Some opponents of highway funding say you simply can’t build your way out of traffic congestion. In Oregon, increasing travel times is keeping them from building—period.
According to a survey by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), 68% of construction companies in the state said congestion is having a frequent or significant impact on their operations. Nationally, 53% of the companies noted congestion as a problem.
And apparently the inconvenience is lasting days. AGC research shows that 53% of Oregon firms said it took three or more days to complete a project because of congestion, which is far ahead of the national pace (35%). In addition, 64% of those construction companies said they made changes to schedules and operations to deal with the traffic snarls, compared to 59% nationwide.
“Traffic tie-ups nationwide are sapping productivity, delaying construction projects and raising costs for construction firms of all types,” said Stephen Sandherr, CEO of AGC. “Given the hardships they are facing, the last thing contractors need is to burn time, fuel and money stuck in traffic.
“In today’s political environment where voters are worried about jobs and the deficit, passing legislation that creates construction jobs, boosts our economy and doesn’t add one cent to the deficit ought to be a no-brainer,” added Sandherr.
