Highway Department recognized for various construction techniques
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: November 27, 2018
Contact: Brandon Strand (608) 609-8024
Madison – The Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement Association (WAPA) announced today that the Fond du Lac County Highway Department was the recipient of the 2018 Local Government Asphalt Award for advancing innovation in asphalt pavements. The Department was recognized today (November 27) at a ceremony during the association’s 59th Annual Conference in Madison, WI.
Fond du Lac County has traditionally used standard road construction techniques in its paving program; however, reflective (or bottom up) cracking has been an issue. In an effort to explore the best use of taxpayer money and deter cracking, Fond du Lac County paved a highway utilizing three different asphalt mix types. The highway became a test section that will allow the county to compare long-term value.
County Highway B was a 2-inch mill and overlay project in August 2017. The project consisted of 3.5 miles of 2-lane roadway. The control lane was paved 3.5 miles with a 2-inch surface layer using 4LT 58-28S, the standard asphalt mix used by the county on its lower volume roads. The second lane was paved 1.75 miles using 4LT 58-28S with fibers and the remaining 1.75 miles using 4LT 58-28V. WAPA Member Northeast Asphalt Inc. supplied the material and performed initial testing.
“Over time, continued testing and visual inspection will allow the county to determine how well fiber reinforced pavements and heavy asphalt binders perform versus standard mixes,” said Brandon Strand, Executive Director for the Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement Association. “We commend the Fond du Lac County Highway Department for exploring innovative pavement options to get the best value for taxpayers, and we look forward to the results of these test sections.”
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“Asphalt. Wisconsin rides on us.” Established in 1948, WAPA is a statewide, non-profit organization representing the interests of the asphalt industry on a wide range of issues related to pavement design, construction, maintenance, specifications, costs, marketing, and policy at the local, state, and federal levels. WAPA’s mission is to promote quality asphalt pavements that are safe, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective.
For more information, please visit www.wispave.org or contact Brandon at strand@wispave.org.