Transportation construction market strong in February, latest ARTBA report finds

The transportation construction market continued to show exceptional strength in February 2005, with the value of work performed on projects up nearly 17% over February 2004, according to the top economist for American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA).

“The $5.4 billion of construction work performed on transportation projects was an all-time record for any February, normally one of the weaker months of the year for transportation construction,” reported William Buechner, ARTBA’s vice president for economics and research.

The data are contained in the association’s “Value of Transportation Construction Put in Place” report. Year-to-date through February, over $10.6 billion of construction work has been performed on transportation projects – 14% more than during the first two months of 2004.

The strongest growth occurred in the two largest transportation markets, highways and airports, up to 18% and 26% respectively so far this year, Buechner said.

The U.S. Bureau of the Census provides data on the value of construction work put in place to ARTBA under contract. Details and historic data to 1993 are available by subscription from ARTBA.

To learn more about the association’s “Transportation Construction Market Intelligence Reports,” contact the ARTBA economics team at 202/289-4434.