Economics
Fragile U.S. Economy Now Facing a Slowdown in Building Boom
- Question is whether recent sputtering a blip or more permanent
- Construction companies remain optimistic about more growth
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At a quarry in Bridgeport, Texas, where rock is crushed, sorted and cleaned, it’s hard to tell that the nation’s construction boom may be hitting a wall. Workers maneuver front-end loaders to fill a long line of rail cars and trucks with up to 25 tons of washed stone each. The destination: one of many construction projects that dot the Dallas-Fort Worth area 70 miles away.
“We’re moving a lot of rock,” said Dean Gatzemeier, who runs quarries in North Texas and Oklahoma for Martin Marietta Materials Inc.