An important new report just released by the National Asphalt Pavement Association, a CalAPA partner, provides a comprehensive roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) associated with asphalt pavements. The free report, which contains valuable insight for both industry and agency personnel, can be downloaded HERE.

“The release of this report is impeccably timed,” stated Heather Dylla, Ph.D., Vice President of Sustainability and Innovation at Construction Partners, Inc., and a former FHWA official. “Coinciding with the recent launch of the FHWA’s Low Carbon Transportation Materials Program Grants, this report emerges as a critical resource for agency engineers and asphalt mix producers alike. It holds the potential to foster vital discussions and collaborations across the industry, propelling us toward collective sustainability goals.”

One objective of the report is to identify the technologies and practices that can be readily adopted or expanded to reduce GHG emissions associated with asphalt pavements, NAPA said in an April 10 news release announcing the publication of the report. For example, average use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) nationally remains around 22%, according to data published annually by NAPA and the FHWA. Yet scenarios show that a mix with 50% RAP can reduce cradle-to-gate (A1-A3) emissions by 29% compared to a mix without any RAP.

The report focuses on specific actions individual companies and agencies can take to reduce GHG emissions. Targeted areas include sources of GHG emissions, as well as industry-driven and agency-driven opportunities for GHG reductions. The report also summarizes the latest state of practice with regard to tools available to industry and agencies to help quantify GHG emissions and inform decision-making processes. Those include Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) software.

The new report is a detailed follow-up to the NAPA 2022 GHG Emissions Inventory for Asphalt Mix Production in the United States (SIP106), which spotlights the industry's commitment to be transparent as it forges ahead with its ambitious climate goals under the umbrella of "The Road Forward" initiative.

Additional sustainability resources, including a link to download the GHG Emissions Inventory report, may be accessed via the NAPA website HERE.

Two asphalt-focused presentations delivered last week at the National Association of County Engineers annual conference in Palm Springs were well received by attendees. CalAPA arranged to provide content to the educational portion of the event.

CalAPA associate member Scott Dmytrow of PavementACES consulting delivered two presentations focused on how to extend the life of asphalt pavements, which surface virtually all county roads nationwide and are an important asset for public works directors. More than 400 county road officials and others attended the annual event.

Dmytrow reported there was good attendance and engagement at his sessions. His presentations were were filled with best practices, tools and techniques, and plenty of case studies to arm public works officials with the latest information to protect and enhance their pavement assets. One of those who attended was Reed Ryan, newly hired executive director of the CalAPA-supported Asphalt Pavement Alliance.

Staci Morgan Gunderson, NACE Conference Director, previously wrote to CalAPA, "We are so excited about CalAPA engaging with our membership during the 2024 show!"

Kevin Lang, Project Superintendent for the Marathon County (Wisc.) Highway Department, introduced Dmytrow, and later wrote him following the April 18 sessions: "Thanks for the presentations. Your presentations provided the higher-level content that we expect to see at the National Association of County Engineers conference."

A story about PavementACES appeared in the March 18 issue of Asphalt Insider and can be viewed HERE. The PavementACES website is HERE. A story about preparations for the NACE conference that appeared in last week's Asphalt Insider newsletter is HERE.

CalAPA and other state asphalt pavement associations, collectively known as SAPA Inc., work collaboratively with local agencies to help them develop strategies to protect and enhance their pavement assets, and to help get the most value out of pavement maintenance dollars. NACE represents about 3,000 county engineers, road managers and related professionals in the United States and Canada. Learn more about NACE HERE. The County Engineers Association of California website is HERE. Next year's NACE Annual Conference will be held in Illinois and the Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association is already busy making preparations for that event. To learn more, contact IAPA Executive Vice President Kevin Burke III at (217) 523-2208.

CalAPA's reputation for asphalt expertise extends well beyond California as evidenced by the many Asphalt Insider newsletter subscribers and website visitors from other countries.

One of the most willing beneficiaries of that knowledge-sharing is Australia. Last Spring, for example, CalAPA hosted a delegation from the Australian asphalt paving industry. The group was keenly interested in the topic of the use of end-of-use tires in asphalt pavements, and in response CalAPA assembled an array of experts and turned it into a technical symposium in Sacramento. CalAPA member Crumb Rubber Manufacturers (CRM) also hosted a tour of its facilities in Stockton. In November, CalAPA Technical Director Brandon Milar, P.E., traveled to Australia to provide a series of presentations to events organized by the Australian Flexible Pavement Association (AfPA). That mirrored a similar trip made by former CalAPA Technical Director Rita Leahy in June of 2015.

Last week CalAPA welcomed Linda Mitchell with the TyreStewardship organization from Austrialia (yes, they spell it "tyre" Down Under), to further share information and best practices about California's robust Rubberized Hot Mix Asphalt (RHMA) programs. She was in California to attend the "Tyre Emissions & Sustainability USA" conference being held April 24-25 in Irvine. Information on that event is HERE.

To help Mitchell get the most out of her California trip, CalAPA arranged to have her meet with officials with CalRecycle, the agency that is helping lead the state's efforts to reuse end-of-life tires. The meeting held at CalAPA's world headquarters in West Sacramento was attended by Mustafe Botan and Lito Tamondong representing CalRecycle, who walked Mitchell thorugh the various initiatives the state is working on in this area, and listened intently to what is being done to address tire recycling in Australia. She also met with CalRecyle consultant Theron Roschen with Interwest.To learn more about CalRecycle's Tire Recycling & Market Development programs, visit the CalRecycle website HERE.

That meeting was followed up with another lunchtime meeting between Mitchell and Denise Kennedy with DK Enterprises, a new CalAPA associate member, who has vast expertise and connections in the tire manufacturing world. CalAPA Member Services Manager Sophie You, who helped organize last year's CalAPA rubber symposium, also participated.

Mitchell expressed her appreciation to Milar and others in California who have made her feel so welcome and have shared so freely with their knowledge and expertise. For CalAPA, being a resource to anyone seeking to learn more about asphalt pavements, its nothing new.

A story that appeared in the April 17, 2023 issue of Asphalt Insider about the visiting delegation from Australia is HERE. A story that appeared in the April 24, 2023 issue of Asphalt Insider about the CalAPA "Where the Rubber Meets the Road" technical symposium is HERE.

A special infrastructure-themed issue of CalAPA's official association magazine, "California Asphalt," is arriving in mailboxes this week. The issue can also be viewed on-line HERE.

The cover story of the issue is a profile of the Berth 34 milling and paving work at the Port of Oakland being done by CalAPA paving contractor member McGuire & Hester, assisted by other CalAPA member firms. CalAPA Board Member and instructor Pete Lambert with McGuire & Hester introduces the issue with his first "Publisher Letter."

The issue also include a recap of CalAPA's successful "Fly-in" to the state Capitol in Sacramento held March 19-20, as well as a roundup of the Spring Asphalt Pavement Conference week of event held in March6-8 in Ontario. The issue also includes a preview of the upcoming CalAPA "Summit at the Summit" Executive Leadership Forum & events to be held June 11-13 in Lake Tahoe. Details about that event can be found HERE.

For an archive of past issues of the magazine, as well as advertising information, click HERE. For editorial or advertising inquiries, contact Kerry Hoover of Construction Market Services at (909) 772-3121.

Each week we highlight a word, acronym or other term commonly used in the asphalt pavement industry in California.

ASPHALT OVERLAY: One or more courses of asphalt construction on an existing pavement. The overlay generally includes a leveling course to correct the contour of the old pavement, followed by a uniform course or courses to provide needed thickness.

Each week we highlight a word, acronym or other term commonly used in the asphalt pavement industry in California.

SURFACE TREATMENT: Any application applied to an asphalt pavement surface to restore or protect the surface characteristics. Surface treatments include a spray application of asphalt (cement, cutback, or emulsion) and may or may not include the application of aggregate cover. Surface treatments are typically less than 25 mm (1 in) thick. They may also be referred to as surface seals, seal coats or chip seals. Slurry seals, thin bonded wearing course and thin overlays are also considered surface treatments. 

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.

PAVING OPERATION: Ask yourself: Is the equipment properly maintained and in proper working order? Does the foreman have a paving plan (i.e., the paving lanes and passes are painted out and a roller pattern has been established)? 

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.

DOWNSTREAM SCOPE THREE EMISSIONS: Emissions (indirect) from the use of a company's product.

"It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed."

– Theodore Roosevelt

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, people, events and trends in California that is of interest to the asphalt pavement industry and our various agency partners. To subscribe to the newsletter, click HERE. For comments, questions or to suggest a story idea, click HERE.

Sincerely,

Russell W. Snyder, CAE

Executive Director

The California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA)®