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CALENDAR
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*CALAPA MEMBERS ONLY'FAST Act federal highway bill impact on CA' WebinarTuesday, Jan. 1210 a.m. to 11 a.m. PST (See CalAPA's Dec. 11 "Member Alert" or contact CalAPA for details on how to participate) *
REGISTRATION OPEN!
CalAPA Annual Dinner
Thursday, Jan. 21 The Jonathan Club
545 S. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles
Details HERE
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"Critical Changes to Caltrans Section 39 HMA Specifications" class
Tuesday, Feb. 23 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
City of West Sacramento City offices, 1110 West Capitol Avenue, First Floor, West Sacramento
Contact: Ritha Nhorn (916) 791-5044
Register HERE
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"Critical Changes to Caltrans Section 39 HMA Specifications" class
Wednesday, Feb. 24
8 a.m. to noon
City of West Sacramento City offices, 1110 West Capitol Avenue, First Floor, West Sacramento
Contact: Ritha Nhorn (916) 791-5044
Register HERE
CLICK & GO!View our interactive, "At a Glance" event calendar HERE.
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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 current and past issues of the magazine, click HERE. For advertising sales information, click HERE or call Kerry Hoover with Construction Marketing Services at (909) 772-3121.
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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. |
 | Looking for California gold in the new federal surface transportation act
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It weighs in at at hefty 1,300 pages, is filled with compromises, and has a goofy name, the "FAST Act." But national asphalt industry advocates nonetheless were pleased with the new long-term federal surface transportation bill signed into law by the president after languishing in Congress for years.
"This is a very good bill for the asphalt industry," declared Jay  Hansen, executive vice president of the National Asphalt Pavement Association during an industry briefing last week. He credited a broad-based grassroots campaign, heartily supported by the asphalt pavement industry, with keeping the pressure on Congress to act.
The $305 billion, five-year bill signed into law by President Obama on Dec. 4, will not only provide an increase in funding for roads, but also the long-term certainty to help transportation planners develop improvement projects with the expectation that the money will be there to pay for them.
For the record, the FAST Act is shorthand for "Fixing America's Surface Transportation" Act. The final bill signed by the president carried the designation Public Law 114-094, and goes into effect immediately.
According to NAPA, the bill represents a substantial increase in funding for roads over current levels, certainly not to the levels sought by transportation advocates but still a notable improvement over the past few years. The passage of the bill should also place additional pressure on states, such as California, that have not yet developed a long-term transportation investment strategy.
According to an internal Caltrans memo dated Dec. 11 and obtained by CalAPA, in fiscal-year 2015 California received $3.54 billion in Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) apportionment funding. "For FY 2016, which began this October, California will receive $3.72 billion; and California can expect to receive an annual average of $3.88 billion in FHWA apportionment funding from FY 2016-2020."
CALAPA MEMBERS NOTE: An exclusive "webinar" briefing on the federal bill, for CalAPA
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| | Teichert's Mary Rotelli (left) and U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), a member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, talk funding Oct. 19 in Sacramento. |
members only, will be held Jan. 12 at 10 a.m. and will feature NAPA's Hansen and CalAPA advocates. The free webinar will focus on specifics in the new law that will directly impact the asphalt pavement industry, and what the new federal legislation means for California. CalAPA's advocate, Jeff Sievers, will also provide a brief update on the state transportation funding picture, which is the subject of a special session in the state Legislature. Details on how to register for the webinar were went out as a CalAPA "Member Alert" last Friday.
A NAPA summary of the main provisions of the bill of interest to the asphalt pavement industry is HERE. A more detailed briefing package provided by the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee is HERE.
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| Milestones: Norm Wright, 'the pillar' of R.J. Noble Co., retires
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Norm Wright, the third generation from his family to work at the R.J. Noble Co., recently wrapped up a distinguished, 50-year career that saw him hold numerous positions and become known as "the pillar" of the company. He first began working for R.J. Noble in the dispatch department in 1965. Throughout the years he climbed up the ladder holding various positions within R.J. Noble including time keeper, heavy equipment operator, public works foreman, Superintendent of Construction and finally settling into the role of Vice President of Operations for the past 16 years. He recently announced his retirement. Wright's life at R.J. Noble started with a call from his father, Barney Wright, another longtime R.J. Noble employee, asking if he would be interested in a job with company as a weigh-master. From that point on it became apparent that his tremendous work ethic, attention to detail and ability to adapt would carry him, and R.J. Noble, on an upward trajectory in the asphalt industry. He has been a conduit for experience, knowledge and ethics throughout his 50 year career. Wright is the third generation from his family to work at the R.J. Noble and has passed the Wright family torch to his son, Billy, now a superintendent with the company and the fourth generation to work for R.J. Noble. One of Wright's greatest legacies is the mentoring he has given the younger generation at the R.J. Noble Company, who no doubt will bear his imprint for decades to come. Now that he has retired, Wright looks forward to traveling and camping with his wife and spending quality time with his kids and grandchildren.
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| | Norm Wright of R.J. Noble Co. |
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| Keever named new chief of Caltrans Division of Engineering Services
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Michael Keever is the new chief of the Caltrans Division of Engineering Services, replacing Bob Pieplow, who retired. DES oversees numerous Caltrans engineering functions statewide, including Materials Testing & Engineering Services (METS), one of the co-sponsors of the joint Caltrans-industry Rock Products Committee.
Keever is a 29-year veteran of the department, having worked in various engineering capacities, and most recently was the DES Structure Design Deputy Division Chief.
According to an internal announcement by Caltrans Deputy Director for Project Delivey,
Karla Sutliffe, distributed via e-mail on Dec. 1, Keever's first assignment with Caltrans was as a junior civil engineer in Structure Construction in Los Angeles. Since then he has held a variety of assignments, including Senior Technical Specialist, Design Branch Chief, Office Chief for Earthquake Engineering and a stint as Design Manager in Caltrans District 8, based in San Bernadino.
In addition, Keever has represented Caltrans on the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures, as Chair of the Transportation Research Board Seismic Committee, a member of the Executive Committee of the American Segmental Bridge Institute, Panel Chair on a variety of National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) research projects, and a participant with Federal Highway Administration, international delegations, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, and others.
He holds a civil engineering degree from the University of Southern California and is a licensed professional civil engineer.
"Mike has two young adult daughters who have grown up during his career at Caltrans and can point to their dad's bridges whenever they travel across the state (usually with an eye roll)," Sutliffe said in her announcement.
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| Registration now open for the CalAPA Annual Dinner Jan. 21 in Los Angeles
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Registration is now open for the most prestigious industry event of the year: CalAPA's Annual Dinner Jan. 21 at the historic Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles. Click HERE for details.
The evening program will include the formal induction of former  association executive Jim St. Martin into the industry's "Hall of Fame" as a "Life Member."
Traditionally one of CalAPA's most popular events, attendees will be able to re-connect with colleagues, meet new industry leaders and enjoy sumptuous food in one of the most elegant settings in California. This is a member-only event, but spouses and invited guests are welcome if paid for and accompanied by a member.
The festivities will take place at the elegant venue, 545 S. Figueroa St. in Los Angeles. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m., with the dinner program following. The CalAPA Board of Directors meets earlier in the day.
For more information, including sponsorship opportunities, contact Sophie You of CalAPA at (916) 791-5044.
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| Join CalAPA today and work smarter tomorrow
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Seventy-four companies have joined CalAPA since 2012. Don't you think it's time you joined them? There has never been a better time to be a member of the California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA). The association is dedicated to representing the asphalt pavement industry in California, as well as delivering products and services to enhance  the knowledge and skills vital to remaining competitive and deliver a high-quality product in today's fast-moving environment. What you don't know can cost you!
A special publication that features a few association highlights from 2015 can be found HERE. A promotional brochure about CalAPA and its many services, including our exclusive member-only "Member Alerts," is HERE. A list of current CalAPA members is HERE. If you would like to do business with companies that are leaders in the industry, click HERE to view our Buyers' Guide.
All CalAPA members agree to abide by the association's Code of Ethics. You can read it HERE. To have information about membership sent to you, contact CalAPA's Member Services Manager Sophie You at (916) 791-5044. CalAPA is the voice of the industry in California. Isn't it time you learned what 200 other companies already know?
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| Tech Term of the Week
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Each week we highlight a word, acronym or other reference commonly used in the asphalt pavement industry in California.
SCRUB SEAL: An application of a polymer modified asphalt emulsion to the pavement surface followed by the broom scrubbing of the emulsion into cracks and voids, then the application of an even coat of sand or small aggregate, and a second brooming of the aggregate and asphalt mixture. This seal is then rolled with a pneumatic tire roller.
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| Quote of the Week
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"Fall seven times and stand up eight."
Japanese proverb
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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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