Cement manufacturers will see a rise in consumption in the US after the passing of a new Highway Bill, according to the
The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act will provide more than US$305 billion to maintain and improve the nation’s roads and bridges. Cement consumptions largest impact will focus on authorisations from the
“FAST represents an average addition of 835 thousand metric tons annually to the cement industry,” said Edward J. Sullivan, chief economist and group vice-president at PCA. “Smaller increases occur in the near term (370 thousand tons for 2016) and larger net increases occur in the out years of the forecast horizon (1.4 million tons for 2020).”
FAST is seen largely as an improvement over the previous MAP-21. While funding levels are modestly higher, it also represents a multi-year commitment that allows states to engage in multi-year projects.
