CALENDAR |
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Joint L.A./ High Desert Technical Committee Meeting
Wednesday, Dec. 3, 9:30 a.m. to noon
Caltrans Southern Regional Lab, 13970 Victoria Street, Fontana, CA
Contact: Tony Grasso (909) 362-9192
Details HERE.
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SAVE THE DATE!
2015 CalAPA Annual Dinner
Thursday, Jan. 15
Jonathan Club
545 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles
Contact: Sophie You (916) 791-5044
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SAVE THE DATE!
2015 CalAPA Spring Conference & Equipment Expo
April 15-15, 2015
Ontario, Calif.
Contact: Sophie You (916) 791-5044
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CLICK & GO!View our interactive, "At a Glance" event calendar HERE.
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Asphalt is used on about 94 percent of paved roads in America. Why? Because it's smooth, quiet, safe, durable and 100 percent recyclable. Visit the Asphalt Pavement Alliance website learn more about why asphalt is the right choice now more than ever. |
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Are you an engineer, designer or technical professional who makes decisions on pavement type selection? The DriveAsphalt website has technical reports and other resources may be just what you're looking for. Click HERE for more information.
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| CalAPA | | |
California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA)
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 981300
West Sacramento, CA 95798
Main office:
1550 Harbor Blvd., Suite 211
West Sacramento, CA 95691
(916) 791-5044 (phone)
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Did you miss an issue of the California Asphalt Insider? No problem! Past editions of the newsletter are available at the CalAPA newsletter archive page.
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CalAPA produces a highly regarded magazine, California Asphalt, and an annual membership directory. To view back issues of the magazine, click HERE. For advertising sales in the magazine and directory, click HERE or call Kerry Hoover with Construction Marketing Services at (909) 772-3121.
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There's plenty of information, and misinformation, out there about asphalt pavements. Click HERE to get the straight scoop at the Asphalt Facts website.
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Click HERE to visit our video page.
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DESIGN!
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Click HERE to visit the PavExpress website.
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This weekly bulletin contains the latest news and information of interest to the asphalt pavement industry in California. Please feel free to distribute this newsletter to others who may be interested in asphalt pavements. |
 | Local roads report released: More pavement at risk, funding shortfall widens
| A much-anticipated report on the condition of local streets and roads was recently released, and as expected the news was not good.
"The conditions of California's local streets and roads are rolling toward a cliff's edge," the report warned. "If current funding remains the same, the unfunded backlog will swell from $40 billion to $61 billion by 2024."
Despite gains in some areas, overall the report found the condition of local streets statewide deteriorating since the first such survey was done six years ago, when the statewide "road condition" average  stood at 68. The new report pegs the number at 66, or slipping further into the "at risk" category. Zero indicates failing and 100 is deemed "excellent," with 70 or below deemed at risk of falling apart at an accelerated rate.
California cities and counties operate more than 80 percent of the state's road system, and the report projects that within a decade one-quarter of local streets will have "poor" pavement condition. The full report can be downloaded HERE.
The report, "California Local Streets & Roads Needs Assessment 2014 Update" and released Oct. 28, is sponsored by a number of entities, including the California State Association of Counties and the League of California Cities. It pointed out that the longer pavements are allowed to deteriorate, the more expensive they are to fix.
"In order to use tax-payer money wisely, it makes more sense to preserve and maintain our roads in good condition, than to let them crumble further and cost more to fix," the report said.
The study reported that $1,836 billion would be available to cities and counties for roads in 2013-14. The public's total investment in the vast road network was estimated to be $188 billion.
"New sustainable sources of revenues must be created, and a significant portion should be focused on preservation of the existing road network," the report said. "Once the system is in a state of good repair, the need for maintenance will be reduced. Everyone who benefits from local streets and roads -- personal and commercial vehicles, transit, bicyclists, and pedestrians -- should bear the cost of restoring and preserving them."
For those who wish to engage their elected officials on this issue, a number of grass-roots tools are available on the CalAPA "Legislative Action" page HERE.
 | The Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for local streets in 2008 and 2014. A PCI of 71-100 is considered "good" (green), 50-70 is "at risk" (blue) and 0-49 is considered "poor" (red).
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| CalRecycle announces grant program application period is open for Tire-Derived Product road projects; deadline is Dec. 4
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The state agency known as CalRecycle has announced that it is now accepting applications from local agencies and other entities for its Tire-Derived Product Grant Program. The application deadline is Dec. 4.
The goal is to divert California-generated tires from landfills and into  asphalt pavement projects, and the grand funds can be used to offset the cost of a road-improvement project. CalRecycle said $823,747 is available for the fiscal year 2014-15 and there is $150,000 per grant award.
Only one application per qualifying entity will be accepted, and only for projects within California. A minimum of 2,500 California-generated waste tires must be used per application.
For more information, click HERE.
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| G'day! California hosts visiting asphalt pavement delegation from Australia
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CalAPA played host last week to a visiting asphalt pavement delegation from Australia, sharing technical information on research, specifications and best construction practices.
The fact-finding tour, organized by the Australian Asphalt Pavement Association (AAPT) made stops earlier at the National Asphalt Pavement Association offices in Maryland, Texas, Minnesota and
 | | Edgard Hitti with Paramount Petroleum (gesturing) addressed the Australian delegation as Don Goss with Valero Energy (seated at his right) listens. |
finally Northern California.
Caltrans and the University of California Pavement Research Center in Davis, Calif., also hosted the visitors, who were particularly interested in mix designs, Rubberized Hot Mix Asphalt (RHMA), and binder issues.
In addition to stops at the Caltrans TransLab facility in Sacramento, the group visited the UCPRC lab and field test facility on the UC Davis campus, and the CalAPA offices in West Sacramento.
Don Goss with Valero Energy, Edgard Hitti with Paramount Petroleum, Jack van Kirk with George Reed Inc./Basic Resources, and CalAPA Senior Technical Consultant Dr. Rita Leahy were among the presenters.
The Australians observed with wonder the speeds that motorists in the United States are allowed to maintain in active highway work zones. The speed limit in any highway work zone in Australia is 15 mph and is strictly enforced. They also marveled at the size of the state's transportation system, and the state Department of Transportation.
The visitors also had many questions about RHMA, which is not widely utilized in Australia, and also Recycled Asphalt Pavements (RAP), Warm Mix Asphalt technologies and perpetual asphalt pavement designs, also known as long-life asphalt pavements that are designed to last 40-years or more with minimal maintenance.
To view more photos of the Australians and their California hosts, click HERE to visit CalAPA's Facebook Page. Look closely and you may see one of the tiny, walnut-sized stuffed koala bear toys they left at each location they visited.
 | The Australian asphalt pavement delegation and a few of their California hosts pose for a picture at the CalAPA building in West Sacramento.
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| Study finds WMA nearing a third of total production; RAP and RAS usage grows
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A nationwide survey has found that Warm Mix Asphalt technology continues to grow, and the utilization of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) and Recycled Asphalt Shingles (RAS) continues to grow in popularity. The annual survey by the National Asphalt Pavement Association  (NAPA) found that 106.4 million tons of WMA were produced in 2013, a 23 percent increase in the use of WMA from 2012 and a 533 percent increase since the survey was first conducted in 2009. The survey also found that about 73.5 million tons of RAP and 1.7 million tons of RAS were used in new asphalt pavement mixes in the United States in 2013. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Highway Administration have long identified asphalt as America's No. 1 recycled product. To read the full report, click HERE. |
| CalAPA, members promote asphalt at American Public Works Association conference in Richmond |
CalAPA and several member companies were on hand last week to support an educational conference put on by the American Public Works Association Northern California Chapter.
The event, held at a civic auditorium in Richmond, attracted about 270 attendees from numerous public works agencies across the
 | | Tony Grasso (left) and Sophie You at CalAPA's promotional booth at the APWA conference. |
northern part of the state, according to Scott Dmytrow with Telfer Oil, one of the event volunteers.
CalAPA Executive Director Russell Snyder, Deputy Executive Director Tony Grasso and Member Services Manager Sophie You took turns staffing the CalAPA booth over the two-day conference held Nov. 5-6. Attendees were provided with several CalAPA publications and brochures on topics ranging from porous asphalt pavements, pavement smoothness and pavement type selection.
CalAPA member Graniterock also supported the event with a booth, as did CalAPA producer member Reed & Graham. Part of CalAPA's strategic plan is to distribution informational and educational information far and wide, particularly to local agency representatives tasked with pavement responsibilities.
For more photos from the conference, click HERE to visit CalAPA's Facebook Page.
A good resource for information about asphalt pavements, such as asphalt's "speed of construction" advantage, can be found HERE.
 | CalAPA's Sophie You (right) visits Rick Best at Reed & Graham's booth at last week's APWA conference in Richmond.
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| Quote of the Week
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"In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable."
-- Dwight D. Eisenhower
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We hope you enjoy CalAPA's Asphalt Insider. We are committed to providing you with the most up-to-date information on technical issues, regulation, news and events in California that may impact the asphalt pavement industry. Click HERE to contact us with any comments or suggestions.
Sincerely,
Russell W. SnyderExecutive Director California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA) |
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