Paving work for some roads in Denton County has stalled because of a shortage of petroleum-based construction materials, and as supplies dwindle, prices increase.

The base cost of one product in particular, emulsified asphalt, has increased by 75 percent over the last five months, said Beth Fleming, director of purchasing for Denton County.

County commissioners took action during a meeting Tuesday to start the bidding process on a new supply contract, expected to cost the county between $100,000 and $150,000 more next year, Fleming said.

Denton County currently has a contract with SemMaterials, the major manufacturer in this area, Fleming said. The contract runs out in September.

Some of the county’s other asphalt products, hot- and cold-mix asphalt, have increased in price 30 percent, adding an additional $1.2 million to expenses next year, she said.

But some of the material hasn’t been readily available.

Commissioners Cynthia White and Andy Eads expressed concern about paving work not being completed because the company didn’t have enough asphalt when the county needed it.

“The problem is that we have the roads set up and ready to go. We have had the crews ready to go,” Eads said Tuesday. “And if we didn’t have the material, we have had to pull them off one road and get them on other projects to start working [and] not get as much paved as we would like to.”

The problem is not unique to Denton County. Many other agencies statewide are experiencing the same thing, Eads said.

Ultimately, Eads would like to see the county have multiple contracts for road materials, in case one company didn’t have enough.

In the past, paving concerns were related to cost and weather conditions, but product availability was never a problem until now, Eads said.

Now, the weather is right, the money is there but the product is not.

The county should have a new supply contract in 30 days, Fleming said. That contract could be with a manufacturer or a distributor that would be able to shop many manufacturers, she said.

“We’re looking at all avenues for purchasing the product to make sure we have a continuous supply,” she said.

BJ LEWIS can be reached at 940-566-6875. His e-mail address is blewis@dentonrc.com .