The Asphalt Pavement Alliance (APA) has announced the winners of its 2008 Perpetual Pavement Awards.
The award is given to owners of asphalt pavements that are at least 35 years old and never have had a structural failure. The average interval between the resurfacing of each winning pavement must be no less than 13 years. The road must demonstrate the qualities expected from long-life asphalt pavements: excellence in design, quality in construction and value to the traveling public.
Engineers at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) evaluated the nominations for the Perpetual Pavement Award and a panel of industry experts validated the winners. They are:
• The Arkansas Department of Transportation for a 1.9-mile stretch of U.S. 79 in Ouachita County;
• The Maryland Department of Transportation—State Highway Administration for 3.8 miles of U.S. 50 in Talbot County;
• The Minnesota Department of Transportation for two miles of State Rte. 36 in Washington County near Stillwater;
• The Mississippi Department of Transportation for 10.9 miles of U.S. 90 in Jackson between Ocean Springs and Gautier;
• The Tennessee Department of Transportation for five miles of westbound State Rte. 1- U.S. 11 in Grainger County; and
• The Washington Department of Transportation for 3.7 miles of I-5 between Seattle and Everett.
Each winner will receive an engraved crystal obelisk and a plaque and will have their name and project added to a permanent plaque which is kept at NCAT. Presentations will be made on Oct. 1 during a special ceremony at the International Conference on Perpetual Pavements in Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2009.
“Even though these pavements have been under traffic for over 35 years, motorists are still using the original pavement structure,” said Mike O’Leary, APA Co-Chairman. “The extraordinary performance of these pavements is worthy of attention.”
“Perpetual Pavement is an industry standard that is extremely well represented by these pavements,” added Gaylen Ghylin, APA Co-Chairman. “Long life, durability and exceptional performance are hallmarks of asphalt. These pavements are testimony to high-performance asphalt as a marriage of excellent design and quality construction.”
