In an opposition letter to the bill sent earlier this month by CalAPA, the association stated: "AB2237 adds yet another layer of complexity over the already Byzantine world of transportation planning and funding policy. Rather than bring additional clarity, it will only create even more confusion and run the risk of desperately needed transportation improvements developed by and for local communities to be hijacked by faceless bureaucrats not accountable to anyone. Further, the bill promulgates wrongheaded thinking with regard to reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) over Level of Service (LOS), a more accountable metric that speaks to direct impacts to the quality of life of communities in desperate need of improvements in transportation infrastructure."

The CalAPA letter goes on to state, "Even more troubling, the notion of an anonymous tribunal of self-appointed experts redirecting transportation funding is sure to infuriate the millions of Californians who voted to safeguard transportation dollars for their intended purposes (Prop. 69 and Prop. 6 of 2018). For these and other reasons stated in our May 19, 2021 letter sent to the California State Transportation Agency on the Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure (CAPTI), we must oppose your bill." Details about the bill can be found HERE. A previous Asphalt Insider commentary on last year's CalSTA Climate Action Plan ("Climate action looks a lot like transportation inaction") is HERE.

Several other bills in the Legislature have earned a similar thumbs down by the CalAPA Legislative Committee, which along with CalAPA's Capitol advocate, Jeff Sievers, tracks legislation and budgetary matters in Sacramento. Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposal to implement a fuel excise tax "holiday," which could drain more than a half-billion dollars from state transportation coffers, elicited withering criticism from CalAPA earlier this year, with the association calling it a "budget stunt" and "highway robbery." A previous Asphalt Insider story on that topic is HERE.

In another forum, meanwhile, CalAPA joined several other stakeholders in testifying in opposition to the latest iteration of the Construction General Permit for storm-runoff that is being pushed forward by the State Water Resources Control Board in the face of strenuous opposition from a broad coalition of stakeholders, including the construction industry. Again, onerous and unrealistic regulations that will add cost and complexity to roadway improvement projects is the current theme. The comments were made during a public hearing held by the SWRCB last week. A previous Asphalt Insider story on that topic is HERE.

Local air quality regulators in Southern California, meanwhile, are also moving forward with regulations aimed squarely at freeway improvement projects that could add even more cost and complexity to projects, which ultimately mean fewer projects as dollars devoted to transportation improvements are increasingly soaked up by bureaucratic compliance issues with that appear unlikely to produce any measurable benefit. CalAPA has also highlighted problems with the proposed rule 403.2 by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, and Caltrans has also weighed in with some eye-popping estimates of how much additional cost the proposed rules could add to transportation improvement projects. A previous Asphalt Insider article on this topic is HERE.

And in Sacramento County, an early draft of a Climate Action Plan plan included references to how pavements may contribute to warming of cities known as the Urban Heat Island effect but mandates technologies that have not stood up to robust scientific and engineering scrutiny. CalAPA has been making technical information and context available to those who are engaging the county on the plan. Information on the Sacramento Council Climate Action Plan can be found HERE.

Taken collectively, these efforts are an unmistakable trend where politicians, bureaucrats and regulators, far out of public view, are throwing roadblocks in the path of badly needed projects to address decades of neglect of the state's pavements. The CalAPA salvo on AB2238 is on the latest such effort by the association to offer a full-throated defense of SB1, the $52 billion Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017, and more recently the $1.2 trillion federal Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act. Backers of both the state and federal bills, plus many local measures, made big promises to voters and taxpayers on road repairs, but the projects that are the most visible sign of those tax dollars being put to work are stubbornly slow to materialize.

To those who thought that the passage of SB1 in Sacramento, or the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act in Washington, was "mission accomplished," think again. The battle to protect those dollars to ensure they are used as promised is in many ways well underway. Within the asphalt paving industry, it has come to be known derisively as the "anything but roads" movement.

California State Treasurer Fiona Ma will be the special keynote speaker at CalAPA's 2022 Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner scheduled for Thursday, May 19 at the elegant Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles. The event, an asphalt industry tradition for decades, was rescheduled from January due to a winter surge in COVID-19 cases, which has now largely subsided. As a result, most restrictions by public health officials on public gatherings have been relaxed.

On-line registration for the CalAPA Annual Dinner is required and must be done via the event web page HERE. Important note: due to ongoing renovations of Jonathan Club sleeping rooms, on-side lodging was not available for this event. CalAPA has made arrangements for special discounted rooms at the Hotel InterContinental, which is conveniently located in downtown Los Angeles a block from the Jonathan Club. Room reservations must be done via a special website set up by the Hotel InterContinental for this event, which is HERE. The discount "group code" is "CAP." The tickets of those who registered for the event back in January will be honored at the May event.

The event promises to be memorable night of delicious food, fine wine and pleasant conversation with your fellow asphalt industry leaders and spouses. A festive reception will begin with at 5:30 p.m., immediately followed by the “All Member” meeting and dinner and awards program. Tickets are $249 and should be purchased no later than May 10. This is a popular event and space is limited, so early registration is strongly encouraged. For information on this event, or for sponsorship opportunities, please contact Sophie You of CalAPA at 916-791-5044.

The special keynote speaker of the evening will be California State Treasurer Fiona Ma. She was elected on Nov. 6, 2018 as California’s 34th State Treasurer with more votes than any other candidate for treasurer in the state’s history. She is the first woman of color and the first woman Certified Public Accountant (CPA) elected to the position.

The State Treasurer’s Office was created in the California Constitution in 1849. It provides financing for schools, roads, housing, recycling and waste management, hospitals, public facilities, and other crucial infrastructure projects that better the lives of residents. California is the world’s fifth-largest economy and Treasurer Ma is the state’s primary banker. Her office processes more than $2 trillion in payments within a typical year and provides transparency and oversight for an investment portfolio of more than $124 billion, approximately $34.8 billion of which are local government funds. She also is responsible for $93 billion in outstanding general obligation and lease revenue bonds of the state. Most recently before being elected Treasurer, she was an elected member of the California Board of Equalization from 2015 until January 2019 and worked to protect the rights of taxpayers while ensuring California collected its fair share of tax revenues. She also served in the California Assembly, rising to the position of Assembly Speaker Pro Tem. While in the Assembly, she authored a bill, AB812, a CalAPA-endorsed bill to encourage the utilization of higher percentages of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) in state highway projects. When she was in the Assembly she spoke at the 2011 CalAPA Fall Asphalt Pavement Conference in Sacramento, and participated in a CalAPA-coordinated tour that same year of an asphalt plant to get a first-hand look at our industry.

In addition to the keynote speaker, the program will include formal installation of association officers, awards and special recognition. Details about the event, including the Jonathan Club's strict dress code, are available at the event website HERE.

The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA), a CalAPA partner, will hold a free educational webinar on Tuesday, April 26 focusing on on commercial applications of asphalt pavements. Details and on-line registration for the webinar can be found HERE.

The instructor for the webinar is a familiar name for CalAPA members, Phil Blankenship, P.E., a noted expert and consultant who has conducted technical classes for CalAPA.

The 90-minute webinar is targeted at civil and geotechnical engineers on the basics of asphalt, with a special emphasis on the use of asphalt in commercial applications.

To learn about other upcoming NAPA webinars, click HERE.

The CalAPA-supported Asphalt Pavement Alliance, meanwhile, recently announced the publication of a comprehensive "Asphalt Parking Lot Design Guide," which is a helpful resource for engineers, designers and others developing parking lot projects. The newly updated publication is free, but due to its large file size it is being distributed by CalAPA upon request. To obtain your free copy of this publication, submit a request to CalAPA via an on-line form HERE and indicate in the comment section you want to receive the Asphalt Parking Lot Design Guide. A customized link to download the publication in PDF format will be sent to you at the e-mail address you provide. Questions may be directed to CalAPA Technical Director Brandon Milar, P.E., at (916) 791-5044.

LONGITUDINAL CRACK: A crack or discontinuity in a pavement that runs generally parallel to the pavement centerline. Longitudinal cracks may occur as a result of poorly constructed paving lane joints, thermal shrinkage, inadequate support, and reflection from underlying layers, or as a precursor to fatigue cracking. Longitudinal cracking that occurs in the wheel path is generally indicative of fatigue cracking.

Each week we highlight a key point or best practice of interest to asphalt paving crews, inspectors and others working in the field. We welcome suggestions. More tips can be found in our "Asphalt Parking Lot Construction Checklist" HERE. Information on the CalAPA "Quality Paving Certificate" program is HERE.

TONNAGE CALCULATION: Ask yourself: Are there enough trucks on the run to haul the mix needed to complete the job? If you have five trucks on the round each carrying 25 tons = 125 tons per round. If each round takes one hour to make, then the production rate is 125 tons per hour. If the job requires 1,000 tons at 125 tons per hour = eight hours to get the mix to the job.

Each week we highlight a term that is specific to climate-change issues related to the asphalt pavement industry. This feature is intended to raise awareness of the asphalt industry's climate-change initiatives and the specialized terminology that goes with them. More information on the "Road Forward" asphalt industry climate initiative can be found HERE.

GREENHOUSE GAS (GHG): A gas that heats the earth because it absorbs infrared radiation.

“It is your own convictions which compels you; that is, choice compels choice."

-- Epictetus

We hope you enjoy CalAPA's Asphalt Insider newsletter. We are committed to providing you with the most up-to-date information on technical issues, regulation, news, analysis, events and trends in California that is of interest to the asphalt pavement industry and our various agency partners. Click HERE to contact us with any comments or suggestions.

Sincerely,

Executive Director

California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA)®