CED

November 2013

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Industry Beat TRIP Report Shows Urban Roads Will Worsen with Highway Funding Shortfall TRIP, a national transportation research group, recently released "Bumpy Roads Ahead: America's Roughest Rides and Strategies to Make our Roads Smoother," a report examining urban pavement conditions, transportation funding, and economic development in U.S. cities. The study highlights how inner-city road conditions will continue to worsen at current surface transportation funding levels. TRIP estimates that in order to maintain the existing roadways through 2032, the country needs an additional $146 billion investment. To make modest enhancements, an extra $374 billion is needed and $670 billion is required to significantly improve urban road conditions. The study also found that more than one-quarter (27 percent) of the nation's major urban roads contain substandard pavement, which costs the average urban driver $377 annually – up to $800 each year for motorists in certain areas – totaling $80 billion nationwide. Wells Fargo Survey Shows Improving Construction Activity Case Construction Equipment Teams with Author McNichol for Dire States Road Tour The construction industry continues on an upward path with steady improvement in construction activity for the fourth year in a row, according to the latest Construction Executive Survey from Wells Fargo Equipment Finance. More contractors and equipment distributors (57.7%) have seen "somewhat higher" or "much higher" activity over the past year, compared to 47.8 percent in 2012. Conducted Aug. 20 through Sept. 6, the survey recorded the responses of 348 construction industry executives from across the U.S. The percentage of dealers renting out a portion of their inventory is essentially unchanged from 2012. Forty-seven percent of dealers say they are renting "somewhat more" or "much more" than normal compared to 47.8 percent in 2012. Contractors, however, appear to be renting more than a year ago with 26.3 percent saying they are renting "somewhat more" or "much more" compared to 20.9 percent last year. Almost half (49.7%) say they are renting about the same amount as last year. A significant percentage of construction executives (77.9%) are seeing "somewhat higher" or "much higher" equipment prices compared to a year ago (80.5% in 2012). Twenty-one percent say equipment prices are "about the same" compared to 17.9 percent a year ago. When asked what is the one thing that dealers could do to better meet your needs 47.9 percent of contractors responded "Improve Price," while 19.8% responded "Improve Service." Additional survey results can be found in the company's Q3 Quarterly Newsletter at www.wellsfargo.com. Shedding light on America's aging infrastructure by creating awareness of challenges facing the nation is the purpose of a partnership between Case Construction Equipment and noted infrastructure author Dan McNichol. McNichol will lead the Case Dire States Road Tour in a rundown '49 Hudson – symbolic of the country's old, rusty infrastructure. "Dire States: The Drive to Revive America's Ailing Infrastructure," is the title of the U.S. tour that has McNichol visiting more than 20 Case dealers in an effort to bring together citizens, government officials and construction professionals to build a community dedicated to advancing infrastructure-related projects. The primary focus of the tour and local meetings is to identify new and innovative ways to spur the growth and development of American infrastructure and to showcase projects and communities that are already succeeding at it. The tour began in Massachusetts in early October with a series of events that will include stops at Case dealers throughout the country. It will culminate in March 2014 at CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas. The tour will be documented at DireStates.com, CASECE.com and through related social media channels. 14 | www.cedmag.com | Construction Equipment Distribution | November 2013

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