34 minute read
DEERE IMPROVES PERFORMANCE WITH ITS L-SERIES UPGRADES
Get what you ask for!
Deere Improves Performance With Its L-Series Upgrades
One of the most notable updates, the 310L, 310SL, 315SL, 310SL HL and 410L models are now equipped with a 4.5L John Deere PowerTech EWL engine, increasing power, improving torque and providing greater reliability.
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John Deere upgraded its L-Series backhoe loaders, unveiling significant machine improvements designed to boost productivity, maximize uptime and reduce operating costs.
Ranging across the L-Series Backhoe lineup, the updates, which include engine upgrades, new pressure-compensated loadsensing (PCLS) hydraulics on the 310SL model and machine control improvements, enhance operation and machine performance.
One of the most notable updates, the 310L, 310SL, 315SL, 310SL HL and 410L models are now equipped with a 4.5L John Deere PowerTech EWL engine, increasing power, improving torque and providing greater reliability. This Final Tier IV engine results in a boost in horsepower across the models, while the removal of the exhaust gas recirculation system and components improves reliability, according to the manufacturer.
The redesign also includes improved filter locations for easier access when changing or servicing fuel and diesel exhaust fluid filters. Additionally, the 310SL is now available with PCLS hydraulics.
Already offered on the 310SL HL, 410L and 710L, the PCLS system results in increased productivity and improved backhoe controllability at any engine speed. In addition, trenching operation can be conducted at lower engine rpm, reducing fuel consumption and lowering job site noise.
“We are committed to continuously improving our equipment to offer our customers more value out of their machines,” said Brian Hennings, product manager, John Deere Construction & Forestry. “With these upgrades, we are directly addressing our customers’ needs. These upgrades build upon the best features found on the L-Series machines, resulting in a lineup designed to power through the toughest jobs.”
The 310SL is now equipped with Lift Mode. When enabled, it automatically sets the engine speed to 1,400 rpm and increases max hydraulic pressure to 4,000 psi, for up to a 10 to 15 percent increase in backhoe lift capacity. Additionally, buttons for the horn, selective flow, auxiliary proportional roller and extendable dipper stick have been integrated into the backhoe pilot controls, improving ease of use.
Now available as a base offering on the 310SL, 315SL, 310SL HL, 410L and 710L models, AutoShift technology automatically adjusts the transmission to the most appropriate gear for an enhanced operator experience. Additionally, the five models now feature Auto Ride Control as the only ride control option, eliminating the need to manually turn on and off during load and carry applications. Auto Ride Control enhances ease of use, improves ride quality and reduces front bucket material spillage.
Other key features include an LED boom light kit for increased visibility to the bottom of the trench and a redesigned loader lever linkage that reduces resistance and improves its throw and feel.
The 310L EP model includes updates designed to deliver more value at an economical price. Key changes to the 310L EP include a simpler front-axle design and a four-speed manual synchromesh transmission. Directional changes remain controlled with a steering column mounted lever for forward, neutral and reverse.
For more information, visit www.deere.com/.
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Woods Construction Services Relies On Heavy Machines Inc.
WOODS from page 24
The ASV has provided us with good up time and productivity. From the research I have done on skid steers, without stepping up to a purpose-built carrier, I don’t think there is a skid steer-style machine on the market that can compete with it. The RT120F has more hydraulic holding capacity, and the radiators and coolers are huge.”
Heavy Machines Gives Woods a Safety Net
One of the key reasons that has kept Woods Construction Services coming back to Heavy Machines time and again, Woods said, is the high level of product support and service, a refrain heard from most customers of the Memphis equipment dealership.
Woods said that he, too, was drawn to Heavy Machines because of its reputation, but also because he knew Eric Hinshaw, the company’s vice president and general manager; and Paul Jones, its sales manager.
“Then, once I got over there, it was obvious [Heavy Machines’] service was outstanding,” Woods said. “They are very attentive to their customers. We also like how helpful they are when we have problems. If they have anything available, they will get us a machine to use while ours is down and in for repair.”
In the few times Woods’ company has had an emergency due to a faulty piece of equipment, Heavy Machines has always come up with a quick solution to get the contractor up and running again.
“One time, we had some bad fuel or something, although we are not really sure what had happened,” he said. “I called Paul [Jones] on a Sunday when we were in a pinch. I asked him, ‘Man, do you know any contractors that might have a set of filters for our trackhoe? Can you help me out because we need to roll?’ He told me his truck was nearby in Collierville, Tenn., and the toolbox was unlocked. Inside was a brand-new set of filters that he kept there. So, I drove there, picked up the filters, took them to the job and we were working again in one hour.
“If they had been just another vendor, we may not have been able to get back to work on that job until Monday morning.”
It could be, too, that Woods Construction Services has also learned from the 50-yearold Heavy Machines distributorship just how a great business is operated over the long term and what is needed to keep its customers happy.
“We strive to provide the best service that we can,” Woods said. “Simply put, we want to do good work, so we spend a lot of time making sure that what we do is correct and performed the right way. We take a lot of pride in the jobs that we do for our clients.”
For more information, call Woods Construction Services at 901/413-9123, or call Heavy Machines at 888/366-9028, or visit www.heavymachinesinc.com. (All photographs in this article are Copyright 2021 Construction Equipment Guide. All Rights Reserved.) CEG
ALABAMA
EQUIPMENT INCORPORATED
251-443-5533 doosandealers.com/Theodore
R & M EQUIPMENT RENTALS
205-326-1111 doosandealers.com/Birmingham
SYNERGY EQUIPMENT
334-744-5335 doosandealers.com/Dothan
FLORIDA
BOBCAT OF JACKSONVILLE
904-288-9181 doosandealers.com/Jacksonville
COASTAL MACHINERY
850-944-2002 doosandealers.com/Pensacola
SYNERGY EQUIPMENT
954-256-0583 doosandealers.com/Pompano-Beach
386-274-1002 doosandealers.com/Daytona-Beach
239-334-4987 doosandealers.com/Fort-Myers
305-362-6632 doosandealers.com/Miami
407-273-7383 doosandealers.com/Orlando
813-626-3470 doosandealers.com/Tampa
MISSISSIPPI
EQUIPMENT INCORPORATED
601-296-2546 doosandealers.com/Hattiesburg
601-948-3272 doosandealers.com/Richland
TENNESSEE
BOBCAT OF CLARKSVILLE
931-436-9555 doosandealers.com/Clarksville
BOBCAT OF NASHVILLE
615-941-4000 doosandealers.com/Nashville
VIRGINIA
ACT CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
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North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia Powerscreen Mid-Atlantic, Inc.
PO Box 2505 • Kernersville, NC 27285 Tel: 800-797-7276 Web: www.powerscreenmidatl.com
James River Equipment’s new Raleigh location has been designated as a John Deere Certified Rebuild Center. Tony Casper (L) and David Brearley of James River Equipment in Raleigh.
RALEIGH from page 12
for inbound shipping and receiving,” Dillenback said. “Just the sheer volume of trucks that we received daily at our old location was not conducive to that kind of traffic. The local highway system here, which intersects near us, and the trajectory of growth in the region are key for this company.”
Customers Appreciate James River’s Investment
Jesse Pfohl, the James River sales manager of North Carolina, acknowledged that the lingering presence of COVID-19 did not allow for a proper open house event for the new Raleigh facility where customers could have toured the dealership and asked questions about its capabilities. But, he said, he and his staff have conducted many individual walk-throughs of the new hub.
“I think that we have had at least half of our key customers through here and they have been very impressed both with the expansions and seeing the amount of inventory we are carrying, from small equipment up to the largest products that we represent,” he said. “They have also seen the dramatic increase in the parts stock in our rather large warehouse. In addition, we have a new grade control demonstration area that is outfitted with technology for Trimble and Topcon offerings. We can take equipment to the demo area, whether it is a simple skid steer or a John Deere Smart Grade excavator, to demonstrate to potential customers.”
He said James River’s Raleigh customers also have a deep appreciation for the investments the company is making to support the high-tech components that are becoming standard on today’s construction equipment. But, Pfohl added, selling them these products is one thing — meeting their higher expectations in supporting the technology is much greater.
The dealership, though, is up to that challenge, he said
“When we give customers a tour, they see that we are geared up, able and ready to support these high-tech products after the sale,” Pfohl said. “They also understand that we are invested for the long haul.”
Dillenback echoed those sentiments, while adding, “The industry is rapidly changing, and our manufacturers are pushing for higher technology in relationship with that customer base so that they can realize the cost savings that come along with the advances. From our standpoint, having a trained group of people who can impact and influence customers positively is key to expansion.”
Parts, Service Capabilities Accentuated
Both Dillenback and Pfohl regard the parts and service managers at Raleigh’s James River dealership as being talented professionals who each love the new, modern facility.
“Allen Foster, our parts manager, would certainly tell you that he can stock more critical components than he ever has before,” Dillenback said. “The fact that Raleigh’s location acts as a hub for eastern North Carolina is also a huge plus for his department. Having a facility here with a central warehouse is most beneficial as we run a truck daily between all our locations and Raleigh.”
“On the facility side, our service manager, Sean Betts, is thrilled that we have moved into a state-of-the-art building,” said Pfohl. “A major component of that are the internal investments that we have made in technology in the shop in how we handle orders and how they are tied in to work orders, and the capacity that we have there both in terms of volume and technology, with welding, machining and a complete track shop and cylinder shop.”
With the expanded room for service, Dillenback said more than 20 diverse kinds of machines could be worked on simultaneously in its new service bays, a few of which utilize 10ton overhead cranes.
Thirty-five technicians work within the service department, along with three field-based technology consultants to support Raleigh’s customers. To handle mobile maintenance, the dealership’s service techs utilize 15 service trucks, three lube trucks and two mobile welding trucks.
John Deere Selects Raleigh for Rebuild Center
But the most newsworthy service that the Raleigh branch of James River now offers comes as a result of its recent recognition as a John Deere Certified Rebuild Center. That means James River’s technicians are specifically trained to perform second life rebuilds on the larger John Deere production-class machines used by the dealer’s customers.
Pfohl said John Deere introduced its concept a couple of years ago and began awarding dealers the recognition late last year. But, he added, James River Equipment has itself been doing rebuilds for more than 20 years.
“John Deere would look at qualifying dealerships and say ‘OK, here are the parameters for you to meet to call yourself a Certified Rebuild Center so that we can offer the factory back warranty on rebuilt machines,’” he said. “James River played a part in helping John Deere define what should be a customer’s expectations as far as facilities and technicians are concerned for the rebuild centers.”
John Deere, through James River in Raleigh, offers its relife program for production-class machines, including the manufacturer’s larger excavators, dozers, wheel loaders and articulated trucks.
Dillenback said the bigger John Deere models typically qualify for rebuilds because of the price point involved. Getting a re-life performed rather than buying a new machine of similar capabilities can save a contractor anywhere from one-third to one-half the cost.
“The cost-benefit analysis must work versus what you are going to get in return for a machine that you may just opt to trade in and replace with a new one,” he said. “You can drive a lower cost per hour based on life cycle if you can run that machine for more hours on your additional investment, have it on a good maintenance program and do the certified rebuild process.”
That Certified Rebuild program can include a multitude of upgrades, depending on the equipment, its size, its brand and the expectations of the customer, according to Pfohl.
For instance, a piece of heavy equipment can simply get a minimal refresh in the off season, whether it’s a cleaning and a pressure wash for a John Deere wheel loader, or it can be given an extensive secondary re-life.
“As an example, a John Deere 944 mid-size wheel loader could need a second or third life rebuild where the machine is taken down to the frame, inspected, repaired, get its harnesses and hoses replaced, along with its major components,” he said “‘Certified’ in the eyes of John Deere means that we have a trained certified technician performing the inspections, performing the repairs and replacements and after completion the piece returns to service with an extended factory warranty.”
For more information, call 919/772-2121, or visit www.jamesriverequipment.com. (All photographs in this article are Copyright 2021 Construction Equipment Guide. All Rights Reserved.)
OSHA from page 8
In just the pre-rule stage, the federal agency’s proposed measure may not make any progress toward becoming reality until October.
That’s when the agency will issue a request for information seeking public input on a possible rulemaking on heat illness prevention in indoor and outdoor settings.
A request for information “would allow the agency to begin a dialogue and engage with stakeholders to explore the potential for rulemaking on this topic,” according to the Association of Builders and Contractors (ABC).
OSHA spokeswoman Denisha Braxton said “OSHA continues strong enforcement related to heat illness using the General Duty Clause.”
Daniel Kaplan, a partner of Foley & Lardner LLP in Madison, Wis., believes a federal OSHA heat stress rule could be useful if it’s clear about how employers should comply.
He suggests employer should check their precautions against OSHA’s guidance in the heat stress section of its technical manual.
The manual stresses acclimatization of workers and teaching them to recognize heat stress symptoms. It also recommends ways to reduce heat stress such as providing shade, cool drinks and changing work schedules to avoid the hottest part of the day.
OSHA will likely seek comment on heat stress thresholds, heat acclimatization planning, exposure monitoring and medical monitoring, according to Bloomberg Law.
The agency turned down petitions to undertake such a rulemaking during the Obama and Trump administrations. But Democrats in the House and Senate introduced companion bills earlier this year addressing the need for a standard.
The bills would mandate that OSHA issue a proposed heat rule within two years of the law’s enactment and issue a final rule within 3½ years. Neither bill has been scheduled for a committee hearing.
In the 2019-2020 congressional session, then-Sen. Kamala Harris (DCalif.) sponsored a similar bill that never came up for a vote.
Announcing the bill, she said, “it is absolutely unconscionable that workers in industries from agriculture to construction face excessive heat conditions for hours each day with no protections for their health and safety.”
Back-Tracking
On Workplace Injury
Contractors can expect to see enhanced workplace injury and illness tracking under the Biden Administration’s OSHA. The agency wants to revert to the 2016 version of the rule.
OSHA’s proposed regulation includes anti-retaliation provisions that could discourage workplace safety and health incentive programs and postincident drug testing, according to Malveaux.
“A reversion could signal that OSHA will view drug testing and incentive programs as a form of employer retaliation,” he said.
Proposed changes would require establishments with at least 250 employees to provide electronic submissions of injury and illness data in addition to the less detailed summary data currently required, said Malveaux.
“This could have a particular impact on larger construction sites that report more injuries and illnesses because of the sheer number of employees working at a site,” he cautioned. “It also may have an outsized impact as construction employers grapple with marijuana legalization laws and worker intoxication.
“Regardless of the cause, substance and alcohol abuse lead to more workplace accidents and injuries,” wrote Malveaux, noting that dehydration from alcoholism also can lead to several different heat illnesses.
Other Proposals Worth Watching
OSHA has proposed a communication tower safety standard aimed at keeping more tower construction and maintenance workers alive.
A projected increase in tower installations and repairs over the next few years has the agency concerned that the fatality rate has “greatly exceeded that of the rest of the construction industry.”
The goal of the proposal is to greatly decrease that rate as more workers enter the industry. CEG
OSHA will issue a request for information seeking public input on a possible rulemaking on heat illness prevention in October.
LINDER INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY www.linder.com Florida Ft. Myers • 239/337-1313 Jacksonville • 904/786-6710 Ocala • 352/629-7585 Orlando • 407/849-6560 Pembroke Pines • 954/433-2800 Plant City • 813/754-2727 West Palm Beach • 561/863-0570 North Carolina Asheville • 828/681-5172 Charlotte • 980-777-8345 Greenville • 252/695-6200 High Point • 336/665-0110 Raleigh • 919/851-2030 Wilmington • 910/254-2031 South Carolina Columbia • 803/794-6150 Greer • 864/877-8962 North Charleston • 843/486-8080
POWER EQUIPMENT www.powerequipco.com Chattanooga, TN • 423/894-1870 Kingsport, TN • 423/349-6111 Knoxville, TN • 865/577-5563 LaVergne, TN • 615/213-0900 Memphis, TN • 901/346-9800 Saltillo, MS • 662/869-0283
TRACTOR & EQUIPMENT COMPANY www.tec1943.com
Alabama Alabaster • 205/621-2489 Anniston • 256/831-2440 Birmingham • 205/591-2131 Decatur • 256/355-0305 Dothan • 334/678-1832 Huntsville • 256/851-2222 Mobile • 251/457-8991 Montgomery • 334/288-6580 Tuscaloosa • 205/752-0621 Florida Panama City • 850/763-4654 Pensacola • 850/505-0550 Georgia Albany • 229/435-0982 Atlanta • 404-366-0693 Augusta • 706/798-7777 Calhoun • 706/879-6200 Columbus • 706/562-1801 Hoschton • 706/654-9850 Kennesaw • 678/354-5533 Macon • 478/745-6891 Savannah • 912/330-7500
P
“BUILDIN NG FOR THE ” FUTURE.
THREE G TIONS. T GENERA
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Marv Selge (with Noah & Justin) / Selge Construction, Inc. / Niles, MI with Noah & Justin) / Selge C onstruction, Inc. / Niles, MI
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Beard Equipment Company
beardequipment.com
2480 E I-65 Service Rd N Mobile, AL 36617 800/848-8563 3195 W Nine Mile Rd Pensacola, FL 32534 850/476-0277 TF 800/624-8196 4625 North Highway 231 Panama City, FL 32404 850/769-4844 33 Industrial Court Freeport, FL 32439 850/835-3337 6870 Phillips Highway Jacksonville, FL 32216 904/296-5000
356 N Highway 17 Palatka, FL 32177 386/325-6268 2578 SE Baya Drive Lake City, FL 32025 386/752-9544 4539 NW 44th Avenue Ocala, FL 34482 352/732-4646 3033 US Highway 27 E Perry, FL 32348 850/584-9200 7566 W Tennessee St Tallahassee, FL 32304 850/575-5600
DOBBS EQUIPMENT
www.dobbsequipment.com
2730 Falkenberg Rd. Riverview, FL 33578 813/620-1000 - Main Office 813/621-4902 - Parts 3005 Hanson St. Fort Myers, FL 33916 239/334-3627 4618 Scarborough Dr. Lutz, FL 33559 813/995-0841 4343 Northwest 77th Ave. Miami, FL 33166 305/592-5740
4333 North John Young Pky Orlando, FL 32804 407/299-1212 3933 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd West Palm Beach, FL 33404 561/848-6618 1751 Copans Road, Unit 8 Pompano Beach, FL 33064 954/977-9541 - Parts 6265 E Sawgrass Rd. Sarasota, FL 34240 941/960-2004 - Parts
FLINT
www.flintequipco.com
169 Ross Clark Circle N.E. Dothan, AL 36303 334/794-8691 1220 Henderson Hwy Troy, AL 36081 334/566-4181 6446 Joe Frank Harris Parkway
Adairsville, GA 30103-2628 770-773-9857 1206 Blaylock St. Albany, GA 31705 229/888-1212 4500 Wendell Dr. SW
Atlanta, GA 30336-1627 404/691-9445 5333 BBS Way
Braselton, GA 30517-1707 770-965-1889 251 Perry Lane Road
Brunswick, GA 31525 912-264-6161 2400 Victory Dr.
Columbus, GA 31902-3457 706/687-3344 50 Morgan Industrial Blvd.
Garden City, GA 31408 912/964-7370
1900 William Few Pkwy. Grovetown, GA 30813-3905 706/855-5440 4600 Pio Nono Ave Macon, GA 31206-5064 478/788-1586 5763 Hunt Road Valdosta, GA 31606 229/474-6680 178 Seaboard Road Andrews, SC 29510 843/221-4940 4900 East Highway 501 Aynor, SC 29511 843/358-5688 136 Acres Drive Ladson, SC 29546 843/572-0400 116 Corporate Drive Simpsonville, SC 29681 864/963-5835 4717 Jefferies Hwy Walterboro, SC 29488 843/539-1420 3464 Sunset Boulevard West Columbia, SC 29169 803/794-9340 T THIS S I IRON N W WILL L L TSA T. OUR NEXT MEET Y s engineered to simplify ser’ M w e doe don’t lik t It W T OLD RELIABLE. ou can vice so y o simplify ser
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B&N Grading’s Heather Thompson Urges Women to Consider Construction
B&N from page 42
“We could not do what we do without a great employee base, which has taken us years to grow,” Thompson said. “We started with a select few, and to this day a majority of those employees are still with us. We also have great backup in the person of General Manager Mitch Walker, who joined our company in 2015; and our controller, Becky Thomson, who has been with us since 2014.”
Like many young mothers, Thompson had to find that delicate balance between raising (and home-schooling) two small boys and managing a small company. After 11 years, she said she is now much more involved in each aspect of the company’s operation.
New Cat Cold Planer Boosts B&N’s Production
From its beginning, B&N Grading also has built a trusting rapport with Carolina Cat. Thompson’s company has turned to the distributor many times over the years to purchase, rent and trade machines ranging from pavers to cold planers to rollers to skid steers.
She and Hux prefer Cat machines from Carolina Cat because of that relationship, and the people there with whom they have worked over the years.
“Everybody that we have ever dealt with there has always helped us to get from point A to point B, including financing, maintenance on the machine and answering any questions we may have,” Thompson said. “We have simply found Carolina Cat to be a very reputable company with wonderful employees.”
Recently, B&N Grading made another equipment purchase when it acquired a 2021 Cat PM622 cold planer, a high-production, half-lane milling machine with an 88-in. cutting width that performs controlled full-depth removal of asphalt and concrete pavements in a single pass.
“We chose that model because we wanted a larger mill to use on highways and large parking lots,” she said. “Being a high production machine, it will eat up a parking lot very quickly.”
She added that the decision to trade in its 2018 Cat PM622 for the newest model was made easier by the maker’s willingness to listen to its customers. "For one, Cat has come a long way with their planers,” Thompson said. “We also liked that machine because it has a lot of things on it that we wanted and had mentioned to Cat, such as places to store our paint cans and hang our shovels, and the fact that it also has LED lights. We feel that they legitimately listened to us as customers and implemented some of the things we wanted. That means a lot to us and to most people, I would think.”
Jonathan Law, the manager of Carolina Cat’s paving division in the western half of North Carolina, added that Cat, in turn, appreciates customer feedback when it is doing research and development on a new product, a time when the manufacturer is looking to make improvements on its machines.
“Brian Hux and Bob Milliken [who heads up B&N Grading’s paving and milling operations], among others, were on a factory trip about 18 months ago where we discussed some of those things and when Cat replaced its earlier model PM622s with this new one, Brian and Bob could see that many of the upgrades that we had talked about around the table before with the company were now on the machines. It’s pretty cool to have that kind of input with the manufacturer.”
Shortly after taking possession of the new Cat PM622, Thompson said the new rig was already proving its worth.
“The LED lights on the Cat milling machine were probably the top improvement, especially when we are doing night work,” she said. “Having those extra bright lights are great — I think the biggest complaints from any company working on a job site at night is the lighting.”
Among the other Cat equipment used by B&N Grading are AP555F pavers, model CB24B, CB34B, CB54B, CB214E, CW14 and CW7 rollers, as well as a pair of 262D3 skid steers. Other machines in B&N Grading’s fleet include 10 dump trucks, another cold planer, an Etnyre chip spreader,and a Weiler P385B paver and CT3 rubber-tire roller.
“Carolina Cat is also the best company with which we have worked as far as service — hands down,” Thompson said. “Not only do they provide training to our guys on any machine, but they will come on site at any hour of the day or night that we need them. That’s great because depending on the job, sometimes we never know which hours our crews will need to work.”
Thompson — Trendsetter Among Women
With Thompson holding a majority stake in B&N Grading, the company has received the status of being both a woman-owned and a minority-owned business, qualifications designated by the states in which the company works.
Leading a highly-successful woman-owned paving and grading company — in a historically male-dominated industry — has made Thompson a bit of a trendsetter and someone to look up to among girls and young women wanting a career in construction.
“I would say to them that they can do this type of work if they are willing to put their minds to it,” she said. “Yes, it is primarily a man’s world, but it is not a closed society by any means. There are many more women in the industry than most people think. It’s just that their voice may not be heard as loud. This is hard work, but it is worth the fight.”
Thompson noted that there are a lot of different avenues for women that want to work in construction, from sales to working on site. She employs at least five female truck drivers at B&N Grading, she said, with four other women holding key jobs in the office.
But she acknowledged that more gains still need to be made for women in the building trades. For instance, she said B&N Grading “unfortunately does not yet have very many” women operating at its project sites.
Thompson recalled how tough it was for her to earn the respect of the men in the industry when she and Hux first started the company in 2010.
“It was very difficult because not only was I a woman, but I was also very young,” she said. “I am still the youngest one in our entire company, so that’s why I depend on a lot of other people to learn all I can. I want to know how they made it.” (All photographs in this article are Copyright 2021 Construction Equipment Guide. All Rights Reserved.)
ALABAMA
Stone Equipment Co., Inc.
1797-A Fulton Spring Rd. • Alabaster, AL 35007 844-786-6373 210 West Blvd. • Montgomery, AL 36108 844-786-6373 www.stoneequipmentco.com
GEORGIA
Crosby Equipment Company, Inc.
1826 South Peterson Ave. • Douglas, GA 31535 912-384-4664 5368 Hawkinsville Rd. • Macon, GA 31216 478-257-8300 www.crosbyequipmentco.com
Grove River
902 Longwood Dr. • Richmond Hill, GA 31324 912-756-7854 www.groveriver.com
MISSISSIPPI
Mid South Machinery
14370 Seaway Rd. • Gulfport, MS 39503 228-867-1555 3233 Hwy. 80 W. • Jackson, MS 39204 601-948-6740 3145 Cliff Gookin Blvd. • Tupelo, MS 39901 662-690-6553 www.gomidsouth.com
TENNESSEE
Diamond Equipment, Inc.
1530 Heil Quaker Blvd. • La Vergne, TN 37086 615-641-1100 www.diamondequipment.com
VIRGINIA
Highway Equipment Company
8071 Lee Highway • Troutville, VA 24175 540-992-4150 www.highway-equipment.com
P OFRE MR NA CE W EREH T I C TN COU S
A FINANCING AS LOW AS 0%
CCS Equipment Sales, LLC
Raleigh –Durham –Chapel Hill 5428 Highway 96 • Youngsville, NC 27596 (919) 375-7129 • (877) 469-3471
Fuquay –Holly Springs –Sanford –Fayetteville 836N Broad Street • Angier, NC 27501 (919) 935-0505
5886 Ernest Taylor Rd • Ayden, NC 28513 (252) 712-1033 www.ccsequipment.com
N.C. Looks to Defray I-26 Interchange Cost Through Federal Grant Money
INTERCHANGE from page 36 Waiting for Details
Chris Joyell, director of healthy community at MountainTrue, the Asheville-based environmental advocacy nonprofit, told the Citizen Times that the interchange is “not a surprise.” His organization realized it was part of an economic incentive package.
While an interchange certainly could have environmental impacts, Joyell said it was difficult to comment on until firm plans emerge, according to the Asheville news source.
“We don’t know exactly where it’s going to be, and we don’t know exactly how big it’s going to be, and therefore we don’t really know what the environmental or community impacts are going to be,” Joyell said.
He said his organization will wait to see which building options emerge as frontrunners.
Between the ongoing widening of an 18-mi. stretch of I26 between the Brevard Road interchange in Buncombe County and Four Seasons Boulevard in Henderson County, and the upcoming I-26 Connector project, Joyell is concerned about I-26 becoming home to ever-burgeoning traffic counts.
The coming eight-lane I-26, along with the $1 billion I-26 Connector project around Asheville, may induce more development demand, he feared. Another interchange, along with the larger highway capacity, could bring in more development — and more sprawl.
Potential Funding Sources
N.C. State Sen. Edwards has previously worked to secure $30 million in additional funding for the new I-26 interchange. It is currently in a bill making its way through the General Assembly.
“We are awaiting approval from the Federal Highway Administration [FHA] for authorization to move forward with the interchange,” Edwards replied to the Citizen Times via email. “NCDOT had to submit to FHA seven plans ranging in size and scope.”
NCDOT also is pursuing federal grant monies, particularly those from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. In addition, NCDOT will look to the Appalachian Regional Commission and the U.S. Economic Development Administration, Coates said.
If NCDOT successfully secures federal money, it would defray the amount needed from the state, he added. Currently, $10 million in state economic development funding, Coates said, has “been committed from the highest levels of the NCDOT to the project.”
If passed by the state House, Edwards’ proposal would need Gov. Roy Cooper’s signature to finalize it.
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