Dear TXAPA Members,

 

I come to you today to share the decision of our board of directors to cancel the 2020 Annual Meeting. Perhaps you expected this, and as a fellow TXAPA member, I believe you know how very difficult a decision it was to make. We wanted to avoid a cancellation, and went through multiple scenarios that we felt might make the Annual Meeting a success. I am personally saddened that circumstances won’t allow us to meet safely and responsibly, but I am confident in knowing we’re making the right call.

 

TXAPA has developed a custom education program to set its contractor members up for success by offering a clear, comprehensive look at each of the 73 changes in the new spec that may impact their projects. In private consultations, Chuck Fuller, Jim Warren, and Harold Mullen will lead members through the changes to SS 3076, SS 3077, and the Liquid Asphalt Binder Sampling and Testing Program.

 

To begin reading up on the changes that affect your bottom line, visit the Specification and Test Procedures and Liquid Asphalt Binder Guidance Documents sections of TexasAsphalt.org.

TXAPA Live airs on Thursdays, three times a month, skipping a week on the date of the TxDOT highway letting. You only need to register for TXAPA Live once, and a reminder email with a link to join will be sent to you an hour before each broadcast. Watch all previous broadcasts here.

 

Thursday, July 16: TXAPA Live News & Updates with Harold Mullen and guest Gary Corely

Thursday, July 23: Highly Modified Asphalt Binders with Gary Fitts (1 PDH)

Thursday, July 30: TXAPA Live Technical Discussion About Maintenance Best Practices with Chuck Fuller (1 PDH) 

Due to travel restrictions in place for TxDOT due to COVID-19 and with TxDOT representing one-half of the evaluator teams, Chair Glen Dvorak has sought the assistance of retired TxDOT personnel now working in the private sector to be evaluators. Dvorak reports that the committee will be able to recoup any time lost with evaluations taking place in July and early August.

After numerous discussions, the TXAPA Quality Seal Coat Committee regretfully announced the cancellation of the 2020 Dr. Jon A. Epps TXAPA Quality Seal Coat Awards Program. Because the program is new, Chairman Kevin King felt it was best to kick it off on the right foot with TxDOT as an integral part of the inaugural awards in 2021.

TXAPA will continue to move the needle for quality in the coming decade by promoting a new concept in asphalt paving communication, a gathering of key personnel just prior to placement and compaction called the “All-Hands.” Chuck Fuller has discussed the All-Hands on TXAPA Live, and the All-Hands section of our website is packed with helpful resources and information.

TXAPA worked with TxDOT, the AGC, the FHWA, and other industry partners to develop a plan for construction workplace safety. Please review the attached document and refer to it as needed to provide a safe and effective workplace for your employees during these unprecedented times.

 

Download and share these infographics breaking down the Texas Joint Workforce Safety Plan to help provide a safe and effective workplace for your employees in a clear and simple manner. 

MTD is providing the following guidelines to address the QAP and support the needs for Construction and Materials testing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Making and constructing asphalt pavements exposes workers to a myriad of potential threats including plant and construction equipment as a well as the traveling public in a work zone. It’s always important to know who is responsible for ensuring safety, but no matter who you are, if you see something that potentially puts yourself or others in danger, say something.

Quality projects don’t just happen—all parties have to establish quality as the main goal from the very beginning of the project. Starting at the pre-construction conference and extending throughout each day of the project, the key elements that comprise award-winning projects must be diligently emphasized.

TXAPA’s Associate Member Advisory Committee, led by Chair Nathali Parker of KLP Construction Supply, has named The Woodlands as host of the 2021 Managing Asphalt Pavements (MAPS) Conference and Technology Showcase on February 24-25. Site selection is underway with the venue to be announced mid-summer 2020. 

ETTL Engineers & Consultants, Inc., provides geotechnical engineering and testing, construction materials engineering and testing services, geotechnical and environmental drilling services, environmental consulting, CQC and CQA services for landfill liners and final cover systems.

Since its introduction to the North American market in 1976, SAKAI America has become known for producing the highest-quality rollers in the industry. A full product line delivers on every need, from soil rollers to oscillatory/high-frequency asphalt rollers. Performance, service and technology are part of SAKAI's promise.

Distributed to nearly 5,000 industry professionals, Texas Asphalt magazine features articles about environmental issues, safety, new technology, best business practices, and more.

 

Texas Asphalt is distributed in both print and an interactive, digital format. Subscribers do not have to be members of TXAPA to receive Texas Asphalt.

 

 

 

Search for up-to-date information including addresses, contact information, and more with our online TXAPA Member Directory.

 

If you notice any information that has changed, you can log in to TexasAsphalt.org and update it to ensure we have the correct information on file moving forward. Instructions on how to do so can be found below in "Maximize Your Membership."

 

 

Did you know about PaveXpress, a scoping tool to help you create simplified pavement designs while taking into account key engineering inputs?

Explore and analyze IRI data in the FHWA Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) database to gain insights into the factors that have historically governed and/or influenced the change in pavement IRI over time.

Click the link below to visit a new section on TexasAsphalt.org called "What's New." This page contains a frequently updated list of all new content on the website, so you can find the important new information fast!

Are you working with an exemplary company that would be a good fit for TXAPA? Send them the link to our new, fillable, application available at the link below:

Make sure you are receiving important information from TXAPA. Double check your email address and update your email preferences. 

If you have been having trouble accessing the TXAPA website there are two things you can try.

Cancel or add subscriptions and update your address—it's as easy as logging into TexasAsphalt.org!

On June 1, TXAPA’s HMAC Training & Certification launched HMAC Now, an online program allowing for remote certification. HMAC Now has started offering virtual classes for Level 1A Certification, Level 1B Training, Level 1B Certification, and SB102 Certification. In order to certify online, a technician must have access to the necessary equipment as specified in the test procedures being evaluated. Virtual certification will not replace in-person certifications, rather it will provide new options for those who meet the requirements. Online class registration is now open for both in-person and virtual classes.

Certification and training classes through the HMAC are filling up fast! Check on the schedule online.