Keating Report Part 3
Two factors will influence highway, street and related construction work in 2015, say ARTBA forecasters: uncertainty over long-term federal funding, which represents 52 percent of state department of transportation (DOT) capital outlays; and state and local budgets that are still recovering from the Great Recession. Highways and streets are the largest segment of the U.S. transportation construction market, says ARTBA.
Highway, street and bridge construction is more than laying pavement. In 2015, state and local governments, for instance, are expected to spend an additional $38.5 billion for maintenance work; $13.2 billion for in-house and consultant planning and design services; and $7 billion for right-of-way purchases as part of their highway and bridge programs.
The Washington-based ARTBA represents more than 6,000 public and private sector members of the U.S. transportation design and construction. The ARTBA 2015 forecast is based on a proprietary econometric model and analysis of federal, state and local data and market intelligence. It can be purchased in the ARTBA Economics & Research section at www.artba.org/shop.
ARTBA is forecasting that light rail, subway and railroad construction will increase from $18.3 billion in 2014 to $20.9 billion in 2015. The value of construction of subways and light rail systems, says ARTBA, will increase from $7.1 billion to $8.3 billion.
The city of Kansas City, Mo., has a major transit project underway, says Cindy Circo (photo below, on right), who is Mayor Pro Tem and Councilwoman for the 5th District (at-large). “Among our major public works projects, is a $100 million streetcar line that is currently under construction.” It’s a long-term project, says Circo. “The main parts of the construction will be complete by fall 2015, following by several months of testing and then riders will be aboard in early 2016.” The 2-mile stretch of the streetcar goes through the downtown area from the River Market to Union Station. 
Acrow Bridge, an international bridge engineering and supply company, says that the use of its prefabricated modular steel bridges as detours during highway and road construction grew incrementally during the past 12 months, with an increase of 4 percent.
Contractors and departments of transportation use the firm’s ready-to-assemble, reusable steel bridges in a variety of projects. Acrow’s products offer a number of advantages over both the traditional concrete and steel temporary detour bridge and “phased” construction, in which lanes are moved as needed to divert traffic around work sites. Acrow Bridge is based in Parsippany, N.J. The photo shows an Acrow detour bridge in a recent project on North Carolina Highway 24.
