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The Road To Jobs

Published on August 9, 2010 in Digging for Dirt. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Volnovich Op-ed on Highway Bill from August 5, 2010 Politico –

Congress narrowly approved yet another unemployment insurance extension, but my colleagues on the other side of the aisle continue to miss the forest for the trees.

Instilling certainty into the economy by providing relief to the unemployed is important. But creating sustainable jobs is where this debate should be focused.

Over the past two years, our nation borrowed $123 billion to pay for unemployment insurance extensions, our national debt increased by almost $4 trillion, and Democrats passed a $2 trillion health care bill and a stimulus bill now estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to cost $860 billion. In spite of all this spending, people are asking, “Where are the jobs?”

Most Americans would rather have a job than collect unemployment insurance. Let’s stop kicking the can down the road and work together on creating jobs — particularly since the answer actually lies on that road — by passing a robust surface transportation reauthorization bill.

A multiyear transportation bill that is paid for would be a real economic stimulus and create immediate jobs. The Transportation Department estimates that for every $1 billion the federal government invests in highways and bridges, 34,800 jobs are created or maintained. Highway projects worth more than $47 billion are ready to go, according to state departments of transportation.

But President Barack Obama is doing nothing to get these projects off the ground. This year, 21 states have indicated that they are likely to be forced to reduce transportation investments because of Washington’s inaction.

The transportation construction industry supports more than 3 million jobs. Just think about the massive impact this industry has on employment in the U.S. It provides more domestic jobs than both U.S. motor vehicle and parts manufacturers and petroleum and coal products manufacturers. The infrastructure built, maintained and managed by this industry is the backbone of our economy.

Unfortunately, this sector is in its worst condition since World War II. The unemployment rate in construction is a staggering 20 percent — higher than for any other industry and two times the national unemployment rate of 9.5 percent.

Recently, Tom Foss, representing the Associated General Contractors of America, got at the root of the problem. Our “failure to pass a multiyear transportation bill creates significant market uncertainty,” Foss said, in testifying before the Senate. “The uncertainty makes it difficult to hold onto valued employees. It makes it hard to convince subcontractors to work for us. And it makes it hard to convince lenders to invest in us.”

A robust new highway bill is a three-fer. It is good for jobs and for an industry that is struggling, good for our competitive position in the global marketplace and good for our environment — traffic congestion, for example, contributes almost 30 percent to our greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition, construction is an economic stimulus we can afford at a time when we are borrowing more than 41 cents of every dollar we spend.

We do not need to borrow money for the transportation bill. We can pay for it by increasing the gas tax, which has not risen since 1993. The gas tax is a user fee, and just a few cents could help create jobs, improve our infrastructure and better the climate.

As President Ronald Reagan said in 1982, when the nation was facing record unemployment above 10 percent, “Good tax policy decrees that, wherever possible, a fee for a service should be assessed against those who directly benefit from that service.”

Reagan knew America was in dire straits and fought hard for a gas tax increase once he realized the effect it would have on the economy. It was a tough pill for his conservative colleagues to swallow. But, in the end, Congress passed the much-needed Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, which provided a 5-cent gas tax increase and created hundreds of thousands of jobs. History speaks for itself.

Today, groups that don’t traditionally back tax increases — among them, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers and the American Trucking Association — have come out in support of a gas tax increase because of this reauthorization bill’s ability to put Americans back to work.

But we are still waiting to hear from the most important player: Obama. He is on the stump talking about creating jobs, but he’s in a bunker when it comes to a reauthorization of the surface transportation bill. We are working full-bore to get a bipartisan bill done this year. The House has been working on reauthorization for 2½ years.

I cannot understand how the president can ignore this issue at a time when unemployment continues to grow and we have a proven job creator at our fingertips.

Show me another bill that has bipartisan support from labor, manufacturing, business, the trucking industry and state and local groups. Show me another bill that will create real jobs for Americans, will be paid for and will bring certainty to a major part of the economy without adding to an already staggering deficit.

Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) is ranking member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee and serves on the Environment and Public Works Committee.

AASHTO released its latest report, Unlocking Freight

Published on July 11, 2010 in Daily Dirt. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

AASHTO released its latest report, Unlocking Freight, at a national news conference in Des Moines, Iowa, and at two regional news conferences in Tennessee and Pennsylvania on July 8th. The report includes new data, state examples of urgent capacity needs, and solutions to solve the pending transportation crisis in America’s freight system. The reports shows that investments are well below what are needed to maintain – much less improve – the movement of freight in this country. To view the first report in the series, Unlocking Gridlock, go to http://expandingcapacity.transportation.org.

Transportation Reboot:

Restarting America’s Most Essential Operating System

The Case for Capacity: To Unlock Gridlock, Generate Jobs, Deliver Freight, and Connect Communities

Unlocking Freight

Part 2 of a series

Foreword

AASHTO Executive Director John Horsley

Consensus is growing among Congressional leadership—especially House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer—that “freight” should be a priority in the next Surface Transportation authorization. Two reasons for this new emphasis stand out: the growing recognition that an efficient freight system is important to a strong economy and jobs here at home, and that a vibrant and integrated freight system is a basic ingredient in keeping America competitive abroad.

Based on AASHTO’s analysis contained in this report, it is clear that the U.S. freight system is not keeping up with the demands being made on it. The collapse of the economy in late 2008 temporarily reduced the volumes of freight moving through our seaports, and reduced related truck and

rail freight activity. The time it takes for the economy to recover will give the freight system a breather before capacity deficiencies again constrain U.S. economic growth and productivity. During the interim, we must move aggressively to determine the system improvements needed and use this information to develop a strategic national freight plan that will take us there.

We have prepared this report to describe how important an efficient freight system is to the economy, the congestion already taking place, the growth in anticipated demand, and the challenge of keeping America competitive in the world economy.

The country has a lot at stake. It is critically important for our national leaders to address the challenges ahead and to fund the freight system capacity we need.

“The next time you are on a highway or city street, look around you. Notice the number of trucks, semis, and other cargo vehicles. Now imagine in 20 years: For every two trucks you see on the road today, there will be an additional one right behind it, carrying the expected growth in food deliveries, goods, and manufacturing equipment. If we don’t add more capacity, those additional trucks will be right next to you on the roadway, adding to congestion and delays. Is that a future you want to experience?” —John Horsley, AASHTO Executive Director

The transportation system that supports the movement of freight across America is facing a crisis. Our highways, railroads, ports, waterways, and airports require investment well beyond current levels to maintain—much less improve—their performance. Millions of jobs and our nation’s long-term economic health are at risk.

The need to move significantly more freight across the country and the world will increase substantially in the 21st century.

■ The U.S. population reached 308 million in 2010, and is expected to reach 420 million by 2050. A larger population will consume more food, clothing, and other commodities.

■ By 2020, the U.S. trucking industry will move three billion more tons of freight than we haul today. To meet this demand, the industry will put another 1.8 million trucks on the road.

■ In 20 years, for every two trucks now on the road, there will be an additional one right behind it, carrying the expected growth in food deliveries, goods, and manufacturing equipment.

■ In 40 years, overall freight demand will double, from 15 billion tons today to 30 billion tons by 2050. Freight carried by trucks will increase 41 percent; by rail 38 percent from today’s quantities. The number of trucks on the road compared to today will also double.

■ By 2015, the widening of the Panama Canal may shift significant volumes of goods from West Coast ports to Gulf ports and ports on the Atlantic Coast. These ports may not be deep enough for larger vessels or may not have adequate road or rail capacity to meet the new international trade demands.

■ U.S. exports will grow at a rate of 5.8 percent annually, outpacing imports which are expected to increase annually by 4.2 percent.

The current capacity of our nation’s roads, rails, and seaports is not keeping pace with demand.

■ Between 1980 and 2006, traffic on the Interstate Highway System increased by 150 percent, while Interstate capacity increased by only 15 percent.

■ On average, 10,500 trucks a day travel some segments of the Interstate Highway System. By 2035, this will increase to 22,700 trucks for these portions of the Interstate, with the most heavily used segments seeing upwards of 50,000 trucks a day.

■ The amount of traffic experiencing congested conditions at peak hours in the nation’s most urban areas on the Interstate System doubled from 32 percent to over 67 percent.

■ Nineteen states see the heaviest use; 88 percent of all these truck miles are centered around just six states—California, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and Pennsylvania.

■ Major highway bottlenecks at urban Interstate interchanges cause tens of thousands of hours of delay each day, week, and year for truckers, business travelers, and commuters. Strings of bottlenecks are emerging along regional and transcontinental freight routes, creating corridors of congestion instead of corridors of commerce.

■ Estimates of the truck hours of delay for the worst freight-truck bottlenecks show that each of the top 10 highway interchange bottlenecks cause over a million truck-hours of delay per year, costing $19 billion overall.

■ More than half of the 240 locks funded by the US Army Corps of Engineers are more than 50 years old and have exceeded their economic design lives.

The nation’s freight transportation system directly affects economic development, current and future jobs, and the quality of life in our communities.

■ More than 10 million people work in jobs in the freight transportation industry, from couriers, truckers, laborers, shippers, railroad conductors and mechanics to postal carriers, warehouse operators and stock clerks.

■ Delays and idling trucks at bottlenecks and chokepoints exacerbate negative air quality impacts on the surrounding communities.

■ At-grade rail crossings in cities and towns disrupt daily commerce, create tie-ups and delays.

Greater investment, better planning and more highway and rail capacity are needed to address these problems.

■ Expand the capacity of the Interstate Highway System.

  • Add 32,000 lane-miles to the current Interstate system.
  • Upgrade 14,000 lane-miles of the current National Highway System to Interstate standards.
  • Add 14,000 lane-miles to NAFTA corridors.
  • Add 8,000 lane-miles of truck-only toll facilities.
  • Add 400 lane-miles to provide access to key port and intermodal facilities

■ Create and fund a national freight program that could include multi-state freight corridor organizations at the state, regional, and multi-state level.

  • Develop a National Multimodal Strategic Freight Plan.
  • Apportion approximately $3 billion annually of a proposed $375 billion highway program to the states for freight investment from the Highway Trust Fund, and add another $7 billion annually through freight fees outside the Highway Trust Fund.

■ Invest in Intermodal Connector Improvements.

  • Ensure funding eligibility for intermodal connectors—usually local roads in older industrial and residential neighborhoods used by truckers to travel between major highways and the nation’s ports, rail terminals, and air cargo hubs.
  • Support increased collaboration between states and railroads on public-private partnerships and federal investment tax credits to finance growing needs on the freight rail network.
  • Use the existing surplus from the federal Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for critical seaport dredging projects. Additionally, direct the Federal Inland Waterway Trust Fund to complete needed lock and dam construction and maintenance projects.

State examples of freight capacity needs are at http://expandingcapacity.transportation.org

1 One lane-mile is one mile of one lane of a roadway; a one-mile length of a four-lane highway equals four lane miles.

Acknowledgements

Much of the freight-specific information and analysis contained in this report was drawn from the forthcoming AASHTO Freight Transportation Bottom Line reports. These reports were commissioned by the AASHTO Special Committee on Intermodal Transportation and Economic Expansion, the Standing Committees on Rail and Water Transportation and the Subcommittee on Highway Transport, and prepared by Cambridge Systematics, Inc. The principal investigator for these reports is Lance Grenzeback for whom we offer special thanks for his assistance in updating information and forecasts for this report.

Other material cited in this report, including the estimates of capacity increases required, is drawn from research published in May 2007 by the Transportation Research Board’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). The report, Future Options for the Interstate and Defense Highway System, can be accessed at http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/trbnet/acl/NCHRP_20- 24_52Task10_NCHRPFinal.pdf

The objective of the research project was to develop a potential vision for the future of the U.S. Interstate Highway System. The report was prepared by a study team led by David Gehr and Steve Lockwood of PB Consult, Gary Maring of Cambridge Systematics, Inc., Kevin E. Heanue and Alan E. Pisarski.

The analysis period considered in the Future Options Report was the 30 years from 2005 to 2035. In order for this report to be comparable to that of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission’s report, Transportation for Tomorrow, AASHTO based its findings on the research conducted by PB, Cambridge Systematics, Pisarski and Heanue, but presented its recommendations using the 2050 time horizon. We have also updated the travel demand forecasts using more recent data from AASHTO’s 2009 Bottom Line Report. The report also benefitted from the work Michael Gallis and Associates contributed to AASHTO’s 2007 publication, A New Vision for the 21st Century.

Trip Report: New Hampshire Transportation Infrastructure Needs Continue To Increase

Published on June 21, 2010 in Daily Dirt and New England Construction. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

New Hampshire Roads, Bridges And Transit Face Increasing Deterioration Without Additional Transportation Funding; Transportation Improvements Would Support Economic Recovery, Improve Conditions And Boost Traffic Safety

One-third e of New Hampshire’ major roads are deteriorated, 32 percent of the state’s bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, and more than half of the state’s roads are congested during peak travel times. However, the state lacks adequate funding to make needed improvements to its surface transportation system. This is according to a new report released today by TRIP, a Washington, DC based national transportation organization.  TRIP’s report finds that increased investment in the state’s transportation infrastructure could improve road and bridge conditions, enhance safety and support long-term economic growth in the state.

The report, “Moving New Hampshire Forward: The Condition and Funding of New Hampshire’s Roads, Bridges and Transit Systems,” finds that 12 percent of the state’s major roadways are in poor condition and an additional 21 percent are in mediocre condition. Roads in need of repair cost each New Hampshire motorist an average of $259 annually in extra vehicle operating costs – $267 million statewide – including accelerated vehicle depreciation, additional repair costs and increased fuel consumption and tire wear. The TRIP report includes a list of sections of roadway throughout the state that are in need of reconstruction or pavement preservation work that can not be completed due to a lack of transportation funds. These include improvements to several sections of I-93 and I-89, as well as NH 12 and NH 16.

“New Hampshire built one of the finest highway systems in the country with our Federal Highway Administration partners. As our state continues to take proper care of the system, meet our bridge repair needs, and build the new capacity for I-93, we need that funding partner more than ever. Today’s TRIP report documents the challenges,” said George Campbell, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. “Transportation is the backbone of the American and New Hampshire economies, and deferring addressing these urgent needs will result in significantly higher expenses for the next generation. At the NHDOT we all call on Congress to act and reauthorize the federal transportation legislation.”

In addition to deteriorated road conditions, 16 percent of New Hampshire’s bridges are structurally deficient and an additional 16 percent are functionally obsolete. The state’s roads are also becoming increasingly crowded, as commuting and commerce are constrained by growing traffic congestion on New Hampshire’ major urban roads. In 2008, 51 percent of the state’s urban highways were congested during peak travel times. The TRIP report contains a list of needed transportation projects throughout the state that would repair and replace deficient bridges, increase roadway capacity and improve the state’s transit system. However, these projects can not move forward without additional transportation funding.

“The TRIP report findings validate why the state established the Commission to Study Future Sustainable Revenue Sources for Funding Improvements to State and Municipal Highways and Bridges. Current state funding is inadequate to keep up with routine maintenance, let alone finish widening I-93 and construct other needed new transportation projects. Transportation is jobs – construction jobs and the moving of goods and services. It is imperative that Congress do its part and adequately fund surface transportation with a timely and predictable program,” said state representative Candace Bouchard.

Last year’s federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides approximately $129 million in stimulus funding for highway and bridge improvements and $13 million for public transit improvements in New Hampshire.  This funding has served as an important down payment on needed road, highway, bridge and transit improvements but is not sufficient to allow the state to proceed with numerous projects needed to modernize its surface transportation system. The federal surface transportation program, which expires on December 31, 2010, remains a critical source of funding for road and bridge repairs and transit improvements in New Hampshire. It will be critical that Congress crafts and approves a new federal surface transportation program that could include a significant boost in funding for highway and transit improvements in New Hampshire.

“While the state has put a combination of federal and state funds to good use in the past, in the coming years, many additional needed projects will remain stranded on the drawing board because of insufficient funding,” said Will Wilkins, executive director of TRIP. “It is critical that the state adequately fund its transportation system and that Congress produces a timely and adequately funded federal surface transportation program.  Thousands of jobs and the state’s economy are riding on it.”

Moving New Hampshire Forward:

The Condition and Funding of New Hampshire’s Roads, Bridges & Transit Systems

June, 2010

Prepared by: TRIP

Executive Summary

New Hampshire’s extensive system of roads, highways, bridges and public transit provides the state’s residents, visitors and businesses with a high level of mobility.  As the backdrop that supports the Granite State’s economy, New Hampshire’s surface transportation system provides for travel to work and school, visits to family and friends, and trips to tourist and recreation attractions while simultaneously providing businesses with reliable access for customers, suppliers, shipping and employees.  With the state’s population continuing to grow, New Hampshire must maintain and improve its system of roads, highways, bridges and public transit in order to foster economic growth, keep business in the state, and ensure safe, reliable mobility, all of which improve the quality of life expected by state residents and visitors.

As New Hampshire looks to rebound from the current economic downturn, the state will need to modernize its surface transportation system by improving its physical condition and  enhancing the system’s ability to provide efficient and reliable mobility for residents, visitors and businesses.  Making needed improvements to New Hampshire’s roads, highways, bridges and transit could provide a significant boost to the state’s economy by creating jobs and stimulating long-term economic growth as a result of enhanced access and mobility.

In addition to state funding, the federal government is an essential source of revenue for the ongoing modernization of New Hampshire’s roads, highways, bridges, and transit.  While construction materials costs have stabilized somewhat during the current recession, a 37 percent materials cost increase over the past five years, coupled with declining revenue from gas taxes, have contributed to the difficulty all states face in maintaining and improving their surface transportation systems.

Last year’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided approximately $129 million in stimulus funding for highway and bridge improvements and $13 million for public transit improvements in New Hampshire.  This funding has served as a stop gap measure for addressing needed road, highway, bridge and transit infrastructure preservation, but it has not been sufficient to allow the state to proceed with numerous projects needed to enhance its surface transportation system.  Meeting New Hampshire’s need to modernize its transportation system will require a significant, long-term boost in transportation funding at the federal, state and local levels.

Congress is currently deliberating over a long-range federal surface transportation program, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).  SAFETEA-LU was originally set to expire on September 30, 2009. Following a series of short term continuing resolutions, the current program now expires December 31, 2010.  The level of funding and the provisions of a future federal surface transportation program will have a significant impact on future highway and bridge conditions and safety as well as the level of transit service in New Hampshire, which, in turn, will affect the state’s ability to improve its residents’ quality of life and enhance economic development opportunities.

The federal surface transportation program is an essential source of funding for the construction, maintenance and improvement of New Hampshire’s system of roads, highways, bridges and public transit.   The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has further provided a helpful boost to surface transportation funding in the state.

  • Federal spending levels for highways and public transit are based on the current federal surface transportation program, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), which was approved by Congress in 2005.  The SAFETEA-LU program expires on December 31, 2010.
  • The level of funding and the provisions contained in the upcoming federal surface transportation program will have a significant impact on future highway, bridge and transit conditions, levels of traffic congestion, and safety in New Hampshire.  The future condition of New Hampshire’s surface transportation system will have a critical effect on the state’s ability to enhance economic development opportunities and improve its residents’ quality of life.
  • From 1998 to 2008, New Hampshire received approximately $1.7 billion in federal funding for road, highway and bridge improvements, and $108 million for public transit, a total of approximately $1.8 billion.
  • Federal funds provide 24 percent of revenues used annually by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation to pay for road, highway and bridge construction, repairs and maintenance.
  • Federal funds provide 55 percent – one of the highest shares in the nation – of the revenue used annually to pay for the operation of, and capital improvements to, the state’s public transit systems, which includes operations, purchase and repair of vehicles, and the construction of transit facilities.

Without a substantial boost in federal highway funding, New Hampshire will be unable to complete numerous projects to improve the condition and expand the capacity of roads, highways and public transit, hampering the state’s ability to improve mobility and sustain economic development opportunities.

  • To ensure that federal funding for highways and bridges in New Hampshire and throughout the nation continues beyond the expiration of SAFETEA-LU, the Federal Highway Trust Fund has required several infusions from other funds to remain solvent and meet previously authorized funding levels.
  • In New Hampshire the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided approximately $129 million in stimulus funding for highway and bridge improvements and $13 million for public transit improvements.
  • Included in this report are lists of needed projects that cannot proceed without a significant boost in federal or state transportation funding. These include road and bridge rehabilitation projects, capacity expansion projects that would ease congestion and enhance mobility, and transit improvements.

Despite the current economic downturn, population increases and economic growth in the Granite State over the past two decades have resulted in increased demands on the state’s roads and highways.

  • New Hampshire’s population increased 19 percent from 1990 to 2008, from 1.1 million in 1990 to 1.3 million residents in 2008. New Hampshire’s population is expected to increase to 1.5 million residents by 2025, an increase of 36 percent.
  • Vehicle travel on New Hampshire’s major highways increased 32 percent between 1990 and 2008, rising from 9.8 billion vehicle miles traveled in 1990 to 13 billion vehicle miles traveled in 2008.
  • Vehicle travel in the state is expected to increase by 30 percent by 2025.
  • In 2008, 51 percent of the state’s urban highways carried traffic volumes likely to result in significant rush hour delays. Highways that carry high levels of traffic are also more vulnerable to experiencing lengthy traffic delays as a result of traffic accidents or other incidents.
  • New Hampshire has also experienced significant economic growth since 1990.  From 1990 to 2008, New Hampshire’s gross domestic product (GDP), a measure of the state’s economic output, increased by 53 percent, when adjusted for inflation.

One-third of major roads in New Hampshire are in poor or mediocre condition. This report identifies the sections of New Hampshire roads and highways that are most in need of repair or replacement.

  • In 2008, 12 percent of major roads were rated in poor condition and an additional 21 percent were in mediocre condition.
  • Driving on roads in need of repair costs New Hampshire’s motorists $267 million annually – $259 per driver –in extra vehicle operating costs, including accelerated vehicle depreciation, additional repair costs and increased fuel consumption and tire wear.
  • This report contains a list of needed roadway preservation projects in New Hampshire that would require significant federal funding to be completed.

Nearly one-third of bridges in New Hampshire are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Deficient and obsolete bridges impact commercial and personal mobility as well as safety. This report contains a list of bridges in the state with the lowest sufficiency rating.

  • Sixteen percent of New Hampshire’s bridges are rated as structurally deficient, showing significant deterioration to decks and other major components. A bridge is structurally deficient if there is significant deterioration of the bridge deck, supports or other major components. Bridges that are structurally deficient are often restricted to carrying lower weight vehicles or are closed if they are found to be unsafe.
  • The classification of a bridge as “structurally deficient” does not mean the structure is unsafe.  New Hampshire’s bridge safety inspection program ensures that each bridge is safe for vehicles weighing less than the allowed weight limit.  If the inspection determines a bridge to be unsafe for vehicles, the bridge is closed or posted for lower weight vehicles until repaired or replaced.
  • Sixteen percent of New Hampshire’s bridges are functionally obsolete. Functionally obsolete bridges are generally older bridges that are not designed to modern standards and/or do not have adequate lane widths, shoulder widths, or vertical clearances to serve current traffic demand. These bridges are not necessarily structurally deficient, nor are they necessarily restricted from carrying legal loads.
  • Bridge deficiencies have an impact on mobility and safety. Restrictions on vehicle weight may cause heavier vehicles – emergency vehicles, commercial trucks, school buses and farm equipment – to use alternate routes to avoid these bridges. Narrow bridge lanes, inadequate clearances and poorly aligned bridge approaches reduce traffic safety. Redirected trips lengthen travel time, waste fuel and reduce the efficiency of the local economy.
  • The overall rating for bridges is determined based on deck, substructure and superstructure conditions, as well as the amount of traffic carried by the bridge and the length of a detour that would be required if the bridge were closed.

Between 2004 and 2008 an average of 146 people were killed each year in crashes on New Hampshire’s roads.  Improving geometric deficiencies on New Hampshire’s roads and highways would likely result in a decrease in traffic fatalities in the state. Roadway design is an important factor in approximately one-third of fatal and serious traffic accidents.

  • A total of 732 people were killed in New Hampshire in traffic accidents from 2004 to 2008, an average of 146 fatalities per year.
  • In 2008, New Hampshire had a traffic fatality rate of 1.07 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
  • Where appropriate, highway improvements such as removing or shielding obstacles, adding or improving medians, adding rumble strips, widening lanes, widening and paving shoulders, upgrading road pavement, realigning curves, adjusting grades, and installing better road markings and modernizing intersections can reduce traffic fatalities and accidents while improving traffic flow to help relieve congestion.
  • The Federal Highway Administration has found that every $100 million spent on needed highway safety improvements will result in 145 fewer traffic fatalities over a 10-year period.

Two congressionally appointed commissions and a national organization representing state transportation departments have recommended a broad overhaul of the Federal Surface Transportation Program to improve mobility, safety and the physical condition of the nation’s surface transportation system by significantly boosting funding, consolidating the program into fewer categories, speeding up project delivery and requiring greater accountability in project selection.

  • The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission (NSTPRSC) and the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission (NSTIFC) were created by Congress to examine the current condition and future funding needs of the nation’s surface transportation program, develop a plan to insure the nation’s surface transportation system meets America’s future mobility needs and to recommend future funding mechanisms to pay for the preservation and improvement of the nation’s roads, highways, bridges and public transit systems.
  • The NSTPRSC concluded that it is critical to the future quality of life of Americans that the nation create and sustain its preeminent surface transportation system in the world, one that is well maintained, safe and reliable.
  • The NSTIFC found that the U.S. faces a $2.3 trillion funding shortfall over the next 25 years in maintaining and making needed improvements to the nation’s surface transportation system.
  • The NSTIFC found that the use of motor fuel fees is not sustainable as a primary source of funding for the nation’s surface transportation system because of the shift to a variety of fuel sources and more fuel efficient vehicles. 

Key recommendations of the Commissions and of the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) include:

Program format:

  • Allocate funding through outcome-based, performance-driven programs supported by cost/benefit evaluations rather than political earmarking (NSTPRSC).
  • Consolidate the more than 100 current transportation funding programs into 10 programs focused on key areas of national interest, including congestion relief, preservation of roads and bridges, improved freight transportation, improved roadway safety, improved rural access, improved environmental stewardship, and the development of environmentally-friendly energy sources (NSTPRSC).
  • Speed up project development processes to reduce the excessive time required to move projects from initiation to completion by better coordinating the development and review process for transportation projects (NSTPRSC).
  • Develop a future federal surface transportation program that would be accountable for results, would make investments based on community needs and would deliver projects on time and on budget (AASHTO).
  • Provide a federal surface transportation program that is based on state-driven performance measures and is focused on six objectives of national interest: preservation and renewal, interstate commerce, safety, congestion reduction and connectivity for urban and rural areas, system operations, and environmental protection (AASHTO).

Funding:

  • Shift the collection of federal surface transportation revenues from fuel taxes to mileage-based fees, which would charge motorists a fee based on the number of miles driven, with full deployment of a comprehensive system in place by 2020 (NSTIFC).
  • Ensure that once implemented, mileage-based fees were indexed to inflation and that they and any other federal transportation charges were set at a rate that would provide enough revenue to provide adequate federal funding to ensure that the nation achieves an integrated national transportation system that is less congested and more safe, and that promotes productivity, national competitiveness, and environmental outcomes (NSTIFC).
  • Failure to address the immediate funding shortfall and provide adequate long-term funding for surface transportation will lead to unimaginable levels of congestion, reduced safety, costlier goods and services, a poorer quality of life, and diminished economic competitiveness (NSTIFC).
  • In the short term, significantly boost the current federal motor fuel tax and index it to inflation to support increased federal surface transportation investment (NSTIFC).
  • Expand the ability to use additional surface transportation funding sources including tolling, state investment banks and public-private partnerships as a supplement to primary sources of funding such as motor fuel fees and eventually a mileage-based fee (NSTIFC).

The efficiency of New Hampshire’s transportation system, particularly its highways, is critical to the health of the state’s economy. Businesses depend on an efficient and reliable transportation system to move products and services. A key component in business efficiency and success is the level and ease of access to customers, markets, materials and workers.

  • Every year, $31 billion in goods are shipped annually from sites in New Hampshire and another $32 billion in goods are shipped annually to sites in New Hampshire, mostly by truck.
  • Sixty-three percent of the goods shipped annually from sites in New Hampshire are carried by trucks and another 27 percent are carried by courier services, which use trucks for part of the deliveries.  Similarly, 76 percent of the goods shipped to sites in New Hampshire are carried by trucks and another 17 percent are carried by courier services.
  • Commercial trucking in New Hampshire is projected to increase 31 percent by 2020.
  • Businesses have responded to improved communications and greater competition by moving from a push-style distribution system, which relies on low-cost movement of bulk commodities and large-scale warehousing, to a pull-style distribution system, which relies on smaller, more strategic and time-sensitive movement of goods.
  • Increasingly, companies are looking at the quality of a region’s transportation system when deciding where to re-locate or expand. Regions with congested or poorly maintained roads may see businesses relocate to areas with a smoother, more efficient transportation system.

All data used in the report is the latest available. Sources of information for this study include the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), the Reason Foundation, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission (NSTPRSC), the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission (NSTIFC), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO),and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT).

“Start Us Up USA” Rally Set For Des Moines, Iowa On May 7 – Industry Encouraged To Participate And Show Support For Highway Funding

Published on May 6, 2010 in Industry Activities. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) encourages industry professionals to participate in the next regional “Start

San Antonio Rally 2009

Us Up USA” rally to build support for highway reauthorization and related measures to help the equipment industry recover from the economic downturn. The event is set for Friday, May 7 at 4:00 PM at the Iowa State Capitol Building in Des Moines, and the message will be clear: “New Highway Bill Needed to Save Jobs and Improve Roads.”

The rally will feature an array of equipment idled by the equipment industry depression as well as remarks by local and national industry leaders and Iowa government officials. AEM is one of the event speakers and sponsors. It is being organized by the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Distributors and Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association and is supported by a statewide coalition of associations, businesses and individuals.

Since the start of the economic recession, the construction industry has been stuck in a depression. Manufacturers, construction companies and workers have felt the impact of the worst economic conditions ever in the construction industry. Local and state governments have been unable to address critical infrastructure needs and have struggled with long-term infrastructure planning due to the instability of future federal funding.

The Iowa rally is the latest in a series of regional events that have been staged across the country since fall 2009. AEM and the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) launched the Start Us Up USA grassroots campaign to focus public attention on the economic depression in the construction industry and the need for Congress to swiftly enact a new multi-year highway bill to meet America’s critical infrastructure needs. Click here for more details.

The Iowa “Start us Up USA” rally is sponsored in part by: Asphalt Paving Association of Iowa, Associated Equipment Distributors, Associated General Contractors of Iowa, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Caterpillar Dealers of Iowa-Ziegler & Altorfer, Iowa Concrete Paving Association, Iowa Good Roads Association, Iowa League of Cities, Iowa Limestone Producers Association, Iowa Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Iowa State Association of Counties, Iowa State Association of County Supervisors, Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association, John Deere Construction & Forestry Division, Land Improvement Contractors of America, Manatts Inc., Murphy Tractor and Equipment Company, Star Equipment, Vermeer Corporation.

Asphalt Paving The Way To Tomorrow

Published on April 11, 2010 in Featured Article and National. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

By Greg Sitek

Did you ever wonder where we’d be without roads? Without roads we certainly would not be the United States; the east coast would never have met the west coast; the north would never have met the south; railroads would never have been built across the country; the telegraph and telephone would never have spread their spider-like lines of communication; electricity would lack a system of distribution; newspapers would sit on docks; cars and trucks would have no purpose; we’d have no way of getting to airports or out to dinner or to go shopping; we wouldn’t be able to go to work; and of course without all this there could be no Internet. This litany barely starts the list of what roads mean to us, our commerce, our civilization and our society.

We need our roads.

In our comparative brief history in international commerce it has been our transportation infrastructure that has catapulted us to world leadership.

To be a player, let alone the dominant player, in global commerce, we need the best transportation infrastructure on planet earth. We have the wherewithal to update and improve what we already have and maintain that leadership role.

Asphalt is one of the key ingredients in doing this.

There are concerns about our environment, global warming, oil and a host of other things. Asphalt and the people who produce asphaltic pavements have been addressing these concerns since the late 1970s when the industry fought and won a battle to use

A White GMC nurse truck feeds raw materials into Bergkamp mix paver during micro surfacing treatment.

recycled asphalt pavements. Going back to that time, it seems strange that there were people in the government, industry, society and academia who were against the concept. As a result of the efforts of recycling pioneers, the concept was accepted and became an integral part of asphalt paving, making it a leader in “green” construction.

According to National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT), 96 percent of all paved roads and streets in the U.S. – almost 2 million miles – are surfaced with asphalt. The Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) industry directly employs approximately 300,000 people, and indirectly accounts for an additional 600,000 jobs. On an average, the industry produces and places approximately 500 million tons of hot mix asphalt annually valued at some $20 billion. When combined with state and federal employees associated with the construction and maintenance of asphalt-surfaced roads, the HMA industry has a significant impact on the economic vitality of the nation. NCAT was established to ensure the HMA industry meets this challenge and improves pavements.

NCAT ensures this industry’s ability to provide pavements that are durable, environmentally friendly, quiet, safe and economical. NCAT works with state highway agencies, the Federal Highway Administration and the highway construction industry to develop and evaluate new products as well as design technologies and construction methods, which quickly lead to pavement improvements. Its research center and test track make it one of the world’s leading institutions for asphalt pavement research and an important source of information for those tasked with maintaining our nation’s infrastructure.

NCAT started operating in 1986 through an agreement between the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) Research and Education Foundation and Auburn University. The visionary leadership of dozens of individuals, in conjunction with companies associated with the Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) industry, large and small, brought about this joint venture at a truly appropriate time.

The asphalt industry owes much of its development to a number of associations that are dedicated to providing the country with the most economical highway system in the world. As with most such organizations, these groups are comprised of the individuals working in the industry. Understanding who they are and what they do provides a deeper insight into the industry and its future.

NAPA

The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) represents the interests of the Hot Mix Asphalt producer and paving contractor on the national level with Congress, government agencies, and other national trade and business organizations. NAPA supports an active research program designed to answer questions about environmental issues and to improve the quality of HMA pavements and paving techniques used in the construction of roads, streets, highways, parking lots, airports, and environmental and recreational facilities. The Association provides technical, educational, and marketing materials and information to its members, and supplies technical information to users and specifiers of paving materials. The Association, which counts more than 1,100 companies as its members, was founded in 1955. There is more to come from NAPA later in this article.

ARRA

The Asphalt Recycling & Reclaiming Association (ARRA) was founded to help the industry standardize methods, equipment, nomenclature, standards and training for the recycling end of the business. In ARRA’s outlook statements, the association states:

“No matter what goes on with politics, social issues, anti-terrorism policies and procedures, or the economy, one thing is certain – America needs its highways. Everyone acknowledges that sooner or later all roads have to be maintained, preserved, and rehabilitated, and that the methods represented by ARRA offer the least expensive, longest lasting alternatives for stretching available dollars. Our future is bright!

“ARRA members are an integral part of this continuing effort for system preservation and rehabilitation to provide a safe, cost-efficient, and comprehensive network of roads and highways. The asphalt recycling and reclaiming industry remains a strong, healthy component of the highway maintenance, rehabilitation, and preservation market. Public agencies are stretching their dollars by paying increased attention to the benefits of recycling, and reclaiming their existing asphalt pavements. Environmentalists, taxpayers and legislators will be pleased to know that ARRA member contractors are responsible for keeping literally millions of tons of asphalt out of North American landfills.

“ARRA continues to take steps to increase its visibility on federal, state, and local levels. We are actively involved with the FHWA, FP2 (Foundation for Pavement Preservation), and the new National Center for Pavement Preservation. Our 2006 Annual Meeting was again held jointly with Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturers Association (AEMA) and International Slurry Surfacing Association (ISSA). ARRA officials in the past year have come to Washington, D.C. to meet with key Federal Highway Administration officials and highway industry association executives. ARRA’s membership in the American Highway Users Association, the Transportation Construction Coalition, and TRIP (The Road Information Program) – three of the main forces behind the passage of SAFETEA-LU, and institutional leaders in making sure that SAFETEA-LU funds are spent on the highways – helps keep us attuned to what is going on at the Federal level and provides us with key contacts. A cornerstone of ARRA’s efforts to increase the market share for recycled asphalt has been our work through local organizations, universities, and technology transfer centers to conduct seminars which benefit those involved in the design, construction and maintenance of streets, roads and highways.”

TRIP

The Road Information Program, TRIP, a national research group, was founded in 1971. TRIP is a nonprofit organization that promotes transportation policies that relieve traffic congestion, improve road and bridge conditions, improve air quality, make highway travel safer and enhance economic productivity.

Under the leadership of its executive director, Will Wilkins, The TRIP staff provides an invaluable service to the industry and the country. TRIP reports focus on transportation infrastructure conditions. Individual state or city reports are developed at the request of the respective state or city. TRIP researchers and analysts collect information and develop reports on the state of the

Dynapac introduced a new family of asphalt pavers to the press and Dynapac dealers in December 2009. The official introduction took place at the World of Asphalt that was held February 16 – 18, 2010 in Cincinnati, OH.

requestor’s city or state. Typically these reports are made public and aired over radio and TV network stations. In the last three or four years, Trip has developed over 50 state/city reports and 10 national reports. If you are interested in information on our transportation infrastructure, visit the TRIP website at www.tripnet.org.

ASCE

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) was founded in 1852, represents more than 147,000 members of the civil engineering profession worldwide, and is America’s oldest national engineering society. ASCE’s vision is to position engineers as global leaders building a better quality of life. Early in 2009, to provide guidance for the application of stimulus fund allocation, ASCE published its Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. This report was widely publicized in the national media, online and in industry trade journals.

Look at the condition of the components of our transportation infrastructure, as reported on one year ago. A quick look shows that our overall transportation infrastructure is in very poor shape:

Aviation                        D

Bridges                         C

Inland Waterways            D-

Rail                                    C-

Roads                                    D-

Transit                        D

With respect to our roads, ASCE’s report states:

“Americans spend 4.2 billion hours a year stuck in traffic at a cost of $78.2 billion a year–$710 per motorist. Roadway conditions are a significant factor in about one-third of traffic fatalities. Poor road conditions cost U.S. motorists $67 billion a year in repairs and operating costs–$333 per motorist; 33% of America’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition and 36% of the nation’s major urban highways are congested. The current spending level of $70.3 billion for highway capital improvements is well below the estimated $186 billion needed annually to substantially improve the nation’s highways.”

And as for our bridges, ASCE’s report states:

“More than 26%, or one in four, of the nation’s bridges are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. While some progress has been made in recent years to reduce the number of deficient and obsolete bridges in rural areas, the number in urban areas is rising. A $17 billion annual investment is needed to substantially improve current bridge conditions. Currently, only $10.5 billion is spent annually on the construction and maintenance of bridges.”

What will it take to fix the problem?

The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Commission studied the impact of varying investment levels (medium and high) and produced the following ranges of average annual capital investment needs (in 2006 dollars):

  • $130 billion-$240 billion for the 15-year period 2005-2020;
  • $133 billion-$250 billion for the 30-year period 2005-2035;
  • $146 billion-$276 billion for the 50-year period 2005-2055.

The lower-end ranges reflect the estimated costs of maintaining key conditions and performance measures at current levels (the status quo), while the higher-end ranges would allow for an aggressive expansion of the highway system, which would provide improved conditions and performance in light of increasing travel demand. Even at the lower range of estimates, an enormous gap exists between the current level of capital investment and the investment needed to improve the nation’s highways and roads.

There are numerous other associations that are deeply involved in many varied aspects of our transportation infrastructure. Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), American Association of State of Highway Transportation Officials (ASHTO and/or AASHTO), American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA), Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), Associated Equipment Distributors (AED), Portland Cement Association (PCA) and literally dozens of others are concerned about our transportation infrastructure.

The bottom line is that our transportation infrastructure is in need of a serious overhaul that cannot be delayed much longer. The

Vance Brothers uses a rut box attached to a Bergkamp Mobile Mix Paver to fill wheel ruts with micro surfacing.

rate of deterioration will only accelerate with the passage of time. If we don’t address the problem, bad roads will worsen, congestion will intensify, and bridges will become unsafe. Asphalt paving is an important ingredient in our formula for rebuilding our roads and our economic strength. It is also a critical component in addressing climate change and other environmental issues.

On March 31, 2009, Mike Acott, president of NAPA, addressed the subcommittee on Technology and Innovation on the Role of Research in Addressing Climate Change in Transportation Infrastructure. He responded to two questions.

NAPA Testimony

1. Is research needed to help address climate change and other environmental issues in transportation infrastructure? What purpose would it serve?

2. What issues and topics should be encompassed within a research agenda to address climate change and other environmental issues in transportation infrastructure? How should the research agenda be implemented?

Acott started his testimony with a statement regarding the reauthorization of the highway bill which, as we know, has been temporarily extended, now for the second time. “In the next five years,” he stated, “we can achieve significant gains in addressing climate change by accelerating research and deployment of technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These include warm-mix asphalt, reuse/recycling and Perpetual Pavements. Also worthy of attention are porous asphalt pavement technologies.

“By 2014,” he continued, “with assistance in applied research and technology deployment that may be provided through the next highway bill, we can increase use of warm-mix asphalt to represent the majority of all the pavement material produced in the U.S.; we can double the reuse/recycling of asphalt pavements; make Perpetual Pavements the standard design method; and have porous pavements accepted as a best management practice for reducing stormwater runoff and improving water quality.”

Each of the technologies Acott noted exists but can be improved through additional research and technological development. This is where NCAT becomes an important partner in the future of asphalt pavements.

“We believe there is a critically important role for the federal government in helping to fund the development and evaluation of these new technologies, assess their long-term performance, and ensure their deployment. A primary focus should be to get greenhouse gas-reducing technologies onto the roads in all the states.”

The new federal highway bill, once passed, should specify funding that would foster and aid this type of research. It will make a difference in how are roads are built and how long they last.

The four technologies that Acott referenced are: (1) warm-mix asphalt, (2) reuse/recycling, (3) Perpetual Pavements and (4) porous asphalt. Lets take a look at what Acott had to say about them and how they fit into the future of highway pavements.

(1) Warm-Mix Asphalt

Warm-mix technologies allow production and placement of asphalt pavement material at lower temperatures than conventional technologies. Conventional asphalt pavement material is produced at around 320 degrees Fahrenheit, and warm mix is typically produced at temperatures ranging from 280 degrees F down to 212 degrees F. Since the first public demonstration of warm mix in the U.S. in 2004, warm mix projects have been constructed in all but 10 states.

Warm mix was originally explored for its environmental benefits, which include reduced fossil fuel consumption and reduced emissions, including greenhouse gas emissions. Contractors and agencies have also discovered numerous construction benefits, including the potential to extend the paving season in northern climates, the potential to store pavement mix for longer periods, a longer window of opportunity for compacting pavement, and increases in recycling rates.

Running warm mix can reduce energy consumption during the manufacturing of the asphalt pavement mixture by an average of 20 percent, which decreases total life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions by 5 percent. This equates to 1 million tons offset annually. Combining warm mix with reuse/recycling yields even greater benefits. Warm mix with 25 percent reclaimed asphalt pavement could potentially offset asphalt pavement life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions by 15 to 20 percent. The potential for total savings in greenhouse gas emissions using both warm mix and recycling is about 3 million tons per year.

NAPA, FHWA, AASHTO and researchers created a Technical Working Group whose purpose is to evaluate warm-mix technology performance, quantify environmental benefits, develop performance specifications, provide technical guidance and disseminate information. The partnering approach has provided immense support to efforts to deploy warm mix.

So far, implementation has proceeded with virtually no complications. Demonstration projects, trials and test projects have included the full variety of asphalt mixture types. At least 10 states have adopted permissive specifications, clearing the way for contractors to produce and place the mix at low temperature as long as it meets all other criteria.

Experience with applied research and technology development suggests that warm mix may make it possible to increase the rates of reuse/recycling even further. Applied research on this topic could be helpful in speeding the rate of acceptance of combining the two technologies.

Another opportunity for applied research is full documentation of emission reductions, with specific focus on greenhouse gas emissions. Such research would assist other agencies in taking full advantage of warm mix to meet air-quality guidelines. Research funding will be needed both for emissions studies and for monitoring of long-term pavement performance.

(2) Doubling the Use of Reclaimed Materials in Asphalt Pavements

The use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) has been widespread for about 30 years. Asphalt pavement is America’s most recycled material. Every year, more than 100 million tons of asphalt pavement material is reclaimed and virtually all of which are recycled into new pavements. Materials from other industries, including roofing shingles and ground rubber from used tires, can also be beneficially incorporated into asphalt pavements. The key to this is sound engineering, design, and technology.

Consumption of fuels in the process of acquiring and processing raw materials accounts for a significant share of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing asphalt pavement material. Therefore, it is possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions simply by incorporating RAP in new pavement. Currently, the average rate of reuse/recycling is 12 percent. These numbers include both states that routinely use 30 percent RAP and states that permit minimal use. Using 25 percent RAP reduces total life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent, which equates to 2 million tons offset annually.

A singular quality of asphalt cement is that it is rejuvenated when RAP is incorporated into new pavement, becoming an integral part of the binder. This is referred to as the highest and best use.

In view of the high reuse/recycling rate in lead states, including a preponderance of evidence that the quality of asphalt pavements incorporating RAP is equal to or better than pavements using all virgin materials, there is ample opportunity to double the quantity of RAP used within five years.

Part of the challenge is to encourage agencies in rural areas to allow milling on pavements prior to the placement of asphalt overlays. This will provide more material for recycling in areas where RAP is scarce, and it will improve the performance of the rehabilitated pavement by removing distresses from the existing surface.

Reuse/recycling is not only an environmentally sustainable practice, it is an economically sustainable one. NAPA estimates that we have 18 billion tons of asphalt pavements already in place on America’s roads and highways. Because of the ability to reuse and recycle this material indefinitely, our highways are a resource for future generations. Not only are our roads a primary engine of the economy, they have a high residual value as a source of construction materials. As a note, the process of reclaiming and processing these materials has a very low environmental impact.

FHWA has organized the RAP Expert Task Group (ETG), which brings together stakeholders from government, industry, and academia to investigate obstacles to increasing RAP use. As part of this mission, the ETG has identified states with particularly high and particularly low levels of reuse/ recycling. The ETG is also charged with achieving the desired increases through technology transfer/accelerated deployment strategies, and eliminating artificial and arbitrary barriers to increased recycling in favor of performance-based pavement criteria.

There are also opportunities for applied research, including quantifying the environmental benefits of increased RAP use, developing technologies and procedures to recycle high percentages of reclaimed material, developing technologies and procedures to better preserve the aggregate gradation in RAP, and improving performance testing methods and specifications for use of RAP and roofing shingle mixtures. All these activities would contribute to increasing the overall rate of recycling and therefore reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases.

(3) Perpetual Pavement

Perpetual Pavement is the name given to an asphalt pavement that is designed not to fail. Construction is in layers whose properties serve a combination of different functions; they all add up to an extraordinarily long-lasting pavement. Surface distresses may occur eventually, but they do not penetrate deep into the pavement’s structure. Routine maintenance involves infrequent milling of the top layer for recycling, then placing a smooth, quiet, durable and safe new overlay. A Perpetual Pavement never needs to be completely removed and replaced. In the world of pavements, this is the ultimate in economic and environmental sustainability.

Perpetual Pavements can mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, both now and for generations to come. Perpetual Pavements reduce greenhouse gas production several ways. Since only the surface is renewed, the base structure stays in place, thereby significantly reducing greenhouse gases associated with acquisition and placement of virgin raw materials. Greenhouse gas emissions associated with complete removal and replacement of pavements that have reached the end of their useful life are avoided.

Additionally, greenhouse gas emissions associated with construction delays are greatly reduced because maintenance and rehabilitation can be done quickly in off-peak hours, unlike the remove-and-replace option, which necessitates 24-hour road closures. Limiting closures to off-peak hours can reduce delays for road users by at least a factor of 12.

Perpetual Pavements are more cost-effective than traditional asphalt pavements while enhancing durability, performance and long life. Reuse/recycling is part of the maintenance and rehabilitation process. All these factors conserve construction materials and reduce greenhouse gases.

Once the road is constructed, it becomes a permanent asset within the transportation infrastructure system. A Perpetual Pavement never becomes a reconstruction problem for future generations.

Perpetual Pavements can also keep roads smoother. Significant fuel savings are associated with smooth pavements. It has been documented under tightly controlled conditions that driving a heavily loaded truck on a smooth road consumes about 4.5 percent less diesel than driving on a rough one.

The history of Perpetual Pavements goes back to the 1960s, although the term was not used until around 2000. Full-depth asphalt pavements first achieved wide acceptance in the 1960s as a way of minimizing materials use and construction costs. At that time, it was assumed that the design would result in a “20-year design life,” but experience has shown that such pavements have lasted for over 40 years with no sign of structural failure. Engineering studies in the states of Kansas, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon and Washington have validated these observations.

Beginning in 1999 and 2000, asphalt pavement researchers initiated efforts to understand the engineering features and performance characteristics of Perpetual Pavements. Research has been conducted at NCAT, the Asphalt Institute, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Illinois, and other leading institutions in the U.S. and around the world. The research has led to the development of materials, design methods and performance criteria to enable agencies to design pavements that ensure long life without wasting materials due to overdesign.

There are already many pavements around the United States that fit the Perpetual Pavement definition. In recognition of that fact, in 2001 the asphalt industry created a program to identify Perpetual Pavements and honor the agencies that have designed and maintained them. Fifty Perpetual Pavement Awards have been presented since that time.

There are many opportunities to accelerate deployment of Perpetual Pavement technologies. Full integration of Perpetual Pavement into the new AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide would be very helpful. Open houses, demonstration projects, conferences, publications and webinars can also help to push implementation forward.

There are currently two national studies on Perpetual Pavement through the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) focused on the engineering characteristics that will be critical to the design of long-life pavements. Such pavements have been constructed with instruments embedded in the various layers to ascertain their responses to truck loadings at a variety of locations. These include the NCAT Pavement Test Track and the Minnesota Road Research Project, as well as in highways located in Kansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and other states. These will provide crucial information on the field behavior of Perpetual Pavements.

Significant opportunities for applied research on Perpetual Pavements include an investigation of high-stiffness base materials, which have the potential to reduce both costs and greenhouse gas emissions, and research on the impact of these long-life pavements on climate change, specifically greenhouse gases.

In summary, Perpetual Pavements conserve natural resources, reduce life-cycle costs, save fuel, and reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

(4) Porous and Open-Graded Pavements

Porous and open-graded asphalt pavements have been shown to have a dramatic and beneficial effect on water quality. These pavements have been used widely for over 30 years with an excellent record of success. Open-graded pavement is made with same-size rocks, creating a web of interlocking pores that allow water to flow through the surface.

Open-graded pavements are used mainly in two types of applications:

First, open-graded friction courses are widely used for surfacing roads and highways. The pavement layer directly beneath this is impermeable. During a rainstorm, instead of pooling on the surface or bouncing off it, rain drains through the surface and out to the sides. Splash and spray are greatly reduced, enhancing safety.

Second, porous pavement systems are stormwater-management tools with an open-graded surface over a stone recharge bed. The system is designed and constructed to collect stormwater, which then infiltrates into the ground. Porous pavement systems are used mostly for parking lots, but they have also been used successfully for roads in communities like Pringle Creek in Salem, Ore.

Both applications can be used to improve water quality. Porous asphalt surfaces allow roads and highways to function as linear stormwater-management systems. Porous parking lots store stormwater, reduce runoff, promote infiltration and groundwater recharge, allow evaporative cooling of the atmosphere, diminish erosion on stream banks, reduce particulates in stream water after storms, and improve water quality.

Porous asphalt pavements are accessible and affordable. They can be produced and constructed by any qualified contractor. Open-graded highway surfaces have additional environmental and safety benefits; for example, they reduce road noise significantly. Texas DOT reported that replacing a conventional surface with open-graded friction course in a high-accident area reduced wet-weather accidents by 93 percent and reduced fatalities by 86 percent.

With respect to porous pavement systems for stormwater management, some local authorities may allow the construction of porous pavement systems but still require total redundancy with the use of conventional stormwater-management structures. Applied research documenting the effectiveness of porous pavements, together with a program of continuing education, could be helpful. It is important to recognize, however, that porous pavements are not appropriate for all sites, and therefore legislative or regulatory mandates for porous pavement systems would be counterproductive.

The significant benefits of porous asphalt make it desirable to accelerate their deployment, and there are many opportunities to do so. Applied research, demonstration projects, open houses, Internet-based tools and other continuing education efforts focusing on the use of porous asphalt could result in accelerated deployment.

Implementation could be further assisted through development of design guidance for use by federal government agencies such as the DOT, EPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Parks Service, Forest Service and National Fisheries Service.

Opportunities for applied research include documenting the environmental effectiveness and cost benefits of porous asphalt pavement, improving materials and mix designs, and evaluating highways as linear stormwater-management systems.

Road to the Future

In addition to these asphalt pavements noted above, let’s not forget about the standard Hot Mix pavements. They have served us well and will continue to do so in the future. If you are a paving contractor, it is in your best interest to learn as much as you can about developing trends. The future for paving is probably better today than it has ever been. No matter what happens with the highway trust fund, we will be rebuilding and improving existing roads as well as adding new roads to the system.

Without our roads there is no way we can move into the future …

NOTE: This article appeared in the February issues of the ACP magazines.