Representative Morgan Griffith Visits Martin Marietta's Blue Ridge Quarry

	L to R Cline Dooley, Rep Griffith, Jake Gussler

On October 21, Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA-09) sat down with leaders from Virginia's aggregate and road-building industries for a candid conversation about the issues shaping their work. The Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance (VTCA) and the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) hosted the meeting, joined by members Rick James - Adams Paving, Craig Cahoun - Carter Machinery, and non-member but affiliated - Bo Farr - Boxley Ready Mix Concrete. The visit wrapped up with a tour of Martin Marietta's Blue Ridge Quarry in Blue Ridge, led by Cline Dooley, GM Western Virginia, and Jake Gussler, Blue Ridge Plant Manager.  Rep. Griffith was joined by his District Director Cody Rush. On hand for VTCA was Rob Lanham and Morgan Beardsley representing NSSGA.

The discussion centered on four priorities for the industry: long-term infrastructure funding, Virginia's growing highway maintenance gap, permit reform and workforce development. Each one affects how quickly and affordably Virginia can build and maintain its roads and bridges.

Infrastructure funding: the industry needs certainty

Funding certainty was the first topic on the table. The federal highway program authorized under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) expired on September 30, 2026. Congress has kept programs running with a short-term extension through December 11, enacted as part of the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027, but a long-term bill has not yet passed.

In May, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the BUILD America 250 Act, a five-year, $580 billion surface transportation reauthorization, by a 62-2 vote. The bill has not yet received a House floor vote, and the Senate has not released its version.

Participants explained why stopgap extensions are hard on contractors and suppliers. Quarries, ready-mix producers, paving contractors and equipment dealers plan hiring, equipment purchases and capital investments years ahead. When state DOTs can't count on multi-year federal funding, projects get delayed or shelved, and that uncertainty flows down to every company in the supply chain.

Virginia's maintenance gap: a $1.7 billion problem

Industry leaders also briefed Rep. Griffith on new data showing Virginia faces a highway maintenance shortfall of at least $1.7 billion. VDOT staff presented the figure to the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) at its September 15 work session.

The gap reflects a system that keeps growing while costs climb. Over the past 20 years, Virginia has added about 400 bridges and 2,000 miles of pavement, bringing the state network to roughly 21,200 bridges and 59,700 miles of road. Pavement costs began outpacing budget assumptions in 2022, and the one-time transfers the CTB used to cover the difference were not sustained.  Every dollar moved to cover the shortfall is a dollar that does not go to new projects, and every year maintenance is deferred raises the cost of repairs later.

Restore funding for all infrastructure programs, including bridges

The group's central ask was clear: Congress should restore funding for all surface transportation programs, including the Bridge Formula Program, in any appropriations bill or extension it passes this year.

The Bridge Formula Program was created by the IIJA and paid for entirely through advance appropriations that ran through fiscal year 2026. The current extension carries highway programs forward at prorated 2026 levels, but it did not restore those advance appropriations for fiscal year 2027. Without new action, the program's funding stops.

In Virginia, the program has supported repairs on 158 bridges with $335 million in funding. The largest projects include:

Losing this money would land on top of the state's $1.7 billion maintenance gap. VDOT has told the CTB that federal bridge funding is not guaranteed, and any shortfall would push more of the burden onto state funds already being diverted from construction.

Participants asked Rep. Griffith to support continued funding for the Bridge Formula Program and other surface transportation programs in any short- or long-term appropriations measure considered this year, while work on a long-term reauthorization continues.

Permit reform: getting projects and quarries moving

The group also discussed how federal permitting affects both road projects and the aggregate operations that supply them. Lengthy environmental reviews and overlapping agency approvals can add years to a highway project before construction begins. They also slow the opening or expansion of quarries, which must be located close to where material is needed because stone is costly to haul long distances.

Industry representatives urged clear timelines, a single lead agency for reviews, and fewer duplicative requirements. Faster, more predictable permitting would let taxpayer dollars go further and help keep a reliable local supply of construction materials.

Workforce development: filling the next generation of jobs

Every company at the table described the same challenge: finding and keeping skilled workers. Equipment operators, truck drivers, diesel technicians, plant operators and paving crews are all in high demand. These careers often pay well and don't require a four-year degree, but many young people never hear about them.

Participants shared how they are building the pipeline through apprenticeships, partnerships with community colleges and career and technical education programs, and on-the-job training. Carter Machinery highlighted the need for trained technicians to service increasingly advanced equipment. The group asked Rep. Griffith to support federal policies that strengthen skills training and make it easier for students to see construction and aggregates as a career path.

Touring Martin Marietta's Blue Ridge Quarry

After the discussion, Rep. Griffith toured Martin Marietta's Blue Ridge Quarry. Site leaders walked him through the full process, from drilling and blasting to crushing, screening and loading crushed stone for delivery. He saw firsthand the safety practices, environmental controls and skilled workforce that keep the operation running. The tour made the morning's policy discussion concrete. The stone produced at sites like Blue Ridge becomes the base for local highways, the concrete Boxley delivers and the asphalt Adams Paving lays. Funding gaps, maintenance backlogs, permitting delays and worker shortages all show up here first. 

Looking ahead

VTCA and NSSGA thank Congressman Griffith for his time and engagement and thank Martin Marietta for hosting the tour. With the current highway extension running through December 11, the associations will keep pressing Congress to restore funding for the Bridge Formula Program and all surface transportation programs in any year-end appropriations bill or extension, and to pass a long-term surface transportation bill.

At home, VTCA will stay engaged as the CTB decides on December 9 how to close Virginia's $1.7 billion maintenance gap.

Get involved: Members who want to share their own funding, maintenance, permitting or workforce stories with lawmakers can contact Rob Lanham or Gordon Dixon.