I have noticed that same thing locally. A road that would have taken less than six months to build in the 50s or 60s now takes three or four years. I would be interested to know in more detail why that is.
I don’t think that is a mystery at all.
The regulations and laws that are in place and must be complied with are vast in comparison to those present in the Fifties or Sixties. Think about it...If you want to build a highway through an area that is either wetlands or part of a habitat belonging to some species of animal, the amount of extra money, bureaucracy, and time needed to comply is staggering.
Especially with wetlands.