As oil prices have continued to fall, state departments of transportation are now finding the lowest costs for road-paving asphalt since the 2008-09 recession.
The lower cost for the oil-based construction material comes as states are getting ready to tap into the modestly higher federal funding levels Congress approved for highway programs under the five-year FAST Act authorization of the Highway Trust Fund.
The downtrend in construction materials costs also has infrastructure investment advocates saying now is one of the best times in decades for states and the federal government to boost project funding, in order to get a higher value out of transportation spending than when costs of basic materials are rising again.
In effect, some say, infrastructure investment is on sale and states could improve highways and other transportation systems at low cost now through projects that will boost their commerce and mobility for decades to come.
