Concrete approves $286 billion transportation bill

Two days before adjourning in July, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 412 to 8 to approve a conference report on the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), a measure that will provide more than $286 billion in funding for new highways, roads, airports, bridges, transit facilities and other transportation-related projects.

Hours later, the U.S. Senate voted 91 to 4 in favor of the report, sending the legislation to the White House for the president's signature.

"This important legislation will help provide the funding needed to carry out overdue work on critical highway and transportation projects, and it will strengthen and modernize the transportation networks vital to America's continued economic growth," said President Bush in a statement.

SAFETEA-LU (H.R. 3) reauthorizes federal aid for highways, mass transit, safety and research programs through fiscal year 2009. The bill provides more than $50 billion for transit programs and $6 billion for transportation safety, and contains a $15 billion highway bond plan.

The legislation comes nearly two years after SAFETEA-LU's predecessor, TEA-21, expired in 2003. In the interim, Congress approved 12 extensions to ensure that states continued to receive funding.

Blanco signs ceremonial bill for I-49

In mid August, Gov. Kathleen Blanco held a ceremonial bill signing for HB 654, which secures state funding for I-49.

Blanco also celebrated the federal transportation bill, which provides major funding for I-49. Senators Mary Landrieu and David Vitter, Congressmen Jim McCrery and Rodney Alexander, Rep. Billy Montgomery, Sen. Lydia Jackson, Treasurer John Kennedy, DOTD Secretary Johnny Bradberry and other elected and appointed officials participated in the event.

The bill signing was held at the Shreveport Civic Theatre during the I-49 North Extension Feasibility and Funding Task Force Meeting.

DOTD announces July bid letting results

The Louisiana Dept. of Transportation and Development recently considered bids totaling more than $83 million at its July public bid opening.

With a bid of $20,119,608.66, Denton-James LLC of Baton Rouge was the apparent low bidder on the state's most expensive job, a project in Vernon and Sabine parishes.

Barber Bros. installs second concrete crusher in Baton Rouge

Barber Bros. Contracting Co. of Baton Rouge recently installed a second concrete crusher at its Hooper Road material yard. The crusher is expected to significantly increase the company's crushed concrete production.

The new crusher is a Lippmann 3062 jaw crusher that directly feeds its existing Hazemag 1513 impact crusher. The Lippmann jaw crusher is capable of crushing up to 400 tons of concrete per hour.

Barber Bros. is now capable of producing about 2,000 tons of crushed concrete per day that will meet the Louisiana Department of Transportation's specifications for 610 base material. The material can be used as base course material on DOTD's road projects.