December Asphalt: 2020 Florida Asphalt Digital Conference is Today

December 2020

Association News

Join us today at 1:00 PM for a Virtual Presentation of our now canceled Florida Asphalt Conference. We will be hearing updates from the industry, academics, and the FDOT.

Schedule

1:00 PM Mark Musselman, Asphalt Contractors Association of Florida, Inc, President

1:20 PM Buzz Powell, Ph.D., NCAT, Associate Director & Auburn University Research Professor

2:00 PM Stacy Miller, FDOT, Assistant Secretary of Finance and Administration

2:30 PM Rich Hewitt, FDOT, State Construction Pavement Engineer

3:00 PM Howie Moseley, FDOT, State Bituminous Materials Engineer

3:30 PM James Greene, FDOT, Pavement Evaluation Engineer

Michigan Scrap Tire Program Study Finds Opportunities in New Markets, Rubber Asphalt

The program has partnered on a grant developed for the U.S. Department of Energy’s ReMade Institute, and written by Michigan Technological University, to use the existing supply of waste tire rubber asphalt to build roads.

Source: WLUC

How Autonomous Robots Are Changing Construction

There’s a lot of buzz around self-driving cars, but autonomous driving technology could revolutionize the construction industry first. That industry hasn’t changed much over the last several decades, according to some experts, making it an ideal candidate for automation.

Source: CNBC

State Road Projects Need More Study, Discussion

Three task forces of up to 40 people each have been working for more than a year on proposed state transportation projects dubbed M-CORES — Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance.

Source: Citrus County Chronicle

Transportation Groups Push for Stimulus Funding, Support From New Administration

Transportation groups hope the incoming Biden administration will usher in a stimulus package and address the impending September 2021 deadline regarding extension of the federal transportation bill.

Source: Engineering News-Record

Anyone Can Learn to Be a Better Leader

Occupying a leadership position is not the same thing as leading. To lead, you must be able to connect, motivate, and inspire a sense of ownership of shared objectives.

Source: Harvard Business Review

Where the Jobs Are: Prospects Improving for Unemployed Despite COVID-19

The developments are improving prospects for new regional employment in 2021, particularly in areas such as construction. Source: Sun Sentinel

The Future of Florida's Roadways

Florida’s roads take a beating. Pavement stresses lead to potholes, asphalt breakdown, and increased maintenance. Florida takes a proactive approach to keeping their roads safe, ranking in the top five spenders for road maintenance and improvement in the country. One of the ways municipalities have chosen to optimize their infrastructure budget is by reinforcing their asphalt with synthetic fibers. Learn more.

By Kristin Crawford, Campaign Coordinator - FORTA - kcrawford@fortacorp.com

CWR Contracting Receives Wakulla County Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award

CWR Contracting, Inc. attended the Wakulla County Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards Banquet and was nominated and selected as the winner under the "Trade" category.

Photo credit: CWR Contracting, Inc.

Ajax Paving Collects 21,042 Pounds of Food for Thanksgiving

Ajax Paving Industries collected 21,042 pounds of donated food Friday at its Fill that Truck Food Drive for Thanksgiving, hosted at its offices at seven different locations on the Gulf Coast, including the one at One Ajax Drive in Venice.

Photo credit: Ajax Paving Industries

Last Stop on the ATS Virtual Road Trip: the Approval Process Using Balanced Mix Design

Webinar, December 16 at 2:00PM EST

Asphalt mix performance is a hot topic since Performance Related Specifications (PRS) are high on the FHWA's priority list for the states.

Join ATS for a trip to the bayou to visit with a state that has experience using the balanced mix design process for approval and has seen first-hand the effects of these designs from production to performance. Barry Nunez and Sam Cooper III, PhD, P.E. will provide perspectives from both the contractor's and owner's points of view in this discussion.