TX | Enright Asphalt, Concrete, & Snow

Austin, Texas residents are banding together to fight concrete pouring hours on a downtown project. These residents have filed a variety of noise complaints against construction crews who are pouring concrete after 2 AM. The city, after receiving the complaints, put a temporary ban in place forbidding the contractors from pouring concrete after that hour but it expires on March 31, 2015.

Austin already bans concrete from being poured during rush hour and morning hours. However, they’re hesitant to put a ban in place any earlier than 2 AM. Residents are asking them to start the ban at 10 PM but developers are fighting this time frame, because it could put several key projects on delay. Residents and the developers, along with construction crews, are trying to find a compromise that doesn’t cost them more to get a project done and respect the residents that live in the area.

This is a common issue not just in the concrete industry but in all construction fields. Since cities set their own regulations on when construction and noise can take place, it varies across the country. When crews run behind, they do what they can to catch up, and that includes working late into the night and overnight. This can cause all sorts of issues for different projects, especially ones that take place in city limits like a downtown area.

While residents understand the price they pay for living in an area of urban development, construction companies and developers don’t always play by the rules. This is why communities are banding together and trying to work out a compromise before things get ugly. Unfortunately, if developers and construction teams worked with the community from the get go, these problems could often be resolved before they become a problem.

Texas is one of the largest US producers of concrete, exporting it from start borders throughout the United States throughout the year. Two counties in Texas, Harris and Montgomery, have reached the highest demand of concrete they’ve seen in the last five years. This is great news for the local economies, seeing a great boost year after year from concrete production and export.

Construction in the Midwest and Southwest has grown exponentially in the last decade with steel and concrete paving the way for such a development. Texas itself boasts two of the top construction markets in the US. In concrete, Texas produced roughly 48 million cubic yards of concrete in 2013, 16 percent of all concrete produced in the US for all markets, including commercial and residential.

In 2013, Harris and Montgomery countries produced a total of 16 million to 18 million cubic yards of concrete out of the state’s total. TACA is a state trade, the largest of its kind, and represents a grand total of $7.5 billion in industry funds. The association represents more than 75 percent of concrete manufacturers and 100 percent of cement producers.

Concrete is becoming an ever growing industry throughout the United States with states like Texas leading the way. North Carolina is another rampant producer and exporter of concrete, helping to provide the East Coast with the concrete it needs to keep on top of building and road projects. With states like this leading the way, the concrete industry in the US will continue to grow strong.

Concrete will always be a viable industry in the US due to demand. It’s used in foundations and is one of the most effective ways of building a home on shifting land. Until a new method is created, concrete will always be part of the building process and urban landscape.