Published Nationally Northeast Edition
® October 13 2021 Vol. LXIII • No. 21
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded 1957.” 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215-885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com
Inside
Historic Project Results in New U.S. 35
Pa. County Taps Recovery Pros for Ida Cleanup…8
UTCA Welcomes Back Members to Convention…34
The paving project began in June 2019 and will finish in the fall 2021.
By Chuck MacDonald CEG CORRESPONDENT Industry Gathers for Utility Expo…46
Table of Contents ..................4
Experienced drivers in the East know that the winding two-lane roads in West Virginia can be a scenic wonder. It’s a must to drive some of these roads with the windows down, view the fall colors and listen to John Denver sing “Country Roads.”
But drivers who need to reach their destinations promptly know that some of these roads can be a teeth-grinding experience. U.S. 35 between the I-64 intersection and the West Virginia-Ohio state line has qualified for teeth grinding. An average of 19,000 vehicles travels this path daily, nearly a third of it truck traffic. The driving experience is undergoing a $257 million transformation see HIGHWAY page 44
Aggregate & Recycling Section ............................61-80
Facing, Recovering From Economic Perfect Storm
Attachments & Parts Section ............................81-88
Industry Experts Offer Solutions for the Trifecta of High Costs, Broken Supply Chain, Low Demand
Truck & Trailer Section..89-98 Snow & Ice Section ......99-102 Business Calendar ............104 Auction Section..........108-113 Advertisers Index ..............114
By Lucy Perry CEG CORRESPONDENT
The construction industry is doing its level best to deal with a rare triple punch: Unusually high and rising materials costs, a massive supply-chain bottleneck and decreasing demand for projects. The ripple effect of these challenges could weaken the contractor community, but a heavy dose of cooperation and communication is helping many to navigate the challenges. see CHALLENGES page 28
Project owners should recognize the need for adjustments in price or delivery date of projects awarded or commenced early in the pandemic or before, when conditions at suppliers were far different.