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Specifications, Estimating, Office of Pre-Letting and Quality Assurance was previously known as SEOPL. While our make-up is the same, our name has changed to Office of Project Letting (OPL) to better describe our services. Please bear with us as our name changes through a wide-range of electronic and printed materials. It is our goal to make this conversion as seamless as possible.

The ODOT transition from a mainframe to client-server was completed with minimal problems. The Estimator program provides regions and consultants powerful and flexible software for developing project bid items and costs. The Next Generation Transport (NGT) system under development by AASHTO will include Estimator and add even more powerful system capabilities.

KDOT will Beta Test the future version of software systems designs later this spring. The prototype Web Based Database system is one of a new class of software that eliminates the need for programs and datasets to reside on -C- drives or servers. Web based systems will streamline access to data and continuously upgrading operating systems at the same time. The AASHTOWARE development program is a $50 Million Dollar effort with component upgrades planned for the next 7 years. ODOT is monitoring the progress of the system development with an eye for eventual implementation into ODOT systems.

High for oil prices continue to drive up the cost of asphalt paving products. This month, ENR's 20-city average price for PG-58 asphalt paving oil jumped 2.7%, following monthly increases of 0.8% in April and 0.7% in March. However, asphalt paving prices also posted large increases during the same period of last year, keeping the year-to-year gains to 4.9%. This year's gains are on top of a 27% annual increase recorded during the first quarter of 2007. Prices for asphalt emulsion are up between 8% and 12% for the year.

Source: m ENR m May 5, 2008 enr.com

NYMEX crude oil prices continued their recent slide, dropping to a low of $111.34 per barrel on Friday, August 15th. By the week's close, WTI Crude Oil prices declined $1.43 per barrel to settle at $113.77 per barrel. The discount for September-injection WCS crude oil remained stable, at about $20-21 per barrel below NYMEX crude oil.

Diesel prices continue to climb this week and are unabated by recent drops in demand from the slowing economy. The Energy Information Administration reports the Distillate Fuel Oils produced by refineries at 130,480,000 for the month of January '08 which is again near the all time high for fuel oils. Diesel prices in Portland at the distribution rack for the week of April 7 rose $.38 to $3.58/gal as reported by Oil Pricing Information System (OPIS).

In Oregon, no price changes were reported. However, asphalt markets were assessed in a narrowed range, between $440-450/ST this week for current liftings of PG 64-22 at area racks. Reported prices were still concentrated at or near $450/ST for current liftings. However, there was a report of some bids on 2008 future work at $550/ST for PG 64-22 tied to the escalator. Tight availability and higher cost for resupply of inventory remained a concern for resellers located within the State.