Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
There's not enough asphalt to go around, and that means many road projects will be put on hold this summer.
Asphalt is the number one material used in paving. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) goes through 600 million tons a year. But the supply is gone for the season, and the price keeps going up.
Provo City is done with most of its major road project this summer. But the city doesn't have enough asphalt to patch potholes because the supplier is running out. Provo City Public Service Manager Scott Peppler says, "He [the supplier] can't get enough asphalt for all that he has obligations for."
And the supplier can't get any more. The asphalt in the region is committed; so many city, state and private projects are on hold. Nile Easton, spokesman for the Utah Department of Transportation, says, "We do about 186 [projects] this year. Thirty of those will be pushed to next year." Those projects include maintenance on U.S. 40, U.S. 6 and paving around St. George.
Asphalt oil is a by-product of gasoline production; basically the bottom of the barrel, refined into asphalt. Greater efficiency in gasoline production leaves less asphalt. Pavers will use concrete and other materials instead.
Provo uses recycled asphalt as a temporary fix for potholes. Peppler says, "We're still going to have to go back later on and put the hot mix in."
It's unlikely the problems with asphalt are going away. The cost and the availability could provide even bigger challenges in the future.
In January, asphalt cost $350 a ton; today it sells for more than $1,000 a ton. Peppler says, "If the prices keep doing that, we're only going to be able to do half the number of projects next summer because it will be twice as expensive."
UDOT pre-ordered for some projects but needs new paving options. Easton says, "We're looking at things like changing the road base and the aggregate material we use, so we can use less asphalt on those roads. Everything is on the table right now, we're just trying to find solutions."
A big part of the problem is that a major supplier recently went bankrupt. This asphalt shortage is a problem for our neighboring states and many states across the country.
E-mail: jboal@ksl.com
E-mail: rjeppesen@ksl.com
