SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL DEALS

Road projects one would assume would be paved over might, instead, be poured, as the cost of a basic raw material for asphalt has fallen victim to rising oil prices.

Petroleum-based liquid asphalt may be scraped out of the bottom of barrels after the rest of the crude oil has been removed, but the price is still going up, the St. Louise Post-Dispatch reported Monday.

Asphalt priced at $39 a ton a year ago, is now priced at $59 a ton, the report said.

A yard of concrete, equal to two tons of asphalt, has averaged $75 a yard over the past year, the report said.

Contractors at J.M. Marschuetz Construction Co. of Eureka, Mo., recently won a $4.7 million highway contract, outbidding the asphalt companies involved.

"Who would have thought in a million years that concrete would cost less than asphalt?" asked Jason Marschuetz, the company's vice president. "The oil prices are ultimately helping us because even though we're getting hammered once -- for diesel -- the asphalt companies are getting hammered twice - for diesel and asphalt."

 BREAKING STORIES

Brain tumors prompt town's lawsuits

McCain VP choice will have busy start

Demand for nuclear engineers rising

With Deal Done, Steven Jackson Seeks Peace With Fans

Missouri diocese settles abuse suits

Mo. farm to close after tiger mauling

'Exercise pill' may not replace exercise

Tiger shot after Mo. farm attack

Invading Asian beetle found in Missouri

Concussions from sports often unrecognized

McCain mum on Budweiser sale

Young athletes need downtime

Mo. healthcare facility to pay $60M

Decorated soldier awaits citizenship

Jury awards ex-Missouri worker $337,000

U.S. scooter sales take off on $4 gas

Stem-cell treatment called 'medical hoax'

Concrete side-steps some oil price hikes

Poll: Missouri AG Nixon has big gov. lead

Anheuser-Busch Board Bows to InBev, Approves Takeover By Belgian Giant