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10 • ROCK products • May 2016 www.rockproducts.com I N D U S T RY N E W S IN THE KNOW than anticipated volume of daily sales for other smaller projects. "Conse- quently, we are optimistic about our potential for growth in this new mar- ket," the company stated. As a result of actual sales through March, and ongoing discussions with customers in San Francisco and Long Beach, Calif., the company increased confidence in its volume expectations for 2016 and expects full-year sales vol- umes in the range of 3.2 million to 3.5 million tons. • San Francisco volumes are currently expected to be 2.9 million to 3.1 mil- lion tons. • Long Beach volumes are currently expected to be 200,000 to 400,000 tons. • Q2 2016 shipments are currently scheduled in the range of 0.9 million to 1.1 million tons, including at least two deliveries to Long Beach. Ken Palko, president and CEO, com- mented: "Weather-related disruptions to construction activity as well as the previously mentioned maintenance made for a slower than expected first quarter, but March was a robust month and we are seeing very healthy vol- umes in planned shipments through the second quarter. Long Beach sales and operations have performed better than we initially expected. In addition to the Oceanwide Plaza project, we are in final discussions on several other large, high-profile projects in Los Ange- les in 2016, and continue to be excited about the developments occurring in this market." Roads and bridges that are deficient, congested or lack desirable safety fea- tures cost Oklahoma motorists a total of $4.9 billion statewide annually – $2,242 per driver in the Oklahoma City urban area – due to higher vehicle operating costs, traffic crashes and congestion-re- lated delays. Increased investment in transportation improvements at the local, state and federal levels could relieve traffic congestion, improve road, bridge and transit conditions, boost safety, create jobs and support long- term economic growth in Oklahoma, according to a new report released by TRIP, a Washington, D.C.-based national transportation organization. The TRIP report, "Oklahoma Trans- portation by the Numbers: Meeting the State's Need for Safe, Smooth and Effi- cient Mobility," finds that throughout Oklahoma, 28 percent of major locally and state-maintained roads are in poor condition and another 42 percent are in mediocre or fair condition. Despite recent improvements, nearly a quarter of Oklahoma's bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. The state's major urban roads are becom- ing increasingly congested, with driv- ers wasting significant amounts of time and fuel each year. And an aver- age of 684 people were killed annually in crashes on Oklahoma's roads from 2010 to 2014. Driving on deficient roads costs each Oklahoma City area driver $2,242 per year in the form of extra vehicle oper- ating costs (VOC) as a result of driving on roads in need of repair, lost time and fuel due to congestion-related delays, and the costs of traffic crashes in which roadway features likely were a contrib- uting factor. The TRIP report calculat- ed the cost to motorists of insufficient roads in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa urban areas. While the Oklahoma Department of Transport at i on' s (ODOT) revenue increased in recent years, the state faces potential cuts to transportation invest- ment due to decreased state revenues. This has reduced appropriations to ODOT and other state agencies by sev- en percent during the current fiscal year (FY2016). These reductions will cut $30.8 million from ODOT's budget for future construction projects in the Eight-year Plan. Prior to the latest bud- get cut due to reduced state general revenue, ODOT experienced $190 mil- lion in budget reductions since FY2010. Despite the progress made in recent years, Oklahoma still has approximate- ly $11 billion in backlogged bridge and roadway projects. The Federal Highway Administration estimates that each dollar spent on road, highway and bridge improve- ments results in an average benefit of $5.20 in the form of reduced vehicle maintenance costs, reduced delays, reduced fuel consumption, improved safety, reduced road and bridge mainte- nance costs, and reduced emissions as a result of improved traffic flow. And for every $1 million spent on urban high- way or intermodal expansion, an aver- age of 7.2 local, long-term jobs were created and an additional 4.4 jobs were created outside the local area. "As an economic development pro- fessional, I can tell you from firsthand experience that transportation infra- structure is one of the most important factors when a company is determin- ing whether to locate in a community," said Roy Williams, Greater Oklaho- ma City Chamber president and CEO. "Transportation infrastructure truly is the veins and arteries of a healthy com- munity's economic success and quality of life." Oklahoma Road Conditions Cost Motorists Big Money Driving on deficient roads costs each Okla- homa City area driver $2,242 per year in the form of extra vehicle operating costs FAST FACT