Winter 2010 - the Alabama Road Builders Association
Transcription
Winter 2010 - the Alabama Road Builders Association
THE ALABAMA ROADBUILDER Winter 2010 • A Publication of the Alabama Road Builders’ Association Amendment 3 Falls Short ARBA Installs Officers for 2010-2011 Member Profile: Hilton Cooper Contracting, Inc. New Standards for Cranes and Derricks Congratulations Governor-Elect Bentley EQUIPMENT. SUPPORT. SOLUTIONS. Count on Cat for solutions. You’ve always been able to count on Cat® machines, work tools and support on the job site. But we also offer solutions that address the larger issues: • Enhanced operating environments and advanced operator training • Solutions for emissions and job site efficiency From the day you put a Cat machine to work, count on Cat to be there with equipment expertise and comprehensive support that will help you do your job more efficiently... and meet your business challenges more effectively. Contact Thompson Tractor today or visit us online to learn how you can Count on Cat. • Precision guidance systems • Flexible financing, rental options and insurance assistance Call 1-800-547-0760 2 Alabama and Northwest Florida for 50 years. Serving www.thompsontractor.com The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 THE ALABAMA ARBA OFFICERS, DIRECTORS & STAFF ROADBUILDER Winter 2010 • A Publication of the Alabama Road Builders’ Association President MICHAEL H. MCCARTNEY CONTENTS Vice President KEITH ANDREWS Executive Director’s Message.................................................. 5 Treasurer CRAIG FLEMING President’s Message ................................................................. 7 Secretary CHRIS NEWELL Immediate Past President (acting) ST (SONNY) BUNN, JR. Directors 2010-2011 GREG ABRAMSON RANDY BILLINGSLEY JOHN BOYD SONNY BUNN TERRY BUNN BOB DAWSON JOHN FULLER LEE GROSS JOHN HARPER MITCHELL HARRIS JOE HOWLE RON JACKSON DAVE JONES PAMELA NORRELL KEARLEY CHRIS LOVOY TIM MCCARTNEY KACY MIMS TIM MULLENDORE JOHN E. MURPHY, III DAVID REED DEREK ROBERTS MIKE ROONEY I.J. (IKE) SCOTT, III JOHN G. WALTON NORMAN WALTON CHARLES E. WATTS, JR. Published for: Alabama Road Builders’ Association 630 Adams Avenue Montgomery, AL 36104 (334) 832-4331 Fax: (334) 265-4931 www.alrba.org Amendment 3 Falls Short ........................................................ 9 ARBA Installs Officers for 2010-2011................................. 12 In Loving Memory: Sherman Suitts..................................... 16 The Decade Ahead.................................................................17 Fall Golf Tournament 2010................................................... 18 Alabama Institutes Industry Fee for Recruitment Campaign ..................................................... 20 Thank You, Shirley! .............................................................. 21 New Standards for Cranes and Derricks in Construction................................................... 22 Member Profile: Hilton Cooper Contracting, Inc. .............. 25 ARBA/ALDOT Continue Liaison Committee Visits Divisions in 2010 .................................................... 26 Heard Along the Highway ................................................... 27 Products & Services Marketplace ....................................... 28 Index to Advertisers/Advertiser.com ................................... 30 Background cover photo courtesy of McCartney Construction Co., Inc. STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BILLY NORRELL [email protected] COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR TERRI MITCHELL [email protected] ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SHIRLEY BANKS [email protected] HAYLEY DRUMWRIGHT [email protected] The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 Published by: Naylor, LLC 5950 N.W. 1st Place Gainesville, FL 32607 (352) 332-1252 or (800) 369-6220 Fax: (352) 331-3525 www.naylor.com PUBLISHER Kathleen Gardner EDITOR Julie Ahlgren PROJECT MANAGER Megan Sapp PUBLICATION DIRECTOR Rick Sauers ADVERTISING SALES Cherie Dubay, Susan Maracle, Mark Tumarkin, Matthew Yates MARKETING ASSOCIATE Kent Agramonte LAYOUT AND DESIGN Lexie Smart ADVERTISING ART Glenn Domingo ©2010 Naylor, LLC. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher. PUBLISHED DECEMBER 2010/ALR-Q0410/4616 3 1.2.3. The Knockout Combination. Evotherm Warm Mix TM This Champ does it all by lowering mix temperatures, up to 100 degrees. This means less energy to produce and pave, increased worker safety, faster return to traffic, reduced emissions and lowered overall construction costs. In addition, Evotherm requires less compactive effort to achieve density. This may result in a performance bonus. POW! CHFRS-2P Chip Seal Don’t turn your back on this heavy-hitter. This one is tenacious. It grabs your chips fast and holds on to them longer. Putting traffic back into play sooner and keeps you moving and jabbing. CMS-1P Rejuvenating Surface Treatments Last but not least! Keep water on the ropes. If it can’t get past the surface, it can’t impact your substrate and damage the road-bed. That’s a good game plan. ergonasphalt.com 4 The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE “LET ME SPEAK TO SHIRLEY, PLEASE…” BY BILLY NORRELL ARBA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR It will be a tough day for me when I answer the phone and hear someone say, “Let me speak to Shirley.” THIS IS A TOUGH one to write. While I am reluctant to rehash the disappointing result of the Amendment 3 vote and the possibilities it would have brought to our industry, I have to reflect on a number of even greater losses for our industry and association. Robert Huffaker served as the general counsel for ARBA for my entire time here and for years prior to my arrival. He helped us with issues ranging from legislative language to constitutional protection of road and bridge dollars to everything in-between, and always had the best interest of the association in mind. We lost Robert to cancer late this summer. His counsel and friendship will be greatly missed. Sherman Suitts was an officer for four years for ARBA, and he served each position with great energy. He became more greatly involved with ARBA when the Alabama Aggregates Association merged with us and a new category of contractor member was created—the aggregate contractor. It was not long before Sherman’s peers recognized the leadership skills he possessed, and he was elevated to officer status within the ARBA hierarchy. Sherman served this association with energy in every role he held. But not until he reached the level of ARBA president did we see the real Sherman in action. His enthusiasm was infectious. He worked throughout the course of the year planning regional meetings, increasing the educational opportunities for ARBA members throughout the state, and he refined the inner-workings and activities of the association by addressing issues for years to come. I personally had never worked harder for a president. We talked all the time and he always had the same statement when we were wrapping things up—“Is there anything else we should be doing?” He was always looking for ways to improve ARBA and our industry. All this despite a terrible struggle with cancer, but you would never know it. Sherman never let you know he might need a break or just wasn’t feeling like participating. He pressed forward through this past legislative session like a trooper, talking to each member of the Legislature and encouraging their support of SB 121 (Amendment 3). He attended every event, every meeting, every social activity and every conference. He was as active of a president as you could ask for. It wasn’t fair that we never got the chance to honor him in person at his farewell President’s Luncheon in September, as he fought this terrible illness to the bitter end. He was a great friend and will be missed. I hope his family knows how much of a privilege it has been for us to have him on loan from them for the past year. Donna Kay, we thank you for that honor. Finally, I’m certain everyone knows that Shirley Banks is retiring at the end of the year, on December 31. It is tough to write about someone who has put their entire life into an industry and dedicated themselves to doing the best job possible while never, ever saying a harsh word. It’s even tougher when that same person put out your birth announcement in 1968, when she was a young member of the ARBA family and you just happened to be the newborn son of the current ARBA president. I grew up coming to ARBA conventions, and she was even taking care of me back then. Karma is a funny thing. The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 5 438524_Vulcan.indd 1 412162_Southeast.indd 6 348413_Apache.indd 1 1 I cannot express in words how much Shirley has meant to me the past 13 years since joining the ARBA family, but for most of you who have been around a lot longer, I can’t imagine what her retirement will mean to you. She has been a part of 40-plus conventions, hundreds of golf tournaments, fishing trips, tennis tournaments, dealt with board members, officers, presidents, governors, highway directors—the list could go on and on. She’s seen the good and the bad. And on top of it all, she has conducted herself with the greatest level of courtesy and commitment that one could imagine. Never a harsh word, never a loss of patience and never one task unfulfilled. If it meant staying late, working weekends—whatever. Shirley got it done. Thoughtful is one word to describe 8/7/09 1:58:43 PM the way she approaches every day at ARBA. Conscientious is another. Considerate. Thorough. Honest. Tough. But most of all, Shirley is kind. She embodies everything we or anyone in the association world could ever ask for, and I have only been around for a brief part of her career. I can’t put it all down in a column like this, so I’ll close just by saying I hope you’ll all join me in expressing how much we love her and appreciate all she has meant to ARBA and our industry. We have brought a new ARBA family member on board, Hayley Drumwright, to work with Shirley through the end of the year, and she will be a wonderful addition to the ARBA staff. I hope you will all take the time to welcome her and help her learn all about our wonderful association and industry.AM She has some tough standards to 12/12/08 11:23:40 live up to, but we all know she will do great. But, it will be a tough day for me when I answer the phone and hear 1940 Pinson Valley Parkway someone say, “Let me speak to Shirley,” and I have to tell them she’s not Birmingham, AL 35217 here anymore. Probably sifting sand Office: (205) 849-1727 through her toes on a deserted beach Fax: (205) 849-1726 sipping a strawberry daiquiri, as she and Lawrence travel the country on a well-deserved break from ARBA. Lord knows, she has earned it. Shirley, thank you for everything. ❏ The 11/16/07 3:28:55 PM Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE READY TO SERVE BY MICHAEL H. MCCARTNEY ARBA PRESIDENT Sherman worked tirelessly for the betterment of our industry and this association. AS THE NEW PRESIDENT of the Alabama Road Builders Association, I want to thank you, the membership, for this tremendous opportunity. I have enjoyed and learned much from being a director and then progressing through the officer’s chairs. Our company’s involvement with the Alabama Road Builders Association began in the mid-1950s and continues to present day. With that said, it is indeed an honor to be able to serve you for the coming year. It is with deep sadness that I recognize the death of Sherman Suitts, our 20092010 President. Sherman passed away October 24, 2010. I want to thank the Suitts family for their great sacrifice in letting Sherman fulfill his duties as our president. Sherman worked tirelessly for the betterment of our industry and this association. At the funeral, Sherman’s son, Justin, honored his father by singing Tom Petty’s hit song “I Won’t Back Down,” which exemplified his father’s spirit and attitude when fighting for something or someone in whom he believed. As I stated at the ARBA luncheon in September, the Association, at the appropriate time, will honor Sherman’s service to our industry. During the recent election, we saw our Amendment 3 get voted down even after our industry mounted a substantial campaign. Appropriate credit should be given to our executive director, Billy Norrell, for “spear-heading” a positive and informative campaign for the passage of the amendment. Credit should also be given to the ARBA Board of Directors and to the many friends of our industry that gave both time and money for this effort. We also want to congratulate Governor-Elect Bentley for his successful campaign. We are very excited about working with his new administration. The new governorelect has worked with our association many times in the past in order to further the betterment of Alabama’s transportation system. In addition to working closely with the Bentley administration, as well as the new legislature, my priorities will include, but not be limited to, working with ALDOT on specifications through our ARBA/ALDOT liaison committee and holding a pre-legislative session transportation seminar for all elected officials so they can be brought up-to-speed with the conditions of our highways and funding shortfalls that face Alabama. Please know that as your president I will be calling on you to get involved with the business of ARBA, and I hope you will join me in promoting increased membership, improving member services, and developing the finest transportation advocacy team in the nation. Please know that I will be available to discuss issues of concern to our industry at any time. ❏ The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 7 YOU CAN COUNT ON ALABAMA BARRICADE, INC. • Regulatory & Warning Signage • Barricades (Types I, II and III) • Barricade Lights • Sign Stands • Stop and Slow Paddles • Road and Lane Closure Signs • Arrow Boards (Diesel and Solar assisted) • Construction Signage (Aluminum roll up and mesh) • Delineators • Message Boards • Beacons • Traffic Cones Also in Stock: Safety Vests, Flags, Pavement Tape, Stripping and Marking Tape, Reflective Cone Collars, Sign Hardware, Reflective Tapes, Emergency Warning Lights and Sign Posts. ALABAMA BARRICADE EMPLOYEES HAVE OVER 100 YEARS OF TOTAL COMBINED TRAFFIC CONTROL WORK EXPERIENCE Sales • Service • Rentals • Installation • Maintenance 7007 Praytor Road • P.O. Box 832 • Trussville, AL 35173 (205) 655-5290 • (205) 655-5292 www.alabamabarricade.com 348412_Alabama.indd 1 Over 50 Locations Serving 25 States Provide Round-The-Clock Service PROTECTION SERVICES INC. 11/16/07 3:16:15 PM 1806 Wolf Ridge Road Mobile, AL 36618 Traffic Control Equipment and Services Solar Message Centers Solar Advance Warners Solar Sign Stand Signs & Sign Stands Glare Screen Delineators Reflectors Crash Attenuators Plastic Drums & Cones Safety Equipment Barricades Warning Lights & Batteries Truck-Mounted Attenuators Temporary Pavement Markings Plastic Fencing Work Area Lighting John G. Walton construction company General Contractors P.O. Box 81222 Mobile, AL 36689 Office (251) 342-6250 Fax (251) 342-6290 460805_John.indd 1 2/4/10 8:45:51 AM Ed McCombs 2501 Pawnee Village Rd. Birmingham, AL 35217 Ph. (205) 849-5750 Fax (205) 841-3236 Pensacola, FL (850) 983-0714 www.protectionservices.com (866) 489-1234 635 Lucknow Road, Harrisburg, PA 17110 8 469290_Protection.indd 1 3/1/10 9:17:24 AM The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 ELECTIONS Amendment 3 Falls Short Though thousands vote in approval, support wanes in final days D espite the best efforts of Alabama’s construction and business communities to inform the people about the merits of Amendment 3, the $1 billion proposal to assist Alabama’s aging road and bridge system, the people voted 57 percent to 43 percent against the program. A broad-based coalition of supporters ranging from construction associations to business-minded groups was assembled and took the message to the streets early and often. Led by groups such as ALFA, AEA, AAA-Alabama, ABC-Alabama, AGC-Alabama and the Business Council of Alabama, just to name a few, the message was loud and clear—Alabama’s road and bridge system is in real trouble, and here is a great way to shore it up without costing you, as a taxpayer, one penny. The proposal passed the Legislature in April in the form of Senate Bill 121. With Republican and Democrat support, the measure seemed destined to provide the first additional funding to a program that has been collecting revenues under the same formula since 1992. With the creation of the Alabama Jobs Coalition, a movement was born and the message was simple— Alabama’s roads and bridges are in desperate need of additional funding. The Alabama Trust Fund (ATF) contributions of $100 million annually for 10 years would have allowed ALDOT, the counties and cities to address desperate needs while never compromising the integrity of the trust fund balance (a $2 billion floor was built into the legislation to protect the ATF). An economic impact study was conducted showing that $1 billion invested in infrastructure construction would produce a $2.2 billion return for The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 Alabama. It also showed that almost 10,000 new jobs would be created as a result of the passage of Amendment 3. Editorials started to show up in support of Amendment 3. The Anniston Star, Decatur Daily and Ft. Payne TimesJournal, just to name a few, were the early supporters on the bandwagon. The Amendment 3 effort was going strong. About 10 days before the election, Dr. David Bronner, head of Alabama’s Retirement System, decided to comment on the amendment and question the need for the program. He challenged its ability to produce anything of substance to aid Alabama’s road and bridge system. He called it a political slush fund, that it would not do enough or create a single job and recommended that Alabama just raise the gas tax to address such issues—and he encouraged the defeat of Amendment 3. Road builders were referred to as Bonnie and Clyde and the infamous train-robbing team of brothers Frank and Jessie James for daring to suggest taking money from the Alabama Trust Fund was the way to address these needs. Later that same day, Gov. Riley followed suit, saying he also was against the amendment. It was even suggested that politicians would be selecting where these projects would be placed throughout the state. In April, Gov. Riley had addressed an auditorium full of contractors and engineers during the legislative session on Build Alabama Day and professed his support of the amendment saying “I’m for it.” Preserving the constitutionally protected funding for Alabama’s transportation construction has been challenging. Early in his first term, Gov. Riley initiated an effort to take $40 million from the road and bridge fund to supplement the General Fund, ultimately resulting in the industry giving up its sales tax exemption on materials used on the job—an action 9 which shrinks the total pool of construction dollars available for all Alabama citizens. Since 2004, more than $200 million in gasoline taxes has been transferred from Alabama’s Public Road and Bridge Fund to other state agencies and not to constructing Alabama’s road system. Despite the efforts to keep the train on the track, the momentum had clearly shifted. What was polling as a blowout just days before had tightened considerably. Despite the support of the two 10 459880_Martin.indd 1 gubernatorial candidates, things were looking bad for Amendment 3. As election day approached, members of the Alabama Jobs Coalition spoke at local civic clubs, made radio appearances, held press events and publicly did everything possible to spread the word about the good Amendment 3 would do for ALL of Alabama—rural and urban. But the Bronner/Riley comments were just too strong to overcome. continued on page 20 The 12/16/09 12:30:13 PM Alabama Jobs Coalition Partners AAA Alabama Association of County Commissions of Alabama (ACCA) Association of County Engineers of Alabama Alabama Asphalt Pavement Association Alabama Coal Association – ACA Alabama Concrete Industries Association Alabama Construction Recruitment Institute (ACRI) Alabama DBE Contractors Association Alabama Education Association (AEA) Alabama Forestry Association Alabama General Contractors (AGC) Alabama Railway Association Alabama Road Builders Association Alabama Trucking Association Alabama Utility Contractors Association Alabama Farmers Federation – ALFA American Council of Engineering Companies of Alabama American Concrete Pavement Association – Alabama Chapter Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Bridge Construction Association of Alabama Business Council of Alabama (BCA) Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama Coalition of Regional Transportation (CRT) Manufacture Alabama Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 Road and Bridge Improvement Fund Contributors To the members who went above and beyond, and you know who you are, we thank you for your efforts. This truly was a monumental task and you all took control of the situation and made sure we achieved our fundraising goals in order to run the most effective and efficient campaign possible. We owe you all a debt of gratitude. Contributors to the Road and Bridge Improvement Fund throughout the campaign—we could not have done it without you. Thank you for your support! 3M Abramson LLC Air King Inc AL Asphalt Pavement Assoc. AL Chapter Solid Waste Assoc of N.A. AL DBE Contractors Association Inc AL Highway Users Conference AL Traffic Systems Inc AL Utility Contractors Assoc. AL Barricade Inc AL Bridge Builders AL Guardrail AL Power Co AL Guardrail AL Pipe and Supply Co. AL Railway Association Alabama AGC Alabama Coal Association Alan McDonald Carrie - EnerSys ALA-TON Committee (AL Trucking Assoc) Alexander Engineering & Development Alliance Insurance Group Alliance Sand & Aggregate AmericanOsment APAC Mid-South, Inc. Archer Western Contractors Asphalt Consultants Astec (ROADTEC) Bama Concrete Products Barnett Transportation Inc Batey & Sanders Inc. Beard Equipment Co. Blacklidge Emulsions, Inc. Blue Cross Bradley, Arant, Boult & Cummings LLP Brasfield & Gorrie Burr & Forman LLP C & H Construction Services C. Thornton C.A. Langford Co., Inc. Calder Brothers Corp CAP Properties Cary A Guffey Caterpillar Financial Services Corp Caterpillar Inc CDG PAC Cemex Charles E Watts, Inc. Cobbs Allen & Hall Consolidated Pipe & Supply Co Construction Labor Services Cowin Equipment Co Craneworks, Inc. CRI-MGM Building, LLC David Geer Decatur Mill Service Co Dement Construction Co Donaldson Co Inc Donovanfingar LLC Drummond Co Inc Dudley C Jackson Inc Dunn Construction Co. DVA/HC PAC (Volkert) Earl Dudley, Inc. East AL Paving Co. ECK & Glass Insurance Inc Protection Services Equipment Repainting Service Inc Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions Eutaw Construction Co. FCC Equipment Financing Fine Geddie & Associates Foley Products Co G W Norrell Contracting Co. Gaines, Wolter & Kinney, P.C. Godwin Material Services Good Hope Contracting Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood Inc Grassworks Inc Gresham Smith and Partners Gulf Coast Truck and Equipment Co H&L Construction, Inc. Harvey Culvert Company Hatch Mott McDonald Engineering Highway Management Systems Hilton Cooper Contracting Hinkle Contracting Co Hi-Tech Asphalt Solutions Hosea O Weaver and Sons HRCA, LLC Huie Fernambucq & Stewart LLP Hunt Refining IronPlanet J. C. Cheek Contractor, Inc. J. Lister Hubbard The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 J.M. Wood Auction Co. Jackson Paving Jerry Boutwell Joe Allen Bolen John Deere Davenport Works John G. Walton Construction Co. Johnson Sterling Consulting Inc Jones, Blair, Waldrup & Tucker, Inc. Jordan Pile Driving Keen Transport Inc Kelley Construction Kenworth of Mobile Kirkpatrick Concrete Komatsu American Corp Lehigh Hanson Long Lewis Ford M.C. Williams Contracting Co Martin Marietta Aggregates McCartney Construction Co. McGriff Industries Inc McInnis Construction, LLC Mobile Asphalt Co National Cement Neel-Schaffer Newell Roadbuilders, Inc. Norman J. Walton Ozark Striping Co., Inc. PalFleet Truck Equipment Co Palomar Insurance Corp Peek Pavement & Marking Phillip C Anderson Pozzolanic Contracting & Supply Premier Truck Centers R Brooke Lawson R E Grills Constr Co R R Dawson Bridge Co RaCON, Inc Ram Tool Ready Mix USA Richard H Allen Riley Bridge & Engineering Ritchie Bros Auctioneers Riverside Traffic Roadtec Robert A Davidson Rogers Group Inc Rowe Machinery Inc RSC Equipment Rental Rutherford Contracting S & C Materials & Paving S&G Trucking Inc S. A. Graham Safety Coatings Safety Plus, Inc. Scott Bridge Co Sherman Dixie Shoals Electric Co. SITECH SE Southeast Cherokee Construction Southeast Materials Corp Southeastern Oil Company, Inc. Southern Wire Enterprises Southland International Trucks SS Nesbitt & Co. (EBSCO Industries) ST Bunn Construction Co. Stone & Sons Electrical Contractors Strickland Companies Summit Pipe & Supply Sunshine Supplies Superior Broom T. L. Wallace Construction TBEI Ox Bodies, Inc. Terex/Genie The McPherson Companies Thompson Engineering Inc Thompson Tractor Co. Tom Arnold Construction Co. Tomlin Construction LLC Tractor & Eqpt Co. Trail King Industries Turner Insurance & Bonding Co Universal Precast, Inc. Veterans Landscaping Volkert Vulcan Asphalt Vulcan Materials Co. W S Newell Inc Wade Sand & Gravel Waites Construction Co WAKM Companies LLC Warrior Tractor & Eqpt Co Webb Concrete & Building Materials Weiler Inc Wells Fargo/Wachovia Whitaker Contr Co. Whitley B Forehand William D Coleman Winston Contracting Wiregrass Construction Co. Folio • 11 11 2010 ANNUAL LUNCHEON Proud of Our T he 2010 Annual Luncheon is a special time when friends and guests gather to celebrate the year’s accomplishments, but on September 24 in Montgomery, this event was missing one of its leaders. ARBA President Sherman Suitts had become ill and was unable to attend and preside over the luncheon, a time-honored tradition for the Alabama Road Builders Association. In his absence, Immediate Past President Sonny Bunn took the podium and let everyone know about Sherman’s absence and his intent to soon return to the industry he loved so dearly. Unfortunately, as we all know, Sherman fell victim to the cancer he had been battling so bravely for a number of years on October 23. Sherman was a true leader of our association and dedicated untold time during the past year to the passage of Senate Bill 121, which ultimately became Amendment 3. We will all be better off for knowing Sherman Suitts, and our prayers go out to his family. 12 The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 Leaders ARBA Installs Officers for 2010-2011 The seated luncheon was held this year at the Montgomery Renaissance Hotel and Spa, complete with an address from ALDOT Director Joe McInnes. It attracted guests and dignitaries from all over the state, including Lt. Governor Jim Folsom. ARBA invited many special guests as well as ALDOT friends to join them in the luxurious ballroom for the luncheon. The tremendous crowd was a shining example of the hard work and respect that is shared by those in transportation construction and those that are responsible for the daily operations of the Department of Transportation. We are thankful for them and appreciate the participation and dedication that is shown by all. Sonny Bunn introduced the guests from the DOT as well as past ARBA presidents and special invited guests. Lastly, Bunn announced the new officers and members of the Board of Directors for the Alabama Road Builders Association. Incoming President Michael McCartney was the next to speak. He thanked the membership for providing him with the opportunity to serve and reminded the guests of Sherman’s dedication to the office of president of your association, especially during the past year. He reflected on the successful legislative accomplishments of our industry and numerous association activities initiated by Sherman Suitts. The officers for the Association for the coming 2010-2011 year are as follows: PRESIDENT – MICHAEL H. MCCARTNEY Michael H. McCartney is vice president of operations, McCartney Construction Company, Inc. and Calhoun Asphalt Company, Inc. in Gadsden, Ala. Born September 27, 1956, in Lee County, Ala., he attended Baylor High School in Chattanooga, Tenn., and graduated in l979 with a B.S. in business administration from Auburn University. McCartney has worked for McCartney Construction Company, Inc. since 1970 and has served the company in every capacity from laborer to his present position. McCartney is a member of the Rainbow Presbyterian Church of Gadsden. He is a member of the Gadsden Quarterback Club and the Etowah County Auburn Club. McCartney has served on the Alabama Road Builders Board of Directors since 2000 and served as president of the Alabama Asphalt Pavement Association in 1999, and he currently serves on the Board of Directors of that Association. He serves as a director of the TRIP board and is a member of the NCAT Applications Steering Committee. He is the father of two daughters, Frances and Natalie, and one son, Bailey. The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 13 ARBA OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS FOR 2010-2011 President: Vice President: Treasurer: Secretary: Michael H. McCartney Keith Andrews Craig Fleming Chris Newell NEWLY ELECTED DIRECTORS (TWO-YEAR TERM) ST (Sonny) Bunn, Jr. ST Bunn Construction Co., Inc. Bob Dawson R.R. Dawson Bridge Co.,LLC David Reed Whitaker Contracting Corporation Norman J. Walton J.S. Walton & Co., Inc. McCartney Construction Co., Inc. RaCON, Inc. Dunn Construction Co., Inc. Newell Roadbuilders, Inc. ASSOCIATE MEMBER DIRECTOR (ONE-YEAR REMAINING) Mike Rooney Thompson Tractor Co., Inc. ASSOCIATE MEMBER DIRECTOR APPOINTED BY 2009-2010 PRESIDENT (TWO-YEAR TERM) John Boyd Batey & Sanders, Inc. THOSE CONTINUING TO SERVE (ONE-YEAR REMAINING) Pamela Norrell Kearley G.W. Norrell Contracting Co., Inc. I.J. (Ike) Scott, III Scott Bridge Co., Inc. John G. Walton John G. Walton Construction Co. Charles E. Watts, Jr. Charles E. Watts, Inc. PERCENTAGE DUES BOARD MEMBERS – (ONE-YEAR RENEWABLE TERM) GREG ABRAMSON TIM MCCARTNEY Abramson LLC; Birmingham McCartney Const. Co. Inc.; Gadsden RANDY BILLINGSLEY KACY MIMS Mobile Asphalt Co. LLC; Mobile Alabama Bridge Builders, Inc.; Pinson SONNY BUNN TIM MULLENDORE S T Bunn Const. Co. Inc.; Tuscaloosa APAC Mid-South Inc.; Birmingham TERRY BUNN JOHN E. MURPHY, III S T Bunn Const. Co. Inc.; Tuscaloosa H. O. Weaver & Sons, Inc.; Mobile BOB DAWSON DAVID REED R. R. Dawson Bridge Co., LLC; Bessemer Whitaker Contr. Corp.; Guntersville JOHN FULLER DEREK ROBERTS East Alabama Paving Co., Inc.; Opelika Rogers Group, Inc.; Tuscumbia LEE GROSS MIKE ROONEY Ozark Striping Co., Inc.; Ozark Thompson Tractor Co., Inc.; Birmingham JOHN HARPER IKE SCOTT, III Wiregrass Const. Co., Inc.; Ariton Scott Bridge Co., Inc.; Opelika MITCHELL HARRIS JOHN G. WALTON H & L Const. Co., Inc.; Troy John G. Walton Construction Co., Inc.; Mobile JOE HOWLE NORMAN WALTON Vulcan Materials Company J. S. Walton Const. Co., Inc.; Mobile RON JACKSON CHARLES E. WATTS, JR. Jackson Paving & Const. Co., Inc.; Guntersville Charles E. Watts, Inc.; Gadsden DAVE JONES Martin Marietta Aggregates; Birmingham CHRIS LOVOY Reed Contracting Services, Inc.; Huntsville 14 The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 VICE PRESIDENT – KEITH ANDREWS Keith Andrews is president of RaCON, INC. in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He was born February 14, 1959, in Montgomery, Ala. Andrews served as vice president for RaCON, INC. from its incorporation in 1981 until 2008, at which time he was named president. He is also the managing member of IKAROS, LLC. Andrews has been an active board member of the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce since 1991. He was a board member of the Citizens Advisory Counsel for the Metropolitan Planning Organization in 1992-1993. He was Transportation Chairman of the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce in 1994. Andrews served as president of the West Alabama Associated General Contractors in 1994. He was appointed by former Gov. Fob James to the General Contractors Licensing Board for a term of two years in 1995-1996. He served in an advisory role to Shelton State Community College for the development of the Heavy Equipment Operators program in 1996. Andrews currently serves on the Legislative and Political Action Committee for the Alabama Utility Contractor Association. He currently serves as a founding partner for the University of Alabama Construction Engineering Program. Andrews was appointed by Gov. Bob Riley to the Alabama General Contractors Licensing Board in 2003 and currently serves as secretary and treasurer of the board. Keith is married to Carol and has three children: Miller, Olivia and Benton (Ben). TREASURER – CRAIG FLEMING Born in Franklin, Ky., Craig Fleming attended Georgia Institute of Technology and graduated in 1981 with a B.S. in civil engineering. Fleming is president of Dunn Construction Company, Inc. He began work in the asphalt paving industry for APAC in 1984. He held positions of various responsibilities there The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 for 10 years. He began working for Dunn Construction Company in 1994 as vice president and area manager. His work with Dunn has included five years as president of Dunn Road Builders in Laurel, Miss. He returned to Birmingham in 2001 and was named president of Dunn Construction in 2002. Fleming has been married for 27 years to Sherrie Fleming. They have four children: Julie (22), Brooke (19), Virginia (13) and Andrew (8). They are members of Homewood Church of Christ. SECRETARY – CHRIS NEWELL Chris Newell was born June 27, 1974, in Savannah, Ga., (Newell Roadbuilders was building I-16 near Savannah at the time). Newell graduated from Hooper Academy in Hope Hull, Ala., and Auburn University in 1997 with a B.S. in civil engineering. Newell became a fourth-generation legacy to work with Newell Roadbuilders at the age of 12. He worked during summers sweeping the shop. At age 16, he began working on a road crew which continued during summers through college. He also spent two summers working with ALDOT. After graduation from college, Newell began working full time with Newell Roadbuilders as office engineer. He is currently vice president, overseeing several highway projects and private industrial work in Georgia and Alabama. Newell and his wife, Amber, have twin 7-year-old daughters, Alex and Avery, and a 3-year-old son, Ridge. Newell serves on the board of directors for the Montgomery Auburn Club and Hooper Academy. He is a trustee of the Fred Hooper Endowment Fund that benefits Hooper Academy. He is also on the ARBA/ALDOT Liaison and Legislative Committees. Newell and his family are members of Hope Hull United Methodist Church. ❏ 15 In Loving Memory SHERMAN SUITTS ARBA President, 2009-2010 July 15, 1951 - October 23, 2010 16 The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 INDUSTRY TRENDS The Decade Ahead New Technologies, Regulations and Opportunities uring the next 10 years, D Alabama’s road builders could see more sophisticated equipment, more environmental regulation, more green construction and—eventually— more work. On the equipment side, Mike Rooney, general manger of Thompson Tractors, said the new Tier IV emissions technology will begin showing up in equipment after January 1, 2011. “That will provide cleaner air for the environment, but there’s a good deal of technology involved so it’s more costly to design and build and there’s somewhat more maintenance required over the machine’s life cycle.” The new technology will also require additional training of service technicians, although many, like Thompson Tractor’s technicians, have already worked on similar equipment in on-road trucks. “Beyond that, I think we’ll see the continued adoption of machine control and guidance, using two- and threedimensional GPS control systems to reduce the number of tractor hours and increase the efficiency of the operator. It also reduces the amount of surveying and re-surveying that’s required,” Rooney added. The third trend he sees is component condition monitoring, which uses onboard systems and transmits vital diagnostic information to the equipment owner or dealer. This goes well beyond monitoring maintenance requirements or signaling problems. “It can accumulate the data so you can determine how the tractor is operating, its efficiency,” The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 Rooney said. “As we move forward, we’ll have the rate or production that a machine is achieving as it digs or pushes. It will do the calculation for the contract management side of the equation—the product health as well as the product efficiency. All of these electronics and systems will be tied in so that the machine and the operator can become more efficient and operate at a lower cost per hour.” Rooney predicts that adoption of these systems will become more widespread as contractors realize their benefits. Engineers will design projects and prepare data cards that contractors will plug into the onboard systems. “A contractor will be able to do the estimating or operate the machine to finish blade with that data,” he said. Manufacturers will use more electronics in equipment components like transmissions and hydraulic cylinders to work better with these control systems, he added. more difficult for plants to meet particulate standards. “The third issue is the continuing regulation and heavy enforcement on stormwater discharges, not just at the plant but also out on the jobsite where we’re building roads. Those regulations are getting tougher and enforcement is getting tougher,” Howle added. He expects to see federal and state environmental protection agencies linking stormwater discharge with overall water management on the site. Sidney Mays, Vulcan’s vice president of marketing, said Alabama’s state and local governments may start requiring more “green” construction techniques. “We’re seeing [in other areas] a movement towards and more acceptance from the specifications side all the way through to the state and federal departments of transportation considering and in some cases allowing higher percentages of RAP,” he explained. continued on page 28 REGULATIONS AND GREEN BUILDING On the regulatory side, expect stricter regulation and more enforcement from the Environmental Protection Agency even if the Republicans win control of one or both houses of Congress. “I don’t see that changing as long as the Democrats are in the White House,” said Joe Howle, manager of environmental, community and government affairs at Vulcan Materials. Howle believes there could be more regulation of greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide emissions, with the EPA requiring cement and asphalt plants and stone quarries to report both direct (on site) and indirect emissions. The EPA may also ratchet down the size of the particles that it will regulate, making it Contractors can expect companies like Vulcan to work with engineers and architects to develop new green products… 17 FALL GOLF TOURNAMENT It’s Tee Time! Fall Golf Tournament 2010 n a beautiful October day, the Alabama Road Builders Association gathered at The Arrowhead Golf and Country Club and hosted its O annual fall golf tournament for its members and guests. Another tremendous crowd played the challenging course in the afternoon and followed the day up with a great turnout at the awards ceremony and dinner that evening. Guests and Alabama Department of Transportation friends were everywhere and proved to make this tournament another tremendously successful event. The day began with golfers preparing for their 12:30 p.m. tee time by warming up on the range and then having a lunch at the clubhouse. Upon completion of the day’s rounds, everyone gathered back at the clubhouse for a steak dinner and awarding of the golf prizes. Each of the seven flights from each course were awarded first, second and third place team prizes in the form of gift certificates that could be redeemed in the pro shop. Awards were also presented to the closest to the pin winners on the par threes, as well as two longest drive contests. The first flight overall tournament low score team winners were Mark Waites, Bo Gross, Lee Gross and Randy Walls. Congratulations to this great team and all the others for their participation. Everyone stayed late into the evening as the Arrowhead staff and tournament team members entertained the ALDOT and ARBA guests with libations and appetizers. The event was one that will not soon be forgotten and one that will be tough to duplicate. We plan to have another great event this spring, so make your plans now to join us May 5-6, 2011, for the Spring Fling Golf and Fishing Rodeo as we return to the Gulf Coast. Special thanks go out to Jeff Webb, Shirley McGowen Banks, Hayley Drumwright and Terri Mitchell. Thank you for all your help throughout the day! ❏ 18 The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 19 Alabama Institutes Industry Fee for Recruitment Campaign he Alabama Road Builders Association has joined in a coalition with other trade associations, unions and owner T groups to form the Alabama Construction Recruitment Institute (ACRI) and launch a statewide image-recruitment campaign designed to bring field personnel into the non-residential construction industry. The campaign will be financed by a fee of 0.0009 collected on wages ($900 on $1 million in wages) paid to field personnel below the superintendent level—working foremen and craftsmen through common labor. The law is designed to raise $1.75 million annually for the recruiting program. This recruitment effort is exclusively for the non-residential construction industry; the fee is not applied to construction work on single-family homes. The ARBA Board of Directors agreed to support this initiative because it understands the long-term labor need and the value of image enhancement-recruitment for our industry. This program is designed to act as an ‘Army of Amendment 3 falls short continued from page 10 On Tuesday, November 2, voters determined that the statements made by Gov. Riley and David Bronner were just too powerful to ignore. Amendment 3 was defeated, and the effort to adequately fund Alabama’s road and bridge construction program was, once again, back to square one. So what does the future hold for our industry? With the new administration in place, hopes are high that transportation construction will once again be looked upon as a viable way to support Alabama’s economic development, job creation and quality of life. This industry performs great work 20 One’ campaign for our industry. The ARBA, AGC, ABC and others have already financed research and development that will be used to help complete and implement the recruitment campaign. Dr. Tim Alford, the first director of Gov. Bob Riley’s Alabama Office of Workforce Development, has been hired to lead the ACRI. Additional staff will be put in place to implement the campaign ultimately bringing talented people into our industry and guiding them into craft education programs and onto our members’ jobsites. The law limits collection of the fee to four years and requires legislative action to change that. ❏ for Alabamians, at a bargain price for their tax dollars. Our competitively bid projects consistently save taxpayers millions and provide a product that drives economic growth to every part of the state. We generate tremendous tax revenues for Alabama and we hire Alabama workers for Alabama family businesses. It is easy to ridicule ideas that you disagree with but offer no tangible solutions. Raising taxes is not a political reality. Borrowing money is too costly for the state. Our industry is struggling to make ends meet, and the roads and bridges are aging daily and becoming costlier to maintain. Resources are dwindling and a tough decision needs to be made—do we support the lifeblood of our state’s economy or do we fall further behind at the risk of our citizens’ safety and our state’s economic future? One thing this vote tells us is there are hundreds of thousands of Alabamians that recognize the need for additional transportation construction funding. Alabama’s transportation construction industry is ready for the next step. We are hopeful the elected leadership of Alabama is ready to take it with us. ❏ The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 Thank You Shirley Banks! 45 Years of Service! W e would like to honor and thank Shirley Banks for all the years of hard work and dedication she has brought to the Alabama Road Builders Association. It will not be the same without her. Shirley, we wish you a wonderful retirement! The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 21 LEGAL New Standards for Cranes and Derricks in Construction BY MAC GREAVES AND NANCY FOUAD A lthough crane accidents have been occurring for many years, the increasing number of crane-related deaths has led to added scrutiny over jobsite safety, worker training and regulations. In 2003, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) established the Crane and Derrick Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee (C-DAC) to recommend changes to OSHA’s crane and derrick regulations. C-DAC developed a draft document, which OSHA used as the basis for the new crane standard that it released on August 9, 2010. The new crane standard, 29 CFR Section 1926.1400, applies to power-operated equipment when used in construction that can hoist, lower and horizontally move a suspended load. Note that the new standard does list a number of exemptions to this rule. Also, because the new standard only applies to equipment used in construction, it does not apply to cranes or crane operations in general industry. Non-construction crane and derrick operations are governed by a separate set of regulations found at 29 C.F.R. Section 1910, Subpart N. The new standard addresses key hazards related to cranes and derricks on construction worksites, including the four main causes of worker death and injury: electrocution, crushed by parts of the equipment, struck by the equipment/load, and falls. Some of the new significant requirements in the new standard include a pre-erection inspection of tower crane parts; use of synthetic slings in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions during assembly/disassembly work; assessment of ground conditions; qualification or certification of crane operators; and procedures for working in the vicinity of power lines. Most provisions of the new standard became effective on November 8, 2010. GROUND CONDITIONS Under the new standard, the Controlling Entity must inform equipment users 22 and operators of known underground hazards (voids, utilities, etc.). The “Controlling Entity” is a prime contractor, general contractor, construction manager or any other legal entity that has the overall responsibility for the construction of the project—its planning, quality and completion. Property owners that assume the responsibility for construction of the project could be considered “legal entities.” The information that the Controlling Entity is now required to provide includes all information known about ground conditions, as well as written information in possession of the controlling employer, whether on-site or off-site. ASSEMBLY/DISASSEMBLY The new standard requires that employers comply with all manufacturer prohibitions relating to assembly and disassembly. The standard generally allows employers to choose between the manufacturer’s procedures or their own except that when using synthetic slings the employer must follow the manufacturer’s procedures even when the employer has developed its own procedures as an alternative. Additionally, when the employer’s procedures are used as an alternative, those procedures must be developed by a “qualified person” and must satisfy a number of requirements, such as providing adequate support and stability for all parts of the equipment, and positioning employees involved to minimize exposure to any unintended movement or collapse. The new standard also requires the work to be directed by an assembly/ disassembly (A/D) director who is both a “competent person” and a “qualified person” as defined by the standard. In addition to other responsibilities, the A/D director must address hazards related to the operation, including the following areas of concern: site and ground conditions, blocking material, proper location of blocking, verifying assist crane loads, boom and jib pick points, center of gravity, stability upon pin removal, snagging, struck by counterweights, boom hoist brake failure, loss of backward stability, and wind speed and weather. INSPECTIONS AND OPERATIONS Under the new standard, all documentation required by the inspection provisions must be available to inspectors when performing the required inspections (including wire rope inspections). Upon completion of assembly, but before use, the equipment must be inspected by a “qualified person” to ensure that it is configured in accordance with the manufacturer equipment criteria. If the manufacturer’s procedures are not available, the employer’s “qualified person” must develop operations procedures. Procedures related to The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 person is qualified by using one of the following options: • Third party qualified evaluator. The signal person has documentation from a third party qualified evaluator showing that he or she meets the qualification requirements; or • Employer’s qualified evaluator (not a third party). The employer’s qualified evaluator assesses the individual, determines the individual meets the qualification requirements, and provides documentation of that determination. This assessment may not be relied on by other employers. the capacity of the equipment must be developed by a registered professional engineer (familiar with the equipment) when the manufacturer’s procedures are not available. Additionally, this information must be readily available in the cab of the crane. The new crane standard also added a new requirement for the pre-inspection of tower cranes. The crane components of tower cranes must now be inspected after transportation to the work site and prior to erection of the crane. SIGNAL PERSON QUALIFICATION A signal person is required when: the point of operation is not in full view of the operator, the operator’s view is obstructed in the direction the equipment is traveling, or either the operator or the person handling the load determines that a signal person is needed because of site-specific safety concerns. Signal persons do not have to be certified under the new standard. However, the signal person must be qualified. Qualification requirements include knowing and understanding signals, competency in using signals, a basic understanding of crane operation, and a verbal or written test plus a practical test. The new crane standard requires employers to ensure that the signal The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 QUALIFIED RIGGER Similarly, riggers do not have to be certified under the new standard but must be qualified. Riggers must be a qualified person for the performance of specified hoisting activities such as during assembly/disassembly work and those activities that require employees to be in the fall zone to handle a load. A qualified rigger is a person that possesses a recognized degree, certificate or professional standing; or has extensive knowledge, training and experience; and can successfully demonstrate the ability to solve/resolve problems related to rigging loads. OPERATOR QUALIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION Finally, the new crane standard requires any person engaged in a construction activity who is operating a crane covered by the new standard to be certified. Persons exempt from certification requirements are those operating sideboom cranes, derricks, or equipment with a rated hoisting/lifting capacity of 2,000 pounds or less. However, these operators must meet other criteria for minimum expertise that is described in the new standard. All other operators must be qualified or certified under one of four methods described in the new crane standard. Employers have up to four years to ensure that their operators are qualified or certified, unless they are operating in a state or city that currently has its own operator requirements. Employers must also pay for the certification or qualification of their currently uncertified or unqualified operators. The four ways that an equipment operator can be qualified or certified and meet OSHA requirements are as follows. • A certificate from an accredited crane operator testing organization. • Qualification from the employer through an audited employer program. • Qualification by the U.S. Military (only applies to employees of Department of Defense or Armed Forces and does not include private contractors). • Licensing by a state or local government (if that licensing meets the minimum requirements set forth by OSHA). Additionally, certification consists of two parts: • A written examination that includes the safe operating procedures for the particular type of equipment the applicant will be operating and technical understanding of certain required subject matter criteria; and • A practical exam demonstrating that the applicant has the skills needed to safely operate the equipment, including the ability to properly use load chart information and recognize items required in the shift inspection. ❏ Authors’ note: Questions or comments should be communicated to Mac Greaves ([email protected] or 205458-5172) or Nancy Fouad (nancy. [email protected] or 205-458-5425) at Burr & Forman, LLP in Birmingham, Alabama. This article is intended to provide general information concerning recent developments in certain aspects of construction law. It is distributed with the understanding that it does not constitute the rendering of legal, accounting or other professional services and should not be used as a substitute for professional service in specific situations. If legal assistance or other expert assistance is required, the services of a qualified professional should be sought. If legal advice is sought, no representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. 23 24 The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 MEMBER PROFILE Hilton Cooper Contracting, Inc. H ilton Cooper Contracting, Inc. is a success story that began in 1969 with the purchase of a bulldozer. The Clayton-based company has steadily grown since its beginning when the founder Hilton Cooper decided to use his time when not farming to clear some of his land. Soon other farmers were asking him to help them. Eventually this grew to clearing fire lanes, log roads and building fish ponds. Hilton Cooper Contracting, Inc. is still a family run business. Hilton’s son, Kendall, took over the business in 1999, after having worked with his father since graduating high school. He now runs the day-to-day operation of the company as president. Hilton Cooper died in 2004. Over the past 39 years, they have expanded and developed into a full service site contractor working in Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Most of the company’s work is won through the bid process. With road work, Hilton Cooper Contracting, Inc. acts as general contractor and subcontractor with crews doing everything from performing road construction, water and sewer infrastructure, jack and bore, directional boring, and commercial site development. They also have a fleet of dump trucks including tri-axles and dump trailers for all hauling requirements. Kendall believes a must for any successful company is good equipment and good people. Hilton Cooper Contracting, Inc. has both. Kendall believes his company’s people are the primary key for their success. Even though the company tackles many large, multi-million dollar projects, smaller projects and agricultural origins have not been forgotten. Kendall still farms 3,000 acres of cotton and peanuts and maintains a herd of more than 900 cows. Kendall’s wife, Cindy, also works with the company as corporate secretary, and helps manage the farming operation. A third generation family member, Justin, also works alongside his parents to learn every aspect of the business. Growing a company from one bulldozer to an American business success story wasn’t easy, but Hilton Cooper Contracting, Inc. has done just that with the help of family and a good group of employees. Mr. Cooper summarized their true success as, “The good Lord has blessed us.” ❏ Even though the company tackles many large, multi-million dollar projects, smaller projects and agricultural origins have not been forgotten. The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 25 ARBA/ALDOT Continue Liaison Committee Visits Divisions in 2010 A s another added member service, your ARBA/ALDOT Liaison Committee met with division engineers and their staffs at their offices this past fall and winter to hear from contractors in their own areas. All nine division offices hosted meetings for ARBA members in every part of Alabama. The Division officers gave a preview of the upcoming construction schedules for each area and also addressed any issues specific to that part of the state from ARBA members. Many thanks to ALDOT Assistant Chief Engineers Mike Harper and Don Arkle for their participation in these excellent events. We thank all contractor and associate members who participated in these meetings. 26 ❏ The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 HEARD ALONG THE HIGHWAY PAUL SCOTT SERVES ARBA BOARD FOR 16 YEARS Lee Gross presents a plaque of gratitude from the ARBA Board of Directors to Paul Scott, Turner Insurance & Bonding, Inc., for his dedicated service as an associate member of the ARBA Board of Directors for 16 years. Thank you Paul for all you have meant to our industry, this board and this Association. HALL OF FAME – 2011 CLASS You should have already received your Hall of Fame application packets for the 2011 class. Please take the time to review the information and determine if you know anyone worthy of being included in our next class. The industry pioneers who are included in this exclusive fraternity are unique individuals who have dedicated their lives to the transportation construction industry. We hope to continue this new ARBA tradition by preparing a class of special individuals and creating a foundation that this program can thrive on for many years to come. Please call the ARBA office if you need any information on this program or if you have questions. ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TENTATIVE LETTING SCHEDULE 2011 Highway Construction Lettings are normally held on the second Friday of January, the last Friday of the months February-September, and the first Friday of November and December, with no letting scheduled in the month of October. Listed below are the tentative letting dates for 2011. These letting dates are subject to change, but will be confirmed approximately four (4) weeks prior to these dates: 2011 • July 29, 2011 • January 14, 2011 • August 26, 2011 • February 25, 2011 • September 30, 2011 • March 25, 2011 • November 4, 2011 • April 29, 2011 • December 2, 2011 • May 27, 2011 • June 24, 2011 ALABAMA CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY GETS A BOOST FROM MIKE ROWE A construction education and recruitment campaign kicked off in Alabama featuring the Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs” executive producer and host Mike Rowe advocating for careers in construction. The website, www. GoBuildAlabama.com includes a video of Rowe explaining the purpose of the campaign. The Go Build campaign is a product of the Alabama Construction Recruitment Institute (ACRI) which was created by Act 220 of the Alabama legislature and is funded through an employer fee that will generate $1.75 million per year. ACRI will provide state-wide construction craft training programs at two-year colleges, nonunion training centers and union facilities, using the National Center for Construction Education and Research curriculum. ARBA is a member of ACRI and joined other industry groups to lobby for the creation of ACRI with the goal of taking the program nationwide. The Go Build campaign includes statewide print, online and television advertisements promoting the GoBuildAlabama.com website, where people can learn more about skilled trade centers and find information about training programs, among other things. In addition, ACRI will be doing direct outreach to high schools beginning this fall through a partnership with the Alabama chapter of SkillsUSA. DIRECTORIES TO ARRIVE BY EARLY DECEMBER Your 2010-2011 ARBA Membership Directory & Buyers’ Guide should be arriving any day now. For those who would like to purchase additional directories, please call Terri Mitchell in the ARBA office at 800-239-5828. They may be purchased by ARBA members for $10 each. Thank you to all the advertising sponsors who help make this directory the industry standard for transportation construction in Alabama. continued on page 28 HAYLEY DRUMWRIGHT - WELCOME TO THE ARBA FAMILY The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 27 HEARD ALONG THE HIGHWAY continued from page 27 ARBA SPRING FLING – MAY 5-6, 2011 ORANGE BEACH, ALABAMA The Annual Spring Fling Golf and Fishing Tournament is set once again for May 2011. Make your plans today to be a part of this exciting activity. Join ARBA friends and ALDOT guests as we participate in a twoday event consisting of a fishing rodeo and a golf tournament. Be watching your mailings for registration forms that will be coming soon! ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING CONFERENCE; FEBRUARY 22-23, 2011, RENAISSANCE HOTEL & CONVENTION CENTER, MONTGOMERY The Alabama Department of Transportation Annual Engineering Conference will be held on February 22-23, 2011. Your Alabama Road Builders Association will be part of the events greeting conference participants on both days, as well as the entire planning of the conference. Please join the staff of Auburn University and the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and the Auburn University Engineering Extension Service as they put together another quality event for Alabama’s transportation construction industry. ❏ If you want to stabilize pavement subgrades, enhance hot mix asphalt performance, or reclaim low volume roads, call us for superior lime, outstanding service, and expert technical support. 2236 Cahaba Valley Dr. Ste. 202 * Birmingham, AL * 35242 888-605-7783 * www.lhoist.us THE NEXT DECADE continued from page 17 “It will be necessary to think through how we maximize the use of RAP and still provide long-life pavements…If we’re building very high traffic roads, for example, there are safety issues such as permeability and skid resistance that have to be taken into account.” Contractors can expect companies like Vulcan to work with engineers and architects to develop new green products, Mays said. Vulcan, for example, has recently developed a product for use underneath permeable pavements, which control storm water and allow owners to make better use of their land. “The initial thinking on green construction was that we have to do green just because it’s green, but now you see everybody thinking this through together, so there’s a way to do green with economic benefits,” he added. Mays is optimistic about the outlook for Alabama road building over time. The lack of a federal highway bill and other budget demands like pension funding has made it difficult for states to commit to long-term infrastructure projects. But Alabama’s continuing growth and its success in attracting new businesses have made infrastructure spending essential in the long term. “We’re still going to need roads and airports and rails that function and deliver product,” Mays said. “The downturn didn’t change that; those fundamentals don’t go away… There’s a lot of potential and a lot of big needs, and I think being short-sighted about your investment in your company will definitely be a problem when we’re three, four or five years down the road.” ❏ 28 447042_ChemicalLime.indd 1 12/1/09 10:28:55 PM For John Deere Sales and Service, Call On: 66 Industrial Park Dr. Monroeville, AL 36460 334/575-7111 6801 McFarland Blvd. West Northport, AL 35476 205/339-0300 2149 Hwy 31 South Pelham, AL 35124 205/988-4472 Hwy 31 South Athens, AL 35611 256/233-1914 2255 Hwy 21 South Oxford, AL 36201 256/831-0921 3540 Wetumpka Hwy Montgomery, AL 36110 334/277-7260 481893_Warrior.indd 1 The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 6/3/10 1:02:28 PM Gulf Coast Asphalt Company Quality Asphalts for Pavement Construction CORPORATE OFFICE 11 Greenway Plaza Suite 2950 • Houston, TX 77046 832-426-3310 office • 832-426-3320 fax BLAKELEY CRUDE & PRODUCT TERMINAL 835 Cochrane Causeway, Hwy. 90/98 • Mobile, AL 36610 251-432-7666 office • 251-433-8622 fax HALCORP ASPHALT TERMINAL 600 South Barracks, Suite 210-B • Pensacola, FL 32502 850-444-7179 office • 850-336-2095 mobile CONTACT US: CORPORATE Joe Mattingly Jr (Houston) Business Development Manager [email protected] MOBILE & PENSACOLA Dave Cutting Sales Manager [email protected] George Grace (Houston) Purchasing [email protected] Kenny Hucker Plant Manager [email protected] w w w. g c a c h o u s t o n . c o m 458755_GulfCoast.indd 1 The McPherson Companies, Inc. 12/8/09 8:46:15 AM PALOMAR INSURANCE Total Petroleum Management “Serving Your Energy Needs Fuel, Lubricants, Waste Oil, Fuelman” 5051 Cardinal Street Trussville, AL 35173 888-802-7500 www.mcphersonoil.com [email protected] Proud Member of ARBA The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 WE HAVE YOUR BACK... ...YOU CAN FOCUS ON THE FUTURE. Let L et P Palomar alomar bbee yyour our blueprint blueprint ffor or ssuccess. uccess. 334.270.0105 • [email protected] 3334.270.0105 33 344..27 34 270. 0.00110055 • A [email protected] RB R BA@ A@p paalo lom maarriins ns.c .coom m MONTGOMERY BIRMINGHAM •ereryryTROY •nttaATLANTA Montgomery Mo M oonnnttgo gom me •T Troy roy• ro •B Bi Birmingham irm rmin ingghhaam m•A Atlanta ttlllan aan a 489479_palomar.indd 1 29 AM 8/4/10 11:29:16 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS/ ADVERTISER.COM REACH BUYERS, NOT BROWSERS AGGREGATES Martin Marietta Aggregates ..........................................10 www.martinmarietta.com Vulcan Materials Company .............................................6 www.vulcanmaterials.com ASPHALT & ASPHALT PRODUCTS Gulf Coast Asphalt Company ........................................29 www.gcachouston.com ASPHALT EMULSIONS/EMULSIFYING AGENTS Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Inc. .....................................4 www.savemyroad.com AUCTIONEERS Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers America ................................30 www.rbauction.com CRUSHED LIMESTONE The Rogers Group, Inc. ..........................Inside Back Cover www.rogersgroupinc.com CRUSHED STONE/GRANITE/RIPRAP Southeast Materials Corporation.....................................6 DRILLING & BLASTING CONTRACTORS Apache Construction ......................................................6 ENGINEERING/ARCHITECTS Thompson Engineering ...................................................8 www.thompsonengineering.com EQUIPMENT SALES, SERVICE & RENTAL Cowin Equipment ...............................Outside Back Cover www.cowin.com Thompson Tractor ................................ Inside Front Cover www.thompsontractor.com Warrior Tractor and Equipment .....................................28 www.warriortractor.com FUEL, OIL & LUBRICANTS The McPherson Companies, Inc. ..................................29 www.mcphersonoil.com GUARDRAIL & HIGHWAY SAFETY Alabama Guardrail, Inc. ................................................30 HEAVY HIGHWAY & GRADING John G. Walton Construction Co, Inc...............................8 www.johngwalton.com INSURANCE/BONDING Palomar Insurance Corporation.....................................29 www.palomarins.com Turner Insurance & Bonding Company ...Inside Back Cover www.tibcoinc.com LIME/QUICKLIME/HYDRATED LIME SLURRY Lhoist North America ...................................................28 www.lhoist.us PAINT SUPPLIERS Safety Coatings, Inc. ....................................................30 www.safetycoatings.com SAFETY PRODUCTS Alabama Barricade, Inc. .................................................8 www.alabamabarricade.com TRAFFIC CONTROL/DEVICES & SIGNS Alabama Barricade, Inc. .................................................8 www.alabamabarricade.com Protection Services, Inc. .................................................8 www.protectionservices.com Imagine this: more than 1,300 on-site and online bidders from over 40 countries competing for your equipment. Most of them are end-users looking for equipment they can put straight to work. More than half have taken the time to come out to the auction and bid in person – and they don’t want to go home empty-handed. Reach buyers, not browsers: sell your equipment at a Ritchie Bros. auction. Wheeler Johnson, Territory Manager 205.837.9033 | rbauction.com 493018_Ritchie.indd 1 8/25/10 9:35:27 AM PAINT SUPPLIER Safety Coatings, Inc. 20180 Safety Lane 6772 Highway 79 N P.O. Box 728 • Pinson, AL 35126 Tel.: 205-681-3395 • Fax: 205-681-5747 [email protected] Specializing in installation of highway guardrails, signs and fencing 30 314834_Alabamaguardrail.indd 1 2/16/07 6:00:25 PM P.O. Box 399 Foley, AL 36536-0399 Phone: (251) 943-1638 Fax: (251) 943-3689 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.safetycoatings.com Safety Coatings manufactures all types of traffic paints, including DOT approved, Federal Specs, Parking lot paints, Hi-Build traffic paint, and Loop Sealant. We have been in business since 1979, and are known for our quality and service. Please call us for any of your traffic paint needs. Thank You for supporting the advertisers in this publication. The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 ROGERS GROUP, INC. Helping to build communities from the ground up for over 100 years Tuscumbia Quarry Asphalt/ Construction Lacey’s Spring Quarry Asphalt/Construction 256-650-3992 Moulton Quarry Asphalt/Construction 256-974-4962 Limestone County Quarry 256-233-6252 Russellville Asphalt 256-383-1645 South Limestone Quarry 256-233-6252 WWW.ROGERSGROUPINC.COM 475025_TheRogers.indd 1 4/19/10 9:35:40 AM Montgomery Decatur 462887_Turner.indd 1 Mobile Birmingham Greenville 1/25/10 12:30:19 PM IT TAKES MORE THAN PAINT TO MAKE IT A VOLVO. Volvo paving and compaction equipment isn’t beige anymore. It’s yellow. But it takes more than paint to make it a Volvo. An extensive, global dealer network with superior parts, service, and industry knowledge will keep you on the job and your profits high. Our broad range of financial services will help you get the equipment you need. It’s the opportunity to own premium equipment and the comfort of knowing you have experts to back you up. Only then does it truly become a Volvo. www.cowin.com P: (205) 841-6666 800-239-2694 F: (205) 841-2639 Experience our compaction, paving, and motor grader equipment packaged with everything Volvo offers. Because when you’ve got a road to build, we’re ready to get the job done. MORE CARE. BUILT IN. 32 Volvo Construction Equipment www.volvoce.com/na The Alabama Roadbuilder • Winter 2010 BIRMINGHAM MOBILE MONTGOMERY HUNTSVILLE / DECATUR PENSACOLA OXFORD