According to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, the Bureau of Labor statistics reported the produce price index (PPI) for highway and street construction rose 1.3% between January 2002 and 2003, meaning that the average cost of the materials used in road construction was slightly higher in January 2003 than at the same time last year. Between December 2002 and January 2003 the index remained stable, increasing just 0.7%.
The PPI is a measure of the relative cost of constructing highways and streets based on the prices of material inputs such as asphalt, cement or aggregates. The index does not include labor or capital costs.