Concrete, Lumber Shortages Slow Upper-Midwest Construction

Slow rail delivery times for cement and lumber are forcing distributors to ration supplies to builders in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin

ConstructionDive.com

Slow rail delivery times for construction products like cement and lumber are forcing distributors to ration supplies to builders in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin.

It’s taking three times longer than it did a year ago for materials to travel there from other parts of the U.S. and Canada, one ready-mix cement distributor told The Saint Paul Pioneer Press.

Increased oil and gas traffic, combined with a rainy spring that delayed jobs involving concrete and problems at cement and fly ash plants have reduced supply and slowed deliveries.

(more on rail delays for Midwest construction materials . . . )

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