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Last month, the EPA announced its strategy to further address PFAS, shorthand for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, sometimes called “forever chemicals." As NAPA has previously communicated, a ‘passive receiver’ liability exemption is of utmost importance.
On April 30, NAPA submitted industry priorities to the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, for the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization. In addition to advocating for more robust and sustainable highway construction funding, NAPA also advocated for very specific liability exemptions associated with recycling potential PFAS-containing pavements, leading a highway materials coalition submittal.
NAPA Member Fred Smith Co. President Ty Johnson testified Tuesday, April 29 at a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. Johnson spoke on behalf of NAPA, beginning his testimony by noting how the Highway Trust Fund, once a basic tenet of federal infrastructure funding, has dwindled in the decades since the gas tax was last adjusted. He shared the four most viable user fee solutions that are available, and how the asphalt pavement industry is already leveraging scarce resources to support overlooked costs of road construction, like work zone safety.
“We were thrilled to have Fred Smith Company’s President Ty Johnson represent NAPA before a consequential Congressional hearing on the financial heal of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF),” said NAPA Vice President for Government Affairs Nile Elam. “NAPA has long advocated for a durable user-fee system that continues to advance federal infrastructure support throughout the national surface transportation network, and Ty’s testimony reiterated those needs and how we must ensure all users of our highways and roads pay into the HTF."
NAPA's Brett Williams and NCAT's Nathan Moore will present actionable insights and tips for using the new Balanced Mix Design (BMD) Benchmarking Guide for producers during a free NAPA webinar on Wednesday, May 7. BMD Benchmarking Strategies for Producers will help asphalt producers understand how to leverage this valuable resource to succeed with BMD implementations in their state or meet the criteria set by their agency if BMD is already implemented. Those who participate will take away practical techniques and strategies to ensure asphalt mixes are designed to meet the desired performance and durability.
In the latest episode of Pave It Black, Richard and Brett talk with Aaron Witt, the NAPA 2025 Annual Meeting locknote speaker and founder of BuildWitt.
Aaron’s leadership journey is fueled by relentless curiosity, a passion for people, and a commitment to reshaping the image of the Dirt World. This episode explores what it means to lead with purpose, build strong team cultures, and invest in the next generation of industry professionals.
The NAPA 2025 Midyear Meeting will be held in Kentucky this summer from July 8-11.
Asphalt pavement industry leaders will gather in Louisville for four days of networking, discussing challenges, and planning for the future.
Running midweek from Tuesday through Friday, Midyear attendees will have ample opportunity to explore the region through optional activities from bouldering and bargain-hunting to BMX and bourbon.
NAPA joins in mourning the recent passing of three asphalt pavement industry icons:
In 1989, Ronnie Blacklidge of Gulfport, Mississippi, founded NAPA member Blacklidge Emulsions, Inc., a decade after his first foray into road construction with the founding of Southland Enterprises, Inc.
After working at the National Center for Asphalt Technology while pursuing his doctorate, Brian Prowell founded a consulting firm in 2007 with his wife, Marcia. He served as president of the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists (AAPT) in 2015.
Chuck Hughes began consulting on quality assurance for state highway departments in 1976 and authored or co-authored more than 100 papers on highway materials, construction, and quality assurance. He was active with the Transportation Research Board and served as president of the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists in 1983. AAPT elected him as an Honorary Member in 1999.
The TCC Fly-In is set for next week at the Hilton Washington DC National Mall The Wharf. Members of the Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) will gather May 7 & 8 to collectively advocate for continued investments in infrastructure.
The Balanced Mix Design Implementation Working Group presented a new standard of practice to AASHTO that organizes approaches into three tiers. The current standard of practice provided four approaches to showcase how to design a mix for BMD. The new standard of practice focuses on how to specify BMD mixtures allowing for more flexibility in how mixes are actually designed. Moving from four approaches to three tiers, as an agency moves up the tiers, it focuses more on mechanical tests and less on constituent and volumetric properties.
For more information on why the industry needs to move from approaches to this new method, check out the short document on the IWG webpage.
NAPA is working with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to determine the amount of hot-mix asphalt (HMA), warm-mix asphalt (WMA), and recycled materials being produced and used in each state.
Asphalt Mix Producers are encouraged to help NAPA gather 2024 construction season data by completing these surveys by June 2.
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TCC Fly-In
