Fall 2018
GOOD ROADS Fall Foliage
Get the Show On the Road Member Profile: Rogers Group, Inc. New Director Quinn: Be A Part of the Discussion
+ Trammel Reflects
On Years on Commission Foundation Good Roads. Good for All.
The Magazine of the Arkansas Good Roads Foundation
YOUR RESOURCE FOR EVERY ROAD. We are proud to be your go-to roadway resource. Let one of our specialized team members assist you on your next project, and find the answers you’re looking for today.
2
Good Roads Foundation | Fall 2018 ergonasphalt.com
2018 EXECUTIVE BOARD Dan Flowers – North Little Rock President
For Good Letter From the Executive Director
D.B. Hill, III – Little Rock Vice President
Thanks for taking time to look at the latest edition of our magazine. We are spending a lot of time right now talking about how we can make the Bob Crafton – Rogers magazine and the Arkansas Good Roads Foundation Secretary/Treasurer website more user-friendly for you. If I have learned one thing since taking this job at the start of the Harold Beaver – Rogers summer, it’s that we can’t give you information Mark Hayes – Little Rock about why funding for roads matters if we don’t Mark Lamberth – Batesville have a way of getting you fresh information on a Clay McGeorge – Little Rock regular basis. Shannon Newton – Little Rock I have heard from many of you who have been honest and said that Dick Trammel – Rogers you haven’t heard from us in a while. We are working daily to fix that. Chris Villines – Little Rock There are a lot of statistics related to road use in Arkansas I could Jim Wooten – Beebe use to make the case that we need to be working to improve Arkansas highways and country roads. But let’s put numbers aside for a moment Joe Quinn, Executive Director goodroadsfoundation@gmail.com and just agree with the reality that a lot of Arkansas roads are falling apart and the gap between what we need to spend on roads and what we Bill Paddack, Editor are spending to improve roads gets wider each year. wbp17@comcast.net Some people think this is an issue the asphalt, pavement, trucking and contractor industries should primarily be worried about. But the reality Celia Blasier, Designer is that we all should be worried about it. We should bring everyone into celia@bestmanagement.net this conversation. We have to bring in the busy “soccer mom” who fights her way through traffic to drop one child off at school, and then gets ARKANSAS GOOD ROADS back in to traffic to get another child to a dentist appointment. We need FOUNDATION the support of hard-working people who are tired of sitting in traffic on the way home from work each day. We have to think about people Mission Statement who own businesses that attract out-of-state tourists who depend upon a The mission of the Arkansas Good quality road system to get their customers into our state. Roads foundation is to promote In January, the Arkansas Legislature will gather in Little Rock adequate funding and financing and highway funding will be one of the issues discussed. Put very for the planning, development, simply, lawmakers will look at several core options; either using some construction and maintenance of type of existing revenue to pay for better roads, changing a tax structure a safe and efficient highway, road, street and bridge system, facilitating or referring a vote to the people to fund highway improvements. Everyone involved in the early stages of this conversation is hoping to statewide economic growth, thus increasing private-sector job find a long-term solution so as a state we don’t have to find temporary creation and retention. solutions every couple of years. The role of the Arkansas Good Roads Foundation is not to decide which funding option works best. The role of this foundation is to work all year to remind all Arkansans why the quality of roads is directly tied to the quality of life in the state we all love. We very much want you to be a part of this important discussion. Joe Quinn, Executive Director Arkansas Good Roads Foundation P.O. Box 25854 Little Rock, Arkansas 72221 WWW.ARGOODROADS.COM
Follow us. Connect with us!
Arkansas Good Roads @arkansasgoodroads
AR Good Roads @ARGoodRoads
Fall 2018 | Good Roads Foundation
3
Side Roads THOMPSON NEW CHIEF OF ARKANSAS HIGHWAY POLICE
ARDOT Director Scott Bennett (left) and AGRF VP D.B. Hill, III, (right) with Kevin Weston and Melissa Boyd.
BOYD, WESTON RECEIVE FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS Melissa Boyd of Tulsa and Kevin Weston of Benton have been awarded $5,000 scholarships by the Arkansas Good Roads Foundation. The $5,000 scholarships will help both of these dynamic young people continue their civil engineering studies at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. “The Arkansas Good Roads Foundation works to remind all Arkansans why quality roads matter to the quality of life in large cities and small towns,” AGRF Executive Director Joe Quinn said. “Bright students like Melissa and Kevin are the engineers of the future who will help Arkansas deal with infrastructure planning and challenges.” For information about how to apply for these scholarships next year, please email goodroadsfoundation@gmail.com. Recipients must be civil engineering majors at an Arkansas university.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR ANNUAL MEETING Gov. Asa Hutchinson will be the keynote speaker at the Arkansas Good Roads Foundation Annual Meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 13. Watch your mail and social media for details and registration information. ON THE COVER:
Scenic 7 is exactly that in the fall, especially as it ascends into the Ozark National Forest. This photo of the spectacular view from the Pruitt historic bridge was provided by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
4
Good Roads Foundation | Fall 2018
Major Jay Thompson has been named chief of the Arkansas Highway Police (AHP), a division of the Arkansas Department of Thompson Transportation (ARDOT). AHP protects the state highway infrastructure by enforcing Arkansas’ size and weight laws for commercial vehicles and by monitoring those vehicles for speeding and other traffic violations. Thompson, who has an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Pikes Peak Community College in Golden, Colo., replaced former AHP Chief Ronnie Burks, who retired earlier this year. Thompson currently serves as a board member for the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) and served as president of the organization in 2016.
PROTECT THE ROAD. SECURE THE LOAD.
Trash and other items blowing out of truck beds can be extremely dangerous for other traffic sharing the road. Do your part to keep our roads safe and free of litter by securing the load. Do YOUR part. Keep Arkansas Beautiful. KeepArkansasBeautiful.com Report Littering. 1-866-811-1222 Text VOLUNTEER to 484848 to get news and updates from Keep Arkansas Beautiful.
Side Roads STATEMENT FROM THE ARKANSAS STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION ON PROPOSED CASINO GAMBLING AMENDMENT ON NOVEMBER BALLOT A proposed Constitutional amendment regarding casino gambling in Arkansas is currently in the process of obtaining certification that would allow it to appear on the ballot in the November 2018 general election. The proposed amendment would allow additional casinos to be opened in Arkansas. The Highway Commission has no position on gambling in Arkansas – that is up to the people to decide should the issue be certified for the ballot. However, the commission believes the citizens need to have a clear understanding of the proposal. Specifically, citizens need to understand that the proposal does not direct any of the revenue to be generated from the casinos to our state’s highways, despite what some of the promotional ads are implying.
This proposal is being promoted by a group calling itself Driving Arkansas Forward. They continue to use language and promotional materials that are leading people to believe that the proposed amendment would provide much-needed new funding for our state’s highways. That is simply not the case. Of the tax revenue estimated to be generated from the casinos, more than half (55%) is being directed to the state’s General Fund. None is being directed to the state’s highway fund. Again, the Highway Commission has no position on gambling in Arkansas. But the citizens who will decide need to make their decision based on facts. The fact is, the proposed Constitutional amendment regarding casino gambling is not a highway funding proposal.
CAMPAIGN SIGNS NOT PERMITTED ON RIGHT OF WAY Candidates for political office and their supporters are reminded by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) that it is unlawful to place campaign signs on highway right of way in Arkansas. “There are several Arkansas statutes addressing encroachment and the placing of signs or other objects on highway right of way,” ARDOT Director Scott Bennett said. Only official directional, informational and/or regulatory highway signs are permitted on stateowned highway property. All other signs are removed by the local area maintenance office. These statutes apply to all unauthorized signs, not just political campaign signs. Small “yard” signs that are placed on the right of way will be removed, and owners of large “billboard”type signs will be notified and given an opportunity to remove them before ARDOT does. Fall 2018 | Good Roads Foundation
5
Q&A
A PASSION FOR GOOD ROADS Trammel Reflects on His Years on the Commission
Editor’s Note: In May, Roby Brock, CEO of Talk Business & Politics, sat down with Dick Trammel, chairman of the State Highway Commission, to talk about the businessman’s passion for good roads and his tenure with the commission. Here are excerpts from that interview. Banker, farmer, businessman and community leader Dick Trammel is in his final year of service on the Arkansas Highway Commission. Now serving as commission chairman, the Pocahontas native came to Rogers in 1975 as vice president of First National Bank & Trust Co., which later became Arvest Bank. The 1960 graduate of the University of Arkansas was appointed in January 2009 to the prestigious Arkansas Highway Commission by then-Gov. Mike Beebe. Trammel’s term will expire in January 2019. He is married to Nancy Trammel, and together they have six children, nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Roby Brock: Your time on the Arkansas Highway Commission is winding down. What do you feel has been your biggest achievement? What are you proudest of that you’ve accomplished? Dick Trammel: The greatest accomplishment, I think, that we’ve made in my 10 years, is the ability
6
Highway Commission Chairman Dick Trammel (Photo courtesy of ARDOT)
to get the people of Arkansas to approve the 2011 Interstate Rehabilitation Program and 2012 Connecting Arkansas Program. What that has done for our state, you know, we had one of the worst interstate systems in the country as far as safety and potholes. In the time we’ve finished the Interstate Rehabilitation Program, about 70% of our interstate will be considered really in good shape and good for traffic safety. Now, I can’t say enough about Connecting Arkansas and the Interstate [Rehabilitation] Program. Connecting Arkansas was supposed to have about 36
Good Roads Foundation | Fall 2018
projects. Right now, 10 of them are under construction, and then, we have projects under the Interstate [Rehabilitation] Program, which will spend more than a billion dollars on over 450 miles of Arkansas roads. If you see orange barrels, it’s gonna get better. Just be patient. But the biggest project you know, six lanes from Fayetteville to Bentonville, makes such a huge difference. Last week, we cut the ribbon for the first Highway 412 Northern Bypass from I-49 over to [Highway] 112, and that will eventually lead to going around Tontitown. I realize that costs have gone up. For example, in 1993, for $10 million, we could overlay 200 miles of highway. Today, for $10 million we can do about 54 miles of highway, so the cost has gone up. The other thing that is really important to me is we’re the third most-efficient highway department in the country. I’ve lived in Arkansas for 80 years, and I can remember when I always appreciated Mississippi and Louisiana, because we’d be 47th or whatever. But to be third in the nation, that says so much for our people in efficiency. RB: What have you not accomplished that you hoped to have accomplished during your term?
Q&A
‘My concern is rural highways in Arkansas.’ department and DT: I was the Legislature, hopeful that we we can come up could convince with adequate the Legislature funding to that we needed maintain all of funding. The our highways. legislative audit Of course, committee I’m proud of checked us out. what’s happening We have about in Northwest $10 billion of Arkansas, but I needs in the next drive from Little 10 years, and Rock to Memphis we’re looking at on Interstate about $4.4 billion. 40. I’m not too So we’re about proud of that. It’s $4.8 billion short improved some, of the monies we Highway Commission Chairman Dick Trammel (center) and other officials at a but the truck need. recent ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Photo courtesy of ARDOT) traffic and what’s And my going on there, concern is rural highways in Arkansas. I ran the people really don’t want to increase we’ve just got to improve our funding some way. cotton gin at O’Kean, Arkansas, for the gas tax. The gas tax hadn’t And people want better 10 years and was in a cotton co-op. been increased since 1993 – it’s highways. It’s pretty obvious I realize how important farm21.5 cents for gasoline, 22.5 cents when you look at the Bella Vista to-market roads are to our people. for diesel. I’m just hopeful that Bypass. It’s pretty obvious with I realize how important state between the commission and the the six lanes now from Fayetteville highways are everywhere, but our I realize that costs to Bentonville. It’s pretty obvious concern is maintaining the rural what we’re doing between I-540 highways in Arkansas. And I’m have gone up. For and Fort Smith. It’s pretty obvious hopeful that we can convince the example, in 1993, when you view Chaffee Crossing Legislature to come up with the for $10 million, we in Fort Smith. That was one of funding for highways, or let us take the projects that was just getting it to the people and see if they’ll could overlay 200 started when I went on, and today, tell us what they want. miles of highway. it’s unbelievable what’s happening RB: You’ve surveyed voter Today, for $10 at Chaffee Crossing. They took a attitudes about highways and pig’s eye and made it a princess funding. What is your assessment million we can do when they took off that camp and of where Arkansans are? about 54 miles made it what is it today. It’s jobs, DT: We did a large survey last of highway... and it’s improvement. summer, and we found out that Fall 2018 | Good Roads Foundation
7
Connecting Arkansas
Improvement Program Marks Halfway Point Midway into its 10-year Connecting Arkansas Program (CAP), ARDOT is busy with construction projects throughout the state. Since July 2013, ARDOT has completed 11 construction projects and has another six under construction, equating to more than 85 miles of highway and interstate improvements. Another eight projects with 60 miles of widening or new-alignment construction are scheduled for bid openings later this year. Through a voter-approved
8
constitutional amendment, Arkansans passed the half-cent sales tax to construct more than 30 projects in 19 corridors. To date, a number of high-profile corridors have been improved with the completion of $431.5 million in CAP construction projects, while several others will open new lanes to traffic this year. Completing the Interstate 40 widening between Conway and North Little Rock. The final section of I-40 to be widened from four to six lanes opened in 2016. The $38.4 million job stretched 5.1
Good Roads Foundation | Fall 2018
miles from State Highway 365 to the Interstate 430 interchange. Connecting the Bella Vista Bypass with Interstate 49. With this $52.6 million job, more than six miles of newly constructed lanes opened between I-49 and State Highway 72 in 2017. This enabled traffic in western Benton County to travel 12.1 miles without a stoplight on the new bypass. Widening Interstate 49 in Washington and Benton Counties. Construction of four CAP projects at $116.3 million has widened more than 15 miles of I-49
Connecting Arkansas
A number of high-profile corridors have been improved. to six lanes in populous Northwest Arkansas between Fayetteville and Bentonville. Completing the first section of the U.S. Highway 412 Bypass in Springdale. As the largest single contract ever awarded by the Highway Commission at $100.6 million, this first leg of the longenvisioned bypass in northern Springdale opened in April. More than 4.5 miles of four-lane divided freeway on new alignment is one of the foundational pieces in helping to alleviate east-west traffic in Springdale and provide an improved and easier route to the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. Widening U.S. Highway 70 between Interstate 30 and Hot Springs. More than 18 miles and $78.5 million of widening on U.S. Highway 70 in Garland and Saline counties opened to traffic in June. Widening U.S. Highway 64 in Crittenden County. This $23.3 million job widened 5.5 miles of U.S. Highway 64 to four lanes east of Earle. A ribbon-cutting was held in June on this project that contributes to the continued widening of the highway between Wynne and Marion. Widening U.S. Highway 64 in White County. This $8 million project contributes to the four-lane widening of U.S. Highway 64 between Conway and Beebe. The project completed in August 2017 widened three miles of highway west of Beebe.
Constructing the Monette Bypass in Craighead County. A 3.2-mile bypass north of Monette opened to traffic in November 2017. Constructed for $13.7
million, the four-lane bypass on new alignment contributes to widening State Highway 18 between Jonesboro and Blytheville.
Fall 2018 | Good Roads Foundation
9
Fall Foliage FALLING UNDER THE SPELL OF AUTUMN’S GLORY Great Highways for Enjoying Arkansas’ Outstanding Fall Foliage By Bill Paddack
ill
yB
sb k
ac
dd
Pa
10
oto
Ph
Stunning reds, oranges and yellows. Come fall, the Natural State has ’em. In abundance. Arkansas annually plays host to some of the best places in the United States to view fall foliage. Perhaps one of the best known as well as best loved is State Highway 7, which runs from the Louisiana state line to Diamond City near the Missouri border. It’s been designated both an Arkansas Scenic Byway and a National Forest Scenic Byway. Scenic 7 is always a spectacular drive, but during the fall the views can be simply stunning. As the road meanders its way into the Ozark Mountains, the view from Arkansas’ Grand Canyon near Jasper is magnificent as is the outlook as it crosses the Buffalo National River. Up in this area you may see elk near the side of the road, and be sure and stop at Jasper – the Elk Capital of Arkansas – and check out the statue of Newt the elk. Equally famous is the Pig Trail aka Arkansas 23. Prior to the construction of what is now part of I-49, many Razorback fans from across the state opted for the Pig Trail and its hairpin turns and
curves on the way to Fayetteville. And like Scenic 7, though it’s beautiful year-round, dazzling autumn leaves along this roadway through the Boston Mountains
Good Roads Foundation | Fall 2018
region of the Ozarks provide breath-taking views – if you haven’t already lost your breath from all the turns. Speaking of I-49, it’s also hard to beat. Get on this interstate at Alma and head north toward Fayetteville. As you drive up into the Boston Mountains from this direction, the fall leaves can be glorious. Those highways are some personal favorites for fall excursions in Arkansas, and we also asked a few Arkansans for their favorite routes to help you as you plan your autumn outings to see spectacular scenery. Here are highways they recommend. Highway 5 For Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, it doesn’t get any better than Highway 5. “As lieutenant governor, I have the pleasure of traveling tens of thousands of miles each year across Arkansas,” Griffin said. “There are beautiful scenic highways in every corner of our state, but few places are better for viewing the fall foliage than Highway 5 in northern Arkansas. “Highway 5’s rolling hills are complemented by the trees, rock formations and scenic towns that
Fall Foliage dot its path. Whether you’re driving lined with majestic old trees,” she from my childhood to see how they through Mountain View, Norfolk have changed, so much of that is said. “Along the way, you will see or Mountain Home, Highway 5 is restricted to the Arkansas Delta,” plenty of wildlife. And when you hard to beat.” he said. “I can remember going get to the lake at the state park Highway 141 with my father to Horseshoe Lake, there is plenty of space along the Jonesboro Regional Chamber which is east of Hughes, to get shore for that picnic. If you are of Commerce Vice President & pecans from a big pecan orchard really feeling adventurous keep COO Cari G. White agrees with over there. driving north and you will come Griffin, noting that “in North “It seemed like the pecan trees to the charming town of Piggott Central Arkansas you can’t beat were a hundred years old back then. where the historic Hemingwaya cruise down Highway 5 South We would go east from Hughes Pfeiffer Museum is located.” from Mountain Home to Mountain on Highway 38 to the intersection View.” But she with Highway picks Highway 147, then left 141 as her on 147, which favorite. takes you “Traveling around the in the Delta is northern edge different from of Horseshoe anywhere else Lake,” in Arkansas Waldrip, who because is chairman of flatlands with Armor Bank rich agriculture at Forrest City, and the said. “The rolling hills water views of Crowley’s of Horseshoe Ridge run Lake are side by side beautiful Brilliant colors make drives along the Pig Trail especially popular in the fall. (Photo to create and the area courtesy of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism) spectacular around the lake scenery,” White is especially said. “Crowley’s Ridge is basically Highways 38 and 147 beautiful in the fall and during a buildup of windblown soils that harvest season. A 1977 graduate of the pile up and make hills from 250 to University of Arkansas, Mark “We would reverse course and 500 feet above the swampy areas of Waldrip now serves as chairman of return home through Hughes, the Delta. the UA Board of Trustees. Through but another option would be to “My favorite day trip in the continue north on Highway 147 the years he’s undoubtedly fall is Highway 141 North from and intersect with Highway 70 made numerous trips back to the Jonesboro to Crowley’s Ridge State university and enjoyed the beauty west of West Memphis. Either Park. Grabbing a fresh lunch for a way, you will get a look at of Northwest Arkansas in the fall, picnic from one of the Downtown beautiful Horseshoe Lake and but he has fond memories of rides Jonesboro restaurants is a must. the surrounding area as well as a through the Delta. “Highway 141 is a combination reminder of the flavor of the Old “I like driving and looking at of rolling hills and easy curves some of the places that I remember South and bygone days.” Fall 2018 | Good Roads Foundation
11
HIGHWAY
MAINTENANCE is a MUST.
NEVER TAKE SAFETY FOR GRANTED. #ARHwysAreYourHwys
ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 10324 Interstate 30 | Little Rock, AR 72209 | www.ardot.gov | www.idrivearkansas.com
12
Good Roads Foundation | Fall 2018
By the Numbers ‘STRUCTURALLY DEFICIENT’
Analysis Casts an Eye at Integrity of Bridges Of the 612,677 bridges in the U.S., 54,259 are rated “structurally deficient,” according to an American Road & Transportation Builders Association analysis of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 2017 National Bridge Inventory database that was released earlier this year. “Structurally deficient” means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition. Here are some Arkansas statistics.
12,864 Number of bridges in Arkansas, according to the study.
765
26.2%
Over the last five years covered by the study, this is the percentage that bridge investment has accounted for in highway and bridge contract awards in the state.
1,391
The number of Arkansas bridges that are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.
The number of Arkansas bridges that are classified as structurally deficient.
2,471
According to the ARTBA analysis, this is the number of bridges the state has identified that need repairs, which was estimated to cost $2.6 billion.
34th How ARTBA ranked Arkansas nationwide, based on the percentage of deficient bridges in 2017. Rhode Island has the highest percentage of deficient bridges at 23.3%, or 181 bridges, and Texas has the lowest percentage at 1.6%, or 847 bridges. Iowa has the highest number of deficient bridges at 5,067. Fall 2018 | Good Roads Foundation
13
Member Profile BUILDING A CASE FOR BETTER ROADS
Tim Gorman, VP at the Rogers Group, Shares Highway Concerns By Bill Paddack
Tim Gorman stands outside his office in Conway by a stone from the company’s Greenbrier Quarry that serves as a unique business sign. (Photo by Bill Paddack)
For Tim Gorman, there’s just something about the Rogers Group and his chosen field of civil engineering that makes him love them. Add running and Arkansas to that list as well. Gorman has worked for the company for 27 years, which, in today’s job-hopping world, is about 23 years longer than the average worker stays at his or her job, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Sitting at his desk at the Rogers 14
Group’s office on Front Street in Conway, the personable Gorman, 48, is happy to talk about the company, its work and projects, and his career. Safety First The Rogers Group, whose corporate headquarters are in Nashville, Tenn., is a 110-yearold family owned company. “We are the largest privately owned and seventh largest overall aggregate supplier in the United States,” Gorman said. “We are
Good Roads Foundation | Fall 2018
vertically integrated into asphalt and highway construction. We handle projects that range in scope from parking lot and city road construction to multi-million dollar interstate highways. “The Rogers Group has a very high safety expectation, first and foremost,” said Gorman, who serves the company as vice president of Arkansas and Texas. “We start off every meeting with safety. It’s a metric that we measure ourselves against our
Member Profile
The Rogers Group widening project on Dave Ward Drive in Conway included this double roundabout. (Photo courtesy of the Rogers Group)
peers and against others in the industry.” Empowering Employees “When I started with Rogers, one thing that was important to me was working for a company that valued me as an individual,” he said. “They worked with my development over the years and continue to invest in me and my future. “One big thing that separates Rogers from other companies is – with it being a large family company – the owners are still very
involved with the employees. They know the individual employees here by name. They realize how valuable they are to our company, and they respect them very highly. Investing back into the employees has been a big thing for them – continuously training them and promoting them. “Rogers is a privately held company but it has several traits of a publicly traded company. The board of directors is comprised of a lot of different individuals that help strengthen the direction that
the company is going. They don’t have to make decisions based on quarterly results and stock prices. You can talk with them and say here’s what’s going on in your market. They understand it and react accordingly. That’s a big thing that I’ve found over the years, that they are able to place importance on employees rather than just stock prices.” Making a Difference Gorman uses his expertise in the areas of growth, implementing innovation, overcoming challenges,
Fall 2018 | Good Roads Foundation
15
Member Profile eastern Tennessee, Indiana and Arkansas,” he said. “People who haven’t lived in different areas don’t realize how much Arkansas has to offer.” ‘Yeah, I Like This’ Gorman says his interest in civil engineering began back in Tennessee when he helped his Dad build a deck in the backyard. They also formed and poured a little retaining wall, and the young Tim thought “yeah, I like this.” He followed up North of Greenbrier, the Rogers Group widened Highway 65 to five lanes with shoulders and signalized that early delight in the intersection at Bee Branch. (Photo courtesy of the Rogers Group) building things by earning a bachelor’s degree in civil Gorman enjoys running and developing people and overseeing engineering at the University of being outdoors. On a recent trip complex projects to help not only Tennessee and a master’s degree his company, but also a number of to Massachusetts, he had the in civil engineering at Vanderbilt opportunity to run a portion of organizations by volunteering and University. serving on their boards of directors. the Boston Marathon course. Gorman started with the Rogers He’s completed 16 marathons He’s a board member and former Group in its bridge division and and an Ironman triathlon. He’s chairman of the Arkansas Asphalt along the way has worked as a helping pass this passion on to Pavement Association, a member surveyor, an estimator, a controller, of the Arkansas Associated General youngsters by serving on the board a construction manager and an area of the Conway Kids Triathlon and Contractors board and a member manager. He’s been in Arkansas for working as a volunteer at the recent of the Advisory Council of the 10 years. competition. University of Arkansas at Little Among the company’s recent Arkansas’ mountains and lakes Rock Department of Construction projects in the Natural State are the and parks and endless supply of Management and Civil and widening of Highway 65 in Van outdoor opportunities have made Construction Engineering. Buren County and the widening the Tennessee native a happy On a national scale, he’s a of Dave Ward Drive in Conway, Arkansas transplant and a bit of a member of the board of directors which included construction of a spokesman for the state. of the National Asphalt Pavement double roundabout. “I’ve lived in middle Tennessee, Association. 16
Good Roads Foundation | Fall 2018
Member Profile Funding Options When it comes to the current state of Arkansas’ highways, he is, of course, a strong advocate for finding the funds to repair the state’s roadways and bridges while also improving safety and
Gorman said. “But I know that something has to be done to keep our roads basically usable and staying even with the curve. We’ve got bridges and maintenance that take a big portion our funds just to “We need to invest of keep the existing roads in our highways and passable and in decent infrastructure in shape so we don’t have people running over order to continue potholes and busting the growth of our tires just driving down great state.” the road. “That doesn’t even – Tim Gorman address the safety issues of actually Photo by Bill Paddack reducing traffic congestion. “We saving people’s lives The Good Stuff need to invest in our highways and by building safer infrastructure in order to continue roads, and all the new Full Name: Timothy Stewart Gorman the growth of our great state,” technology that’s gone Position: VP of Arkansas and Texas, Rogers Gorman said. “Highway funding in to making it safer to Group, Inc. is an area that’s going to be very drive down the road.” Hometown: Franklin, Tenn. important to the future of Arkansas. Highway Concerns Family: wife, Julie; children: Claire, 19, Hannah, “There’s several different means Safety resulting 15, Brooks, 6, Grant, 2 to talk about how the road fund is from a higher-quality going to be basically maintained highway system is very Hobbies: running, cycling, triathlons Favorite food: barbecue and handle the additional capacity important to the man Favorite music: country out there,” he said. “The cost of who directs the Rogers First car: a well-used pickup truck construction goes up every year, Group’s activities in Favorite sports team: Arkansas Razorbacks and we’ve been basically having Arkansas and Texas. the same price per gallon of fuel “I think the biggest Favorite vacation spot: the mountains tax that’s gone into that funding, so thing that concerns What’s always with you when you travel: the dollar doesn’t stretch as far as me is the number of Unfortunately, my phone has to go with me it used to when the tax was first put fatalities that we have everywhere, and there’s always running shoes in place. on our highways every with me and my GPS watch. “There are a lot of people year. The numbers Favorite quote or slogan: Work hard, play hard talking about different ways of seem like they continue funding it whether it’s the halfto grow. What’s an continue to have hundreds and cent sales tax, index and fuel taxes, acceptable number of fatalities? hundreds of motorists that are or registration fees. What’s the Well, if you know any of them, killed on the highways. There’s right answer? I’m not real sure,” it’s zero,” Gorman said. “But we a lot of opportunity for safety Fall 2018 | Good Roads Foundation
17
Member Profile improvements with our roads in order to save people’s lives. “There are also opportunities in parts of the state that have a lot of congestion. We have people sitting in traffic and waiting just because the capacity of the roads can’t handle the volume of motorists that are driving through them. There’s nothing really worse than just sitting in traffic when you’re
“I think the biggest thing that concerns me is the number of fatalities that we have on our highways every year.” – Tim Gorman
supposed to be somewhere Corporate Information in 30 minutes and you’re in a 30-minute backup and At a Glance you’re late. That’s time Rogers Group, Inc. that’s lost.” Address: 1223 Front St., Gorman noted that Conway, AR 72032 Arkansas has a lot of roads Phone: 501-329-8360 compared to the number of Website: www.rogersgroupinc.com users. “The miles of roads Number of Employees in Arkansas: 200 in Arkansas compared to car if we want to drive to the the number of citizens of the state is kind of disproportionate mountains, drive to the lakes and rivers, drive out to eat,” he said. to a lot of other states,” he said. “We do a lot of it independently. “It’s harder to look at funding of We don’t have a lot of mass that. How do you have a fair way transit. That’s something if you to do it?” go visit other parts of the country, Also, he points out, Arkansans they don’t have a lot of the same like to drive. “One thing that we luxuries that we do. They have a lot like to do as citizens of Arkansas of mass transit and it takes away a is be able to go somewhere pretty lot of their independence.” independently – just hop in our craftontull.com
CONNECT COMMUNITY
pauline whitaker parkway interchange rogers, arkansas
18
Good Roads Foundation | Fall 2018
“To help us in the process of identifying which highways to focus Alec Farmer on going forward, ARDOT has identified which highways actually would pay for themselves over a 20year period based on the number of vehicles using each highway section. Based on our preliminary computations, a two-lane highway with 4,000 or more vehicles per day is the threshold. Of Arkansas’ 16,400 highway miles, only about 4,100 miles or 25% of our system carry 4,000 or more vehicles per day. Another 25% or about 3,700 miles carries less than 500 vehicles per day and are already in poor condition ... This does not mean that all highways with less than 4,000 or less than 500 vehicles will necessarily be impacted, but it will be a factor in our decision process.” – Arkansas Highway Commissioner Alec Farmer in a commentary for Talk Business & Politics.
Back Talk “It is important for all motorists to know that it is illegal to pass a stopped school bus when its red lights are flashing. Remember: Flashing Red. Kids Ahead.” – Jerry Owens, senior transportation manager at the Arkansas Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation.
“
Because Arkansans supported this program, we’re able to improve vital parts of our statewide system that may have been delayed years into the future due to funding constraints.
”
– ARDOT Director Scott Bennett on the Connecting Arkansas Program, a 10-year highway improvement plan that recently marked its five-year anniversary.
“It’s all coming to a head because revenue is not growing, whatever source you’re talking about, whether it’s revenue from the fuel tax or the half-cent sales tax. It’s not growing, but the costs are growing.” – ARDOT Director Scott Bennett, on the financial problems facing Arkansas’ highway construction program.
Of the 765 structurally deficient bridges in Arkansas, 24 are on the Interstate Highway System. – From a 2018 report by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. Fall 2018 | Good Roads Foundation
19
Arkansas Good Roads Foundation P.O. Box 25854 Little Rock, Arkansas 72221
PRESORT STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID Little Rock, AR Permit No. 588