Asphalt Escalation

On June 29 the New York Times Connecticut section published an article on the rising cost of asphalt. New Jersey is struggling to fix its potholes, and the AAA reports a 12.8% increase in flat tires from May 1 to June 17 in that state.

Asphalt is a mixture of an aggregate, made with stones or gravel, and a sticky, tarlike binder, which is made from petroleum. Senior Engineer Tiger Mann, in his presentation to New Canaan’s Board of Selectmen on March 4, observed that asphalt which cost $50/ton last year had risen to $85/ton, and noted that there was only one supplier in Fairfield County.

As the price per barrel of oil rises, so does the cost of the binder, which makes up 6% of the mixture that covers roads, according to the Times. The Connecticut Department of Transportation, which monitors costs of construction materials, notes that asphalt prices for performance-graded binder have increased 74% between March 4 and today – July 8. There was a 20% rise in the past week alone.

The $5 million bonding issue “for Phase III of a pavement management plan for the Town of New Canaan’s network of roads” was appropriated to cover two years of road repair. As delightful as sidewalks are to many of us, we wonder if the Town may end up trading off the published mandate of the bonding issue. The Town Charter (C5-13) might frown on that. Perhaps it’s time to take a prudent fiscal look at Phase III’s need-to’s and nice-to’s. Even a magician like Mr. Mann can only stretch dollars so far.

Tags: asphalt, construction, main street, New Canaan, sidewalks