Well, the rest of the country is learning what the aggregates and construction industries already know only too well. When Congress drags its feet, or fails altogether to get something done, it is frustrating, maddening, and ultimately bad for the economy.
On August 5, the Wall Street Journal ran an article that argued against the merits of public investment in infrastructure. Government “investment” in infrastructure is often wasteful and tends to support decaying or stagnant technologies, according to the article.
This may come as a surprise to you, but . . . ConExpo-Con/Agg is right around the corner! It seems like just yesterday we were walking 25 miles a day all over the Las Vegas Convention Center, but in March 2014, we will be doing it all again. In this issue, we begin our first “ConExpo-Con/Agg Countdown” column, which will detail all of the updates and show news available in the run-up to the big event.
I would like to extend a warm welcome to Michael W. Johnson, who this month begins his tenure as president and CEO of The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association. He succeeds our old friend, the much-respected R. A. “Gus” Edwards, III, who is retiring after more than 16 successful years with NSSGA.
Approximately 80 percent of Americans say having safe, efficient and well-maintained transportation infrastructure is at least, if not more, important to our personal livelihood and well-being than good cable, cell phone, internet, water, sewage, and household electricity and natural gas services. Not surprisingly, given the importance Americans place on transportation assets, 74 percent of us agree that “investing in transportation infrastructure should be a core function of the federal government.”
