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® March 12 2023 Vol. XXIV • No. 6
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Inside
Texas Ready to ‘Turn Dirt’ With $100B Plan By Irwin Rapoport CEG CORRESPONDENT
John Deere to Showcase Latest Technology at ConExpo Show...8
Dealer Builds Unique Demolition Machine...16
Ritchie Bros. Creates Hall of Fame at Premier Global Auction...69
The Texas Transportation Commission (TTC), this August, is expected to approve Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Department of Transportation’s record $100 billion, 10-year plan for infrastructure projects across the state to help meet demand for residents amid an ongoing population boom and period of economic growth. This unprecedented investment in the 2024 Unified Transportation Program (UTP) that was recently announced also would increase funding in vital areas, including safety, energy sector, rural and urban connectivity, border infrastructure, maintenance and preservation. According to TxDOT, the massive total is estimated to be $15 billion more than the 2023 UTP and is based on the record projected revenue for the state, derived primarily from growth in Proposition 1 (2015 legislative session) revenues generated by oil and gas severance fees dedicated to highway improvements. Stacey Bryant, president of the AGC of Texas, is pleased with the proposed investment. “AGC of Texas applauds the leadership of Governor Abbott, the TTC and TxDOT for this historic investment in our state’s infrastructure,” he said. see TEXAS page 62
Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Asphalt & Concrete Paving Section . . . . . . . . . .29-51 Auction Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68-75 Business Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently announced an unprecedented investment in the 2024 United Transportation Program (UTP) that would allocate $100 billion over a 10-year period to highway and bridge projects throughout the state
Playing Nice With OSHA How to Avoid Fines for Jobsite Violations, What to Do If You Are Cited By Lucy Perry CEG CORRESPONDENT
The Department of Labor opened the year with an increase in the cost of penalties for employer violations. This means not only the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, but the Employee Benefits Security Administration, Wage and Hour Division and Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs are all under the fee-hike umbrella. So is OSHA. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s maximum penalty increases include more than $15,000 per violation for serious, otherthan-serious and posting requirement violations. see OSHA page 28
OSHA is included in the Department of Labor’s increased penalty costs for employer violations.