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Show Hiway Dept Tries To Maintain Roads Despite Inflation For years, the big challenges chal-lenges In Utah's highway program have centered on new construction. Construction Construc-tion on the Interstate system, sys-tem, urban highways, and access ac-cess roads to recreation areas have had the spotlight. But things have happened this year that have changed the entire emphasis of Utah's highway program. Inflation has sent highway construction costs up a whopping 58 percent over the previous year. At the same time, the energy crisis has inspired Utah motorists to reduce their gasoline consumption, con-sumption, which has resulted in a 2.8 percent reduction in highway user revenue. This year, Utah highway officials are not so concerned concern-ed about constructing new highways as they are about just maintaining the ones the state already has. Providing maintenance will be no easy task, because the state's highway maintenance program pro-gram Is also feeling the affects af-fects of a devastating rate of inflation that has exceeded exceed-ed all expectations. In just the past year, asphalt as-phalt for patching pot-holes has gone up from $27 to about $100 a ton, striping paint has doubled in price, and equipment equip-ment costs have gone up 55 percent. Highway officials are being faced not only with a need for increased main- . tenance revenue for next fiscal fis-cal year, but also a need for a supplemental appropriation |