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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.59

                                PROMISSORY NOTE

                               December 31, 1997
                              -------------------
                                    (DATE)

      SUITE D-11, 4411 S 40th STREET, PHOENIX, MARICOPA COUNTY, AZ 85082

________________________________________________________________________________
                              (ADDRESS OF MAKER)

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, MEADOW VALLEY CONTRACTORS, INC. ("MAKER") promises, jointly
and severally if more than one, to pay to the order of GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL
CORPORATION or any subsequent holder hereof (each, a "PAYEE") at its office
located at 8480 ORCHARD ROAD SUITE 5000, ENGLEWOOD, CO 80111 or at such other
place as Payee or the holder hereof may designate, the principal sum of ONE
HUNDRED FORTY FOUR THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED FOURTEEN AND NO/100 DOLLARS
($144,714.00), with interest on the unpaid principal balance, from the date
hereof through and including the dates of payment, at a fixed, simple interest
rate of EIGHT AND 13/100 PERCENT (8.13%) per annum, to be paid in lawful money
of the United States, in FIFTY NINE (59) consecutive monthly installments of
principal and interest of TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED FORTY THREE AND 95/100
DOLLARS ($2,943.95) each ("PERIODIC INSTALLMENT") and a final installment which
shall be in the amount of the total outstanding principal and interest. The
first Periodic Installment shall be due and payable on FEBRUARY 1, 1998 and the
following Periodic Installments and the final installment shall be due and
payable on the same day of each succeeding period (each, a "PAYMENT DATE").

All payments shall be applied first to interest and then to principal. The
acceptance by Payee of any payment which is less than payment in full of all
amounts due and owing at such time shall not constitute a waiver of Payee's
right to receive payment in full at such time or any prior or subsequent time.
Interest shall be calculated on the basis of a 365 day year (366 day leap year).
The payment of any Periodic Installment after its due date shall result in a
corresponding decrease in the portion of the Periodic Installment credited to
the remaining unpaid principal balance. The payment of any Periodic Installment
prior to its due date shall result in a corresponding increase in the portion of
the Periodic Installment credited to the remaining unpaid principal balance.

The Maker hereby expressly authorizes the Payee to insert the date value is 
actually given in the blank space on the face hereof and on all related 
documents pertaining hereto.

This Note may be secured by a security agreement, chattel mortgage, pledge 
agreement or like instrument (each of which is hereinafter called a "SECURITY 
AGREEMENT.")

Time is of the essence hereof. If any installment or any other sum due under 
this Note or any Security Agreement is not received within ten (10) days after 
its due date, the Maker agrees to pay, in addition to the amount of each such 
installment or other sum, a late payment charge of three percent (3%) of the 
amount of said installment or other sum, but not exceeding any lawful maximum.
If (i) Maker fails to make payment of any amount due hereunder within ten (10) 
days after the same becomes due and payable; or (ii) Maker is in default, or 
fails to perform, under any term or condition contained in any Security 
Agreement, then the entire principal sum remaining unpaid, together with all 
accrued interest thereon and any other sum payable under this Note or any 
Security Agreement, at the election of Payee, shall immediately become due and 
payable, with interest thereon at the lesser of eighteen percent (18%) per annum
or the highest rate not prohibited by applicable law from the date of such 
accelerated maturity until paid (both before and after any judgment).

The Maker may prepay in full, or in part, its indebtedness hereunder upon
payment of an additional sum as a premium equal to the following percentages of
the original principal balance for the indicated period:
Prior to the first annual anniversary date of this Note:     three percent  (3%)
Thereafter and prior to the second annual anniversary
date of this Note:                                           zero percent   (0%)
Thereafter and prior to the third annual anniversary date
of this Note:                                                zero percent   (0%)
Thereafter and prior to the fourth annual anniversary date
of this Note:                                                zero percent   (0%)
Thereafter and prior to the fifth annual anniversary date  
of this Note:                                                zero percent   (0%)

and zero percent (0%) thereafter, plus all other sums due hereunder or under any
Security Agreement.

It is the intention of the parties hereto to comply with the applicable usury
laws; accordingly, it is agreed that, notwithstanding any provision to the
contrary in this Note or any Security Agreement, in no event shall this Note or
any Security Agreement require the payment or permit the collection of interest
in excess of the maximum amount permitted by applicable law. If any such excess
interest is contracted for, charged or received under this Note or any Security
Agreement or if all of the principal balance shall be prepaid, so that under any
of such circumstances the amount of interest contracted for, charged or received
under this Note or any Security Agreement on the principal balance shall exceed
the maximum amount of interest permitted by applicable law, then in such event
(a) the provisions of this paragraph shall govern and control, (b) neither Maker
nor any other person or entity now or hereafter liable for the payment hereof
shall be obligated to pay the amount of such interest to the extent that it is
in excess of the maximum amount of interest permitted by applicable law, (c) any
such excess which may have been collected shall be either applied as a credit
against the then unpaid principal balance or refunded to Maker, at the option of
the Payee, and (d) the effective rate of interest shall be automatically reduced
to the maximum lawful contract rate allowed under applicable law as now or
hereafter construed by the courts having jurisdiction thereof. It is further
agreed that without limitation of the foregoing, all calculations of the rate of
interest contracted for, charged or received under this Note or any Security
Agreement which are made for the purpose of determining whether such rate
exceeds the maximum lawful contract rate, shall be made, to the extent permitted
by applicable law, by amortizing, prorating, allocating and spreading in equal
parts during the period of the full stated term of the indebtedness evidenced
hereby, all interest at any time contracted for, charged or received from Maker
or otherwise by Payee in connection with such indebtedness; provided, however,
that if any applicable state law is amended or the law of the United States of
America preempts any applicable state law, so that it becomes lawful for the
Payee to receive a greater interest per annum rate than is presently allowed,
the Maker agrees that, on the effective date of such amendment or preemption, as
the case may be, the lawful maximum hereunder shall be increased to the maximum
interest per annum rate allowed by the amended state law or the law of the
United States of America.

The Maker and all sureties, endorsers, guarantors or any others (each such 
person, other than the Maker, an "OBLIGOR") who may at any time become liable 
for the payment hereof jointly and severally consent hereby to any and all 
extensions of time, renewals, waivers or modifications of, and all substitutions
or releases of, security or of any party primarily or secondarily liable on 
this Note or any Security Agreement or any term and provision of either, which 
may be made, granted or consented to by Payee, and agree that suit may be 
brought and maintained against any one or more of them, at the election of Payee
without joinder of any other as a party thereto, and that Payee shall not be 
required first to foreclose, proceed against, or exhaust any security hereof in 
order to enforce payment of this Note. The Maker and each Obligor hereby waives 
presentment, demand for payment, notice of nonpayment, protest,

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notice of protest, notice of dishonor, and all other notices in connection 
herewith, as well as filing of suit (if permitted by law and) and diligence in 
collecting this Note or enforcing any of the security hereof, and agrees to pay 
(if permitted by law) all expenses incurred in collection, including Payee's 
reasonable attorneys' fees.

THE MAKER HEREBY UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ITS RIGHTS TO A JURY TRIAL OF ANY CLAIM
OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED UPON OR ARISING OUT OF, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, THIS
NOTE, ANY OF THE RELATED DOCUMENTS, ANY DEALINGS BETWEEN MAKER AND PAYEE
RELATING TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS TRANSACTION OR ANY RELATED TRANSACTIONS,
AND/OR THE RELATIONSHIP THAT IS BEING ESTABLISHED BETWEEN MAKER AND PAYEE. THE
SCOPE OF THIS WAIVER IS INTENDED TO BE ALL ENCOMPASSING OF ANY AND ALL DISPUTES
THAT MAY BE FILED IN ANY COURT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CONTRACT CLAIMS,
TORT CLAIMS, BREACH OF DUTY CLAIMS, AND ALL OTHER COMMON LAW AND STATUTORY
CLAIMS.) THIS WAIVER IS IRREVOCABLE MEANING THAT IT MAY NOT BE MODIFIED EITHER
ORALLY OR IN WRITING, AND THE WAIVER SHALL APPLY TO ANY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS,
RENEWALS, SUPPLEMENTS OR MODIFICATIONS TO THIS NOTE, ANY RELATED DOCUMENTS, OR
TO ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS OR AGREEMENTS RELATING TO THIS TRANSACTION OR ANY RELATED
TRANSACTION. IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, THIS NOTE MAY BE FILED AS A WRITTEN
CONSENT TO A TRIAL BY THE COURT.

This Note and any Security Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the 
Maker and Payee with respect to the subject matter hereof and supercedes all 
prior understandings, agreements and representations, express or implied.

No variation or modification of this Note, or any waiver of any of its
provisions or conditions, shall be valid unless in writing and signed by an
authorized representative of Maker and Payee. Any such waiver, consent,
modification or change shall be effective only in the specific instance and for
the specific purpose given.

Any provision in this Note or any Security Agreement which is in conflict with 
any statute, law or applicable rule shall be deemed omitted, modified or 
altered to conform thereto.

                                          MEADOW VALLEY CONTRACTORS, INC.


                                          
/s/ Julie L. Bergo                        BY: /s/ Gary W. Burnell        (L.S.)
-----------------------------------         -----------------------------       
(Witness)                                 (Signature)   
                                           
Julie L. Bergo                            Gary W. Burnell, VP/CFO 
-----------------------------------       --------------------------------
(Print name)                              Print name (and title, if applicable)

4411 S. 40th St Ste D-11 Phoenix    
AZ 85040                                            880171959 
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(Address)                                 (Federal tax identification Number)