The Asphalt Pavement Alliance (APA) announced the winners of their 2012 Perpetual Pavement Awards in April.
The award is given to the state transportation department owners of asphalt pavements that are at least 35 years old and have never had a structural failure. The average interval between resurfacing of each winning pavement must be no less than 13 years. The road must demonstrate the characteristics expected from long-life asphalt pavements: excellence in design, quality in construction and value for the traveling public.
Engineers at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) evaluated the nominations for the Perpetual Pavement Award and a panel of industry experts validated the winners. They are:
The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department for a two-mile stretch of U.S. 82 in Lafayette County, between milepost 9.45 and 11.45.
The Florida Department of Transportation for a section of State Road 55/U.S. 19 in Levy County, from the Citrus County line to State Road 121.
The Iowa Department of Transportation for 3.5 miles of northbound State Route 151 in Linn County, from milepost 30.12 to milepost 33.6.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation for 19.6 miles of U.S. Trunk Highway 61 between Winona and Wabasha (mileposts 34 to 53).
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for 2.9 miles of State Route 145 in Lehigh County (segments 180/181 to 240/241) in North Whitehall Township.
The winners will receive an engraved crystal obelisk and have their names and projects added to a permanent plaque that is kept at NCAT. Eighty-five pavements have received the Perpetual Pavement Award since the awards program began in 2001.
“One of the keys to sustainability is long life,” said Michael J. Kvach, executive director of the Asphalt Pavement Alliance. “Asphalt roads can be engineered to last indefinitely with only routine maintenance and periodic surface renewal.
“The advantages of these perpetual pavements are significant. Life-cycle costs are lower because deep pavement repairs and reconstruction are avoided. User delays are reduced because minor surface rehabilitation requires shorter work windows and can be accomplished outside of peak traffic hours. And minimal rehabilitation, combined with recycling any materials that are removed from the pavement surface, reduces the amount of material resources required over the pavement’s life.”
