Monday, August 06, 2012
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TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
The TxDOT highway letting is scheduled for August 7th & 8th. The total tonnage of asphalt pavements being let is 1,454,971.86.
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UPDATE - TxDOT’s Proposed Asphalt Pavement Specifications
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The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) has been contracted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to conduct a survey of asphalt producers in the United States to measure 2011 production levels and the use of recycled materials on a state-by-state level.
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WHAT'S GOING ON
The second round of our TxDOT/TXAPA Quality Asphalt Pavement Awards are due in our offices within the next week. We hope you will join the celebration for our winners during our 38th Annual Meeting at the Marriott Horseshoe Bay Resort in Horseshoe Bay, Texas. They will be introduced by John Obr (TxDOT), John Barton (TxDOT), and Derek Angel during our Wednesday (September 19, 2012) morning Breakfast Awards Program. This year we had a total of 65 nominations, they are listed as follows:
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The 38th Texas Asphalt Pavement Association Annual Meeting will be held September 18-21, 2012 at the beautiful Horseshoe Bay Marriott Hotel located in Horseshoe Bay, Texas in the hill country by Marble Falls. The hotel is located at 200 Hi Circle North. TXAPA President Derek Angel encourages all TXAPA members, industry representatives, and TxDOT personnel to come relax and enjoy this hill country location while attending this year’s meeting. Take advantage of the latest in technical sessions, social functions, and optional events that will make the 2012 Annual Meeting a very memorable and enjoyable occasion.
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We are extremely excited to announce at this year’s 38th Annual Meeting scheduled for September 18-21, at the Marriott Horseshoe Bay in Horseshoe Bay, Texas; TXAPA will be offeringTable Top & Brochure Display Space to our Associate Members. This is the first year that this opportunity has been available and if it is successful we will continue this type of opportunity in the future. The display space will be located in the hallway, directly in front of our meeting rooms and technical sessions. This is the only area available within close proximity to our meeting rooms that is available to hold the display space that is needed for 20 tables. While it is not spacious, we believe it will be a great opportunity for our Associate Members to share information about their products and services. As mentioned we are limited on space and limited to only 20 tables for this opportunity. Display space will be $250 for one six foot table, two chairs, and a table skirt. Additional items such as electricity, internet access, etc. are available to each participant; however, you will need to coordinate with the Marriot Horseshoe Bay Resort for any of these additional items.
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Sponsorship contributions are being solicited to enable us to continue providing a quality program along with exciting social functions. Sponsors will be recognized in the official program, by ribbons on the name tags of those attending from the sponsoring firms, by listings on posted signs at the golf tournament, registration table and social functions and recognition at the Thursday afternoon luncheon. We also include a continuously run power point presentation with all the sponsors listed at any social function where computer access is available. This year’s meeting is filled with exciting entertainment, informative technical sessions and plenty of networking time.
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Eight paving projects are being considered for the prestigious Sheldon G. Hayes Award. Engineers from the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) reviewed each of the 2011 Quality in Construction Award winners, and the eight highest-scoring highway projects over 50,000 tons were advanced to the next round of consideration for the Hayes Award.
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To view the calendar of events for 2012 and beyond, please visit the new TXAPA website at www.texasasphalt.org and log in at the "Member Sign-in" link. Once logged in, click the TXAPA Calendar link or click here to find TXAPA and HMAC scheduled meetings, classes, seminars, Partners in Quality Meetings, award lunches, etc.
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IN THE WORKS
The Biggest Transportation Cost Isn't the Gas Tax.
It's the Hidden Costs No One Talks About.
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The World of Asphalt 2013 Show & Conference will be in San Antonio at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center located at 200 E. Market Street.
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The 2012 Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Short Course will be the 86th such meeting in the department's history. Both TxDOT and the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) are proud of this long-standing record of collaboration and cooperation. Over the years, the short course has provided a unique opportunity for these two agencies to exchange important technical information that improves transportation in Texas. This year's meeting will be held October 16-17, 2012. TxDOT planners and their TTI colleagues have developed an excellent program, and we are confident the conference will be of value to all who attend.
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IN THE KNOW

We would like to thank our partners at The National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) at Auburn University for the following articles:

NCAT Study Looks at Increasing Durability of High-RAP Mixes:
The economic and environmental benefits of using RAP in asphalt mixtures are well known, but most highway agencies are reluctant to allow greater than 25 percent RAP content. A recent NCAT study investigated two methods of improving durability of high-RAP mixtures: increasing the volume of effective virgin binder in the mixture or adjusting the virgin binder grade. According to the study, technical and cost-effective options for enhancing the durability of high-RAP mixtures are viable. Click here to download a synopsis of the research.

NCAT Test Track on Twitter:
The National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) Pavement Test Track is being rebuilt this summer for the facility’s fifth research cycle, and Test Track Manager Dr. Buzz Powell is making it easy to keep up with the progress. Powell is tweeting construction updates from @pavetrack on Twitter with links to Instagram photos from the Test Track and NCAT labs. Click here to view updates.

NCAT OGFC: "Safer for the Motoring Public":
Take a few minutes to review NCAT's new video highlighting the benefits of Open-Graded Friction Course Mixes.  Click here to view.

 

TRB Seeks Input on Thin Asphalt Overlays:
The TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis Program has issued a request for letters of interest to synthesize the current state of knowledge on use of thin asphalt overlays for pavement maintenance, rehabilitation, and preservation. Click here for information on consultants' letters of interest, qualifications, and the submission process. The deadline for letters of interest is August 10.

The NAPA 101 on MAP-21 Webinar:
Learn more about MAP-21 and new federal transportation policies that will impact the asphalt industry. Jay Hansen, NAPA's Executive Vice President and veteran of six major surface transportation reauthorizations held a discussion on aspects and impacts of MAP-21.

Webinar attendees learned about:

• Federal Highway funding levels
• Environmental streamlining
• Life Cycle Cost Analysis provisions
• Asphalt research and deployment of technologies
• NAPA role in implementing the legislation
• Looking ahead to the next reauthorization

To view this webinar, click here.

2012 NAPA "Other" Awards Nomination Forms:
NAPA's Asphalt Operations Safety Innovation Award, Outstanding Brochure Award, Community Involvement Award, Ecological Award, and Outstanding Web Site Award are open for submissions until December 1, 2012. The nomination fee is $125. The NAPA Awards Committee reviews all nominations and selects the winners and finalists.  These 2012 NAPA Award winners and finalists will be recognized at the 2013 Midyear Meeting.

Asphalt Operations Safety Innovations: This award recognizes safety practices that are above and beyond normal safety practices. Awards go to companies whose objective is to utilize innovative ideas or practical methods that lead to improved worker safety in roadway, plant site, or the quarry environment. It is open to all NAPA Producer members and Paving Contractor members, including International members.

Outstanding Brochure: This NAPA Award recognizes outstanding company brochures published to promote the asphalt industry. The award is open to NAPA Producer and Associate members as well as State Asphalt Pavement Associations.

Community Involvement: The Community Involvement Award is given to companies who have outstanding community relations programs. This award is open to NAPA Producer and Associate members.

Ecological Award: Ecological Awards recognize asphalt production facilities that best demonstrate safe and responsible environmental practices. Facilities are judged on their design layout, clean operation, maintenance performance practices, and community activities. The NAPA Ecological Awards are open to all NAPA Producer members. The plant must have received a current year Diamond Achievement Commendation.

Outstanding Web Site: NAPA's Web Site Award recognizes Web sites that promote the use of asphalt and the asphalt industry. NAPA's Web Site Award is open to all NAPA Producer members, NAPA Associate members and State Asphalt Pavement Associations. Companies that have previously won a NAPA Outstanding Web Site Award are ineligible to re-enter the competition for four years, unless the Web site has been completely revamped.

Click here to download any of the above mentioned awards. For questions or additional information contact, Ester Magorka, Director of Awards and NAPA-PAC at emagorka@asphaltpavement.org.

 

The Texas Transportation Commission convened July 26 in Corpus Christi for its regular monthly meeting, continuing its tradition of traveling outside of Austin to meet with communities. The Commission will hold its Aug. 30 meeting in Austin and its Sept. 27 meeting in The Woodlands. The Commission took the following actions in Corpus Christi:

  • Designated the 35-mile stretch of US 59 from north of the Liberty County line to I-610N in Houston as I-69.
  • Authorized issuing a request for proposals for the development, design, construction and, potentially, maintenance of US 77 from Kingsville to Driscoll in Nueces County.
  • Gave preliminary approval to allocating $197.6 million to the Central Regional Mobility Authority for construction of the MoPac Improvement Project in Austin.

The Commission also received reports on the agency's proposed Fiscal Year 2014-15 Legislative Appropriations Request and the federal surface transportation authorization bill recently signed into law by President Barack Obama.

Howard Holland, has been named the director of the Texas Department of Transportation maintenance division. He has been the Amarillo district engineer for the department for nearly four years.  Holland replaces Toribio Garza.

 

Eric Lykins, P.E., has been named director of construction of the Texas Department of Transportation’s Brownwood District.  Lykins, for the past 14 years, has worked in the Brownwood District as a transportation engineer and assistant area engineer.

 

Lonnie Gregorcyk, has been named district engineer of the Texas Department of Transportation’s Corpus Christi District.  He most recently served as the interim district engineer in the Corpus Christi District, prior to, he served as district engineer for the Yoakum District.  Gregorcyk replaces John Casey.

 
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