eTXAPA Newsletter
Up Front
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Fall Focus series last month! If you missed any episodes, you can access them all on our YouTube channel
 
Special thanks to those who participated in our Virtual Golf Tournament and TXAPA Squares program for supporting the TXAPA Scholarship Program, as well as our donors Angel Brothers Enterprises; Century Asphalt Materials; Anderson Columbia Co., Inc.; A.L. Helmcamp Inc.; Longview Asphalt, Inc.; Austin Bridge & Road, LP; Powerscreen Texas, Inc.; HNTB; Roadtec, Inc.; Lhoist North America; Jebro Incorporated; Elms Macchia, PLLC; Bowen Miclette Britt; and Cutler Repaving, Inc.
 
Thanks to you, we have been able to raise $86,737.76 so far for the TXAPA Scholarship Program. We appreciate everyone who participated in our Fall Focus series and can't wait to see you all at our Annual Meeting at La Cantera in 2021!
 
Congratulations to the winners of this year's TxDOT-TXAPA Quality Asphalt Pavement Awards, TXAPA Quality Asphalt Pavement Awards, and Quality Control/Quality Assurance Technician Awards! Missed our virtual awards program? Watch it here!
 
Mastering troubleshooting skills provides a systematic way of debugging a situation and resolving a problem. The more you know what could go wrong, the faster you can troubleshoot and get back on the right path. This series of three programs in October bring together industry experts in Mix Design, Plant Operations, and Paving Operations to discuss troubleshooting. They will cover a series of common problems and discuss the wrong way, and then the right way to sort these problems out and get back to high-quality asphalt mixes.
 
Oct. 6, 3-4 PM: Mix Design Troubleshooting (1 PDH)
Panelists: Brad Bradford (RK Hall); David Morton (Texas Bit); Jose Mata (CSA Materials); Jimmy Whited (Austin Materials); Chuck Fuller & Jim Warren (TXAPA) 

Oct. 20, 3-4 PM: Plant Troubleshooting (1 PDH)
Panelists: Ray McPherson (Jagoe-Public); Scott Thompson (Lone Star Paving); Lance Townsend (Heritage Asphalt); TJ Young (Duval Asphalt); Chuck Fuller & Jim Warren (TXAPA)
 
Oct. 27, 3-4 PM: Paving Troubleshooting (1 PDH)
Al Farrell (Primoris); Robert Gaylord (Texas Materials); David Madden (Madden Construction); David Till (PaveTex); Chuck Fuller & Jim Warren (TXAPA)
 
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.
 
October Schedule:
Thursday, Oct. 8, 3-4 PM: TXAPA Live News & Updates with HMAC Director Corey Schwarz
Thursday, Oct. 15, 3-4 PM: Temperatures with TXAPA's Chuck Fuller and Jim Warren
Thursday, Oct. 22, 2-3 PM: Member Benefits with TXAPA Director of Marketing Emily Adams
Thursday, Oct. 29, 2-3 PM: QC/QA Panel: A Roadmap to Success -- In the Lab
 
Our new YouTube channel is your one-stop-shop for all TXAPA videos! From full TXAPA Live episodes and educational webinars to short Technical Tips and more, you can be notified when any new videos are available by subscribing and turning on your notifications. Never miss another TXAPA video! Watch and subscribe here.
 
The HMAC is also new to YouTube, offering videos that serve as quick and easy test procedure refreshers. Subscribe to their channel here!
 
TXAPA has developed a custom education program to set our contractor members up for success by offering a clear, comprehensive look at each of the 73 changes in the new specs that may impact your projects.
 
Chuck Fuller, Jim Warren, and Harold Mullen have been leading members through the changes to SS 3076, SS 3077, and the Liquid Asphalt Binder Sampling and Testing Program. To schedule your private consultation, please contact Chuck, Jim, or Harold, or call TXAPA at (512) 312-2099.
 
Martin Asphalt
Lhoist North America
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.
Naylor Association Solutions
Naylor Association Solutions
Technically Speaking

The TxDOT Highway Letting is emailed to all members and posted to the TXAPA website on the 25th day of the month. If you did not recieve this month's letting information, click the link below. 

Do you know what condition your tires are in? Tire maintenance is essential to ensure your vehicle is operating at its best. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 11,000 accidents occur annually because of “bad tires.” With fall and winter right around the corner and weather changing rapidly, make sure your tires are prepared for all road conditions by following these tips for taking care of your vehicle’s tires.
 
There are dozens of factors that contribute to a successful highway construction project. The technical aspects of a project are important. In my long history of building roads, I have seen projects that were compromised by not following proper construction techniques, material quality issues, inclement weather, and a long list of other issues. But I believe there is one magical ingredient that contributes to the success or failure of a project: quality of relationships.
 
In The Works
This year's Asphalt Road-eo will take place in early December as a virtual event, so we're changing things up with an investigative challenge for our university student competitors. Teams will be provided the same forensic case of a pavement that failed prematurely, and will then conduct forensic analysis of the failure using the information provided. The teams will present their findings to a panel of judges who will determine the scholarship winners. TXAPA is excited to continue this program in partnership with TxDOT and UT Austin.
 
We are thrilled to announce plans to hold our Membership Meeting in-person at La Cantera Resort & Spa in San Antonio, TX! Our Winter Classic Golf Tournament will take place Tuesday, January 19, followed by the meeting January 20-21. More details to come!
 
In the Know
  
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 in the "Maximize Your Membership" section below. 
 
 
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.
 
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.
Maximize Your Membership
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!
Certification News From The HMAC
Certification and training classes through the HMAC are filling up fast! Check the schedule for both in-person and virtual classes, and call the HMAC with any questions at 512-312-2099.

TXAPA provides a range of resources for your employees and technicians whether they are studying to become certified, or just need a refresher. Please share these helpful tools: