awarded the 2002 “Chapter Excellence Award” by the American Transportation and Road Builders Association. CAWV was recognized for its “Hard At Work” campaign, which is focused on promoting the positive impacts of transportation construction on the West Virginia economy and quality of life, and attracting more people to careers in the industry.
Wisconsin
CHEYENNE—According to the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, Wyoming Department of Transportation director Sleeter Dover recently proposed widening 10 highways to four lanes. Dover believes that expanding the highways will make them safer and will help improve the economy in the core areas of Wyoming. The Legislature’s Joint Transportation and Highways Interim Committee recently decided to forward three bills that will provide needed revenue to expand Wyoming’s two-lane highways. The three bills to be offered to the House Revenue Committee include setting aside $20 million in general funds so the highway department can buy the right-of-ways to widen the roads, reverting $14 million annually in mineral severance taxes and royalties to WyDOT, and imposing a 3¢-per-gallon tax on gasoline, exempting fuel purchased for farm machinery, ranching, and mining.