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CALENDAR
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Southern California Contractors' Dinner
Tuesday, April 12, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Dal Rae Restaurant, 9023 E. Washington Blvd., Pico Rivera
Contact: Tony Grasso (909) 362-9192
Click HERE to sign up.
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SIGN UP NOW!CalAPA Spring Conference & Equipment ExpoApril 20-21 Doubletree Hotel, 222 N. Vineyard Ave., Ontaro Contact: Sophie You (916) 791-5044 Register HERE * SAVE THE DATE!CalAPA 'Day at the Races' at Del Mar Race TrackSaturday, July 16Del Mar, CA Details soon! *
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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 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. |
 | Industry, Caltrans try to smooth out bumps with new pavement smoothness specs
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New pavement-smoothness requirements in Caltrans specifications have caught some contractors unaware, creating a bumpy road on the way to a mutual agency-industry goal of delivering the smoothest ride possible for the motoring public.
Department officials acknowledge there have been problems on some projects, but opinions are mixed on the reasons. At well-attended meetings between industry and agency the problems cited seem to run the gamut from equipment  limitations or variables, software, inappropriate application of smoothness requirements on certain routes and proper training of workers and designers.
One meeting attendee said, only semi-seriously, that there are two types of contractors: those who have lost money because of the new smoothness requirements, and those who will. While that might have been somewhat of an exaggeration, it probably didn't feel like one for many contractors who found themselves forced to pay for unexpected grinding and other remediation to meet spec.
To read previous Asphalt Insider articles on this topic, click HERE and HERE.
he timing for a dust-up over the pavement smoothness specifications couldn't be worse as industry and agency representatives are trying to convince the Legislature and the Brown administration to invest more -- a lot more -- in roads. Various proposals circulating around the Capitol would devote an additional $3 billion to $7 billion more per year for transportation. A smooth ride is the most noticeable result of prudent investments in pavement maintenance to California motorists, who polls show are reluctant to pay more unless the money goes for its intended purposes. California has checkered past of raiding highway coffers for other purposes through budgeting gimmicks, despite Constitutional protections.
The Caltrans-industry Rock Products Committee, where materials-  related specifications are vetted, has launched a special pavement smoothness subcommittee, known as a "Task Group," which will evaluate the new requirements and recommendations for improvement. The state has proposed a work plan that includes, broadly, data collection and analysis, training on various aspects of pavement smoothness, and greater communication. Industry representatives are conferring on the work plan and may propose expanding the scope of work to cover more areas of concern.
CalAPA has been at the forefront of this issue, co-sponsoring a special pavement smoothness technology forum Sept. 28 in Sacramento put on by Caltrans and the Federal Highway Administration, and hosting numerous technical presentations on the topic around the state. The association has also rolled out a new training class, "Pavement Smoothness Essentials," taught by Mike Robinson, P.E., a consultant and CalAPA member. A flier about the class can be found HERE. He will also deliver a presentation on the topic at the Spring Asphalt Pavement Conference & Equipment Expo later this month in Ontario. If you would like to host a CalAPA training class, contact Ritha Nhorn, CalAPA's technical training coordinator, at (916) 791-5044.
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| | Caltrans' pavement engineer Peter Vacura, standing, listens in during the "Pavement Smoothness Technology Forum" held Sept. 28 in Sacramento put on by Caltrans and the FHWA and co-sponsored by CalAPA. |
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| Seats going fast for Spring Asphalt Pavement Conference & Equipment Expo April 20-21 in Ontario
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There are a few seats left for one of the hottest tickets of the year, the CalAPA Spring Asphalt Pavement Conference & Equipment Expo, which will be held April 20-21 at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario. Click HERE for details and to register.
The must-attend event will be attended by hundreds of industry and agency representatives and feature an impressive lineup of speakers, who will delve into technical aspects of asphalt pavements and important policy matters, such as funding for roads.
The governor's transportation secretary, Brian Kelly, will be the
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| | Brian Kelly |
keynote speaker and will provide the latest information on the Brown Administration's proposals to provide for a long-term, sustainable funding plan for transportation.
Other topics that will be featured at the conference include pavement smoothness, recent changes to Caltrans asphalt specifications, "Intelligent Compaction," critical factors that impact pavement texture, pavement preservation strategies and more. A detailed agenda of the program can be found HERE.
The two-day conference will feature dozens of booths from exhibitors, and an outdoor equipment area where manufacturers and distributors will have the latest equipment on display. For exhibition or sponsorship information, click HERE or contact Sophie You of CalAPA at (916) 791-5044.
The conference begins at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20, and wraps up at noon on Thursday, April 21 at the Doubletree, 222 N. Vineyard Ave. in Ontario. Also back this year is a popular networking reception the evening of April 20, which is free for all attendees.
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| National Work Zone Safety Awareness Week is April 11-15 |
Today kicks off National Work Zone Awareness week. Although the campaign focuses primarily on educating motorists who travel through work zones, all highway workers should also take heed. In 2014 there were 116 worker fatalities in and around work zones  across the nation, a 9 percent increase from the year prior, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The leading causes of the fatalities were runners, backers and falls, but unsafe driving in work zones is also a concern. The focus of this year's work zone safety campaign is distracted driving. Click HERE for a brief video that helps spread the message. An ongoing Caltrans work zone safety campaign is "Slow for the Cone Zone." Construction and road workers also need to make sure they are properly trained and follow established safety practices to help minimize these accidents and fatalities. It's a good message to remind workers this week and every week.
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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.
SAND SEAL: An application of asphalt binder, normally an emulsion, covered with a fine aggregate. It is a technique to improve skid resistance and to seal the pavement surface on low volume roadways.
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| Quote of the Week
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"The things you own end up owning you."
Tyler Derden |
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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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