If the U.S. Senate has its way, proactiveasset management of highways, roadsand streets — which can result in lower

life cycle costs and higher quality pave-ments for road owners — may get a bigboost in next year’s federal surface trans-portation program reauthorization.

Asset management is at the top of a list ofreauthorization priorities of Sen. JimJeffords (I-Vt.), chairman of the powerfulSenate Committee on Environment andPublic Works, which will craft the Senatereauthorization bill.

In late June, at a conference on trans-portation sponsored by the American Road& Transportation Builders Association(ARTBA) and the American Association ofState Highway & Transportation BuildersAssociation (AASHTO), Sen. Jeffords listedasset management the first of six items hewants reauthorization to cover.

Jeffords acknowledged the immense capi-tal investment of the Interstate highwaysystem, and said next year’s program reau-thorization needs to preserve that invest-ment.

“In recent years,” Sen. Jeffords said,“state DOTs have spent over 75 percent oftheir Interstate program funds on systempreservation. We should continue this trendof Interstate maintenance ... we shouldfocus on the system’s performance andinsist that it is well operated, so that werealize the full return on our investment.”

Dovetails With FP2 PositionSen. Jeffords’ position dovetails with the

mission of the Foundation for PavementPreservation (FP2), which has launched a

new National Initiative for PavementPreservation in advance of program reau-thorization next year. FP2 wants to bringthe preservation concept to state DOTs andother road agencies via a national platform.

Last summer, FP2 began high-level talkswith the Federal Highway Administration(FHWA) and AASHTO to readdress pave-ment preservation research and policyneeds, and to establish a focus for a nation-al program.

And early in 2002, FP2 developed a“white paper” which called for a newNational Initiative for PavementPreservation, and continued top-level meet-ings with national entities like FHWA andAASHTO.

Leading Proponent Of PreservationFP2 is the nation’s leading proponent of

pavement preservation. FP2 maintains thatproper pavement preservation means appli-cation of the right treatment, to the rightroad, at the right time, and communicatesthis principle to the top management levelsof government agencies, as well as to fieldpersonnel.

Pavement preventive maintenance is theapplication of various surface treatmentsearly in the life of a pavement to reduce therate of wear and tear and extend the pave-ment’s overall service life. It is akin to thepreventive maintenance we perform on ourcars, such as changing the oil at regularintervals to prevent serious engine wear.

Research shows that for every $1 spenton pavement preservation, state depart-ments of transportation save at least $6 in

PavementPreservation Today

Asset Management Tops List Of SenateReauthorization Priorities

3 Gov. Engler HonoredWith First FP2 Award

4 GASB 34 To DrivePavement Preservation

5 FHWA Asset ManagementArticulated In Germany

6 Sealer/Binder WorkshopAt Midwest Partnership

8 New Funding Stream BoostsNorth Carolina Preservation

10 New FHWA Work Zone RulesMay Stress Mobility

11 Scan Team Back To Australia: Preservation In U.S.

12 Coming Events

FALL 2002

Inside

This IssueInside

This Issue

See Asset Managment on page 2

Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.)

future road rehabilitation and recon-struction costs. And this year’s whitepaper observes that “Rhode Island cal-culates that if the state had spent $6[million] to $7 million for preventivemaintenance, it would not now befaced with a $30 million rehabilitationneed for I-295” in that state.

Also, sound pavement preservationprograms can decrease traffic conges-tion, increase mobility, and improvework zone safety, because preventivemaintenance treatments are quick andcost-effective.

National Focus NeededFP2 observes that the national

Strategic Highway Research Program(SHRP) of the 1980s led to world-classimprovements in asphalt pavementspecifications such as Superpave.

“Nationwide AASHTO standards rec-ommended by the work done by SHRPare now in place,” FP2 said. “TheAASHTO standards, guidelines andmix design methods generally have aproven record of performance and are

readily available to all agencies.”The same is not true, however, for

pavement preservation techniquessuch as joint and crack sealing, chipseals, slurry seals, microsurfacing andoverlays. “Here the research and expe-rience on materials, performance andequipment seriously lags behind thedemand for such knowledge.”

Where national standards are lack-ing, the individual states have steppedin, at the risk of duplicating each oth-ers’ work. “Montana, Minnesota,California and other transportationdepartments have detailed design andtesting procedures for chip seals, andNew Mexico has detailed informationon cold in-place recycling,” FP2’s whitepaper states.

“However,” FP2 said, “there are nonationally recognized protocols fordesign, materials, selection, specifica-tions and quality assurance or per-formance criteria for most preserva-tion techniques ... [d]eveloping nation-al protocols and publishing them asAASHTO standards would improveoverall quality and long-term perform-ance.”

Meeting In MarchIn pursuit of this goal, in March, FP2

again met with executives of FHWAand AASHTO. “The discussionrevolved around ideas of the whitepaper, our new, needed ResearchStatements developed last year, andthat dollars will be needed to move theresearch forward,” said FP2 presidentBill Ballou, Koch Materials Inc.

“Along those lines we discussedwhat funding mechanisms were vail-able, and how we could developmomentum and enthusiasm for pave-ment preservation research among theexisting research forums,” Ballou said.“We want to make sure everyoneunderstands the importance of theResearch Statements and encouragestakeholders to get behind them.”

One way enhanced funding could beachieved is through specific inclusionin the national surface transportationlegislation now being debated in thenation’s capital. The existing legisla-tion – the Transportation Equity Actfor the 21st Century (TEA-21) —expires Sept. 30, 2003 and new

authorizing legislation must be enact-ed by then to ensure a continuing flowof U.S. highway user fees back to thehighway and bridge construction andmaintenance sector.

“We are keeping the issue on theradar screen in Washington,” Ballousaid. “They are working on reautho-rization every day and FP2 needs keepits needs up front so they don’t forgetabout us.”

Moving To Next LevelThe National Initiative hopefully will

result in a harmonized set of guide-lines or specifications that can be con-sistent from coast to coast in theUnited States.

For years the primary road con-struction paving media — hot mixasphalt (HMA) and portland cementconcrete (PCC) — have enjoyed suchconsistent specifications.

“We never have had pavement pre-ventive maintenance and preservationtreatments such as those supported byour charter members — the AsphaltRecycling & Reclaiming Association,Asphalt Emulsion ManufacturersAssociation, and International SlurrySurfacing Association — show up inAASHTO manuals,” Ballou said. “Norhave we trained our young engineershow to use the treatments when theyget in the field. That’s why we wantthis know-how in a consistent, nation-al, written package that engineers canuse as a guideline.”

Across the country, not everyonehas the same pavement preservationknowledge base as there may be in thestate right across the border. “We’vegot to make this knowledge as wide-spread as we do with HMA and PCCknow-how,” Ballou said. The NationalInitiative for Pavement Preservationwill help make that dream a reality.

A list of the Research Statementsdeveloped by FP2 and mentioned aboveappears on page 10 of PavementPreservation Today, Winter 2002issue, available from FP2’s office or offits web site athttp://fp2.org/pdffiles/winter%202001.pdf.

For more information, contact BillBallou at FP2.�

Pavement Preservation Today is pub-lished twice yearly by the Foundationfor Pavement Preservation (FP2).Copyright © 2002 by the Foundation forPavement Preservation. Portions of thispublication may have appeared in otherpublications. Contents of this publica-tion may be reprinted with full attribution.For more information, free subscriptionsor address changes, or to address com-munications, please contact:

Melinda Bridges, Executive DirectorFoundation for Pavement Preservation8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300McLean, VA 22102voice: (703) 610-9036fax: (703) 610-9005Internet: http://fp2.orge-mail: info@fp2.org

Concept and copy by:Expresswaysonline.comhttp://www.expresswaysonline.com

Graphics and production by:Teresa Gutsick, AMG Inc.

2Pavement Presevation Today

Asset Managmentcontinued from the cover

3Fall 2002

Michigan Governor John Engler’sreputation as the taxpayer’swatchdog got some much-

deserved national recognition, thanksto an award in February from theFoundation for Pavement Preservation(FP²). The national group honoredEngler at American Association forState Highway Transportation Officials’(AASHTO) Washington BriefingWednesday, Feb. 27.

FP2 voted unanimously to honorGov. Engler with its first President’sAward for Pavement PreservationExcellence. The award recognizes thegovernor for “his steadfast commit-ment to improved asset managementpractices through pavement preserva-tion.”

“Gov. Engler has provided leadershipand commitment to Michigan’s CapitalPreventive Maintenance Program,”said foundation president Bill Ballou.“He has provided dedicated supportfor staff, resources to carry out theprogram and has promoted this philos-ophy to other states.

“Under Gov. Engler’s leadership,”Ballou said, “the Michigan Department

of Transportation created its CapitalPreventive Maintenance Program,instituting a broad array of preventivemaintenance measures. The state esti-mates $700 million less was requiredto achieve the same orbetter pavement condi-tions, making Michigan aleader in the managementof transportation assetsthrough preservation con-cepts. These savings haveoccurred exclusivelybecause of the leadershipof Gov. John Engler.”

“We have made consid-erable progress in recentyears in focusing attentionon pavement preservationas part of asset manage-ment strategy,” saidFederal HighwayAdministrator Mary Peters.

“As the former director of a statetransportation department, I recognizethe need for preventive maintenanceto preserve our investment in theexisting infrastructure,” FHWA’s Peterssaid. “This award recognizes the out-

standing efforts by Gov. Engler andMichigan in doing that. The FHWA ispleased to join the foundation in salut-ing his dedication to improving trans-portation systems in Michigan and

across the nation.” Ballou noted that

Engler’s willingness to sup-port outreach to otherstates has led to at least10 state DOTs to adoptpavement preventivemaintenance programsmodeled after Michigan’s.

“Motorists in states withpreservation programsface fewer construction-related delays and lessvehicle damage due todeteriorating roads,”Ballou said. “We have Gov.John Engler’s commitment

to preventive maintenance to thankfor that.”

The President’s Award for PavementPreservation Excellence was presentedat noon on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2002at the AASHTO Washington Briefing.�

Michigan Governor Recognized For Pavement Preservation

Michigan Gov. John Engler

Steve Hersey, program manager for FP2, left the Association ManagementGroup (FP2’s management company) at the end of August to pursueopportunities in his hometown of Boston. We wish Steve well and

thank him for his time with the Foundation! Melinda Bridges, executive director of the American Council of Engineering

Companies of Metropolitan Washington, will be taking the reins as FP2’s newExecutive Director effective September 1. Steve and Melinda have workedtogether for several weeks to ensure a seamless transition for the Foundation.Melinda will be joining us at the ETG/Strategic Planning session in Whitefish,MT, and has assisted in planning the logistics for that meeting.

Please join us in welcoming Melinda! She can be reached through FP2’smain contact telephone number: 703.610.9036 and email: info@fp2.org.�

Introducing FP2’s NewExecutive Director

It's hard to believe that theFoundation has been advocating pavement

preservation for 10 years! A celebratory cake was

enjoyed at the spring 2002 FP2

Board meeting.

4Pavement Presevation Today

The advent of the asset manage-ment-based accounting guide-lines under the GASB 34

requirements now being applied tolocal governments will drive bothpavement management and pavementpreservation in coming years.

Across America,armed with pavementcondition inventories,pavement managementsystems or geographicinformation systems,local governments aremaking informed deci-sions as to how theirlimited funds will gothe farthest in preserv-ing their pavements.

“Pavement manage-ment systems and datacollection technologiesare so widely accepted today that theyare no longer being challenged,” saidDavid G. Peshkin, P.E., AppliedPavement Technology.

“Those systems are essential tomaintaining your pavements,” Peshkinsaid, who specializes in educatingagencies in pavement maintenancepractice. “The agencies which usethem can better control what treat-ments and pavements are selected,when they are applied, and how theirperformance is evaluated.”

And an important adjunct is thattoday’s pavement management sys-tems (PMS) will give street depart-ments the data they need to justifyadditional maintenance spending, andto support the requirements of thenew GASB 34 guidelines.

GASB (pronounced GAZ-BEE), theGovernmental Accounting StandardsBoard, is a nonprofit organizationwhose standards provide acceptedaccounting procedures for all state andlocal governments in the UnitedStates.

In June 1999, GASB Statement No.34: Basic Financial Statements andManagement’s Discussion and

Analysis for State and LocalGovernments was approved. GASB 34requires that state and local govern-ments include long-lived infrastructureassets, including roads and bridges, intheir annual financial statementsbeginning as early as fiscal year 2002.

GASB 34 And LocalAgencies

GASB 34’s impendingchanges in financialreporting requirementsfor America’s cities andcounties already areimpacting local govern-ment agencies. Thesechanges are affectinghow agencies reportmajor infrastructureassets, including high-ways, roads and

bridges. And PMS/GIS programs —with their inventory of capital assets— will make this easier.

“GASB 34 is going to be an indirectforce that will affect every publicagency,” Peshkin said. “We see specificimplications for agencies with pave-ment infrastructure. As stewards ofthose infrastructure investments aPMS will enable agencies to track assetvalue. And if they’re intent on not los-ing their bond rating, the PMS willhelp them maintain that infrastructurevalue at its current or higher level.”

There is “a critical role for assetmanagement to play in demonstratingprudent stewardship of highway infra-structure and facilitating private sectorconfidence in highway investments,”said Daniel L. Dornan, Vice President,Infrastructure Management Group,Inc., in his paper, Asset Management:Management Fad or Prerequisite forSolving the Fiscal Challenges FacingHighway Infrastructure?

“The infrastructure reportingrequirements of GASB’s Statement No.34 are intended to increase accounta-bility for publicly owned infrastructureand promote improved management of

longlasting capital assets,” Dornansaid. “GASB 34 also provides a basisfor enabling public agencies to financeimplementation of asset managementtechniques and renewal of infrastruc-ture assets through securitization.”

Conventional Cash AccountingConventionally, local governments

have used cash accounting methods toreport infrastructure capital assetssuch as transportation structures andwater and sewer treatment facilities,said Tom Maze, P.E., Ph.D., vice presi-dent, Transportation Sector, Howard R.Green Co., Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Under cash accounting, Maze said,the capital cost of an infrastructureinvestment appears in an agency’sannual financial report during the yearin which the cost of construction isincurred; the value of existing physicalassets does not appear on financialreports.

Under this cash accounting system,the value of a jurisdiction’s physicalassets is not carried on the books, soto speak. But in reality, infrastructuresuch as bridges and roadways contin-ues to have value, or usefulness, longafter cities and counties have incurredthe cost of construction, Maze said.Just as other physical assets such astrucks depreciate in value, the value orfitness of roads, bridges, and otherphysical assets declines over thedecades, typically 20 to 50 years.

The new accrual accounting recom-mended by GASB 34 guidelines offer amore realistic report of an agency’sfinancial status. These new guidelines— being phased in for cities of differ-ent sizes through 2003 — show theexisting value of an agency’s capitalassets, with the value of an assetspread across the asset’s useful life-time, rather than accounted in its firstyear.

GASB says that this new method ofaccounting meshes with asset manage-ment or pavement management sys-tems. “Because historic costs and

New GASB 34 RequirementsTo Drive Pavement Preservation

5Fall 2002

depreciation [are] not an effectivemanagement tool, and because effec-tive tools are available,” the board said,“the ‘modified approach’ allowed underGASB 34 — utilizing asset-manage-ment systems to monitor infrastructureperformance and estimate actual main-tenance expenditures required tomaintain adequate performance —represents a better course for local andstate governments to adopt in con-forming to the new requirements.”

GASB 34 is bringing governmentagencies more in line with accountingstandards of the business world, anddovetails with the growing philosophyof asset management being promotedby FHWA’s Office of Asset Management(OAM). And to the FHWA, asset man-agement at the local government levelis based on pavement management.

GASB 34 guidelines say it will beimplemented in three phases, based ona government’s total annual revenuesin the first fiscal year ending after June15, 1999.

• Phase 1. Governments with totalannual revenues (excludingextraordinary items) of $100 mil-lion or more should apply GASB 34for periods beginning after June 15,2001.

• Phase 2. Governments with at least$10 million but less than $100 mil-lion in revenues should applyGASB 34 for periods beginningafter June 15, 2002.

• Phase 3. Governments with lessthan $10 million in revenuesshould apply this Statement forperiods beginning after June 15,2003. Earlier application is encour-aged.

More information on GASB 34 isavailable at GASB’s web site athttp://accounting.rutgers.edu/raw/gasb/st/summary/gstsm34.html.

Also, the FHWA’s Office of AssetManagement is distributing a definitivebrochure titled Primer: GASB 34. It’savailable online in pdf format athttp://isddc.dot.gov/OLPFiles/FHWA/010019.pdf. This brochure betterexplains the relationship between assetmanagement and GASB, and will helpthe reader understand its impact onpavement preservation.�

FHWA Asset ManagementArticulated In Germany

The theme of asset manage-ment as it supports pavementpreservation — a guiding

principle of the Foundation ofPavement Preservation (FP2) — gota resounding reinforcement duringthe annual meeting of theInternational Slurry SurfacingAssociation (ISSA) in Germany inMarch.

There, Federal HighwayAdministration (FHWA) Office ofAsset Management’s Jim Sorensonaddressed the international dele-gates on asset management oftransportation systems and itsgrowing importance in the UnitedStates.

“Pavement preservation is morethan just a collective set of specificpavement maintenance tech-niques,” Sorenson told the interna-tional assembly. “It is a way ofthinking and the guiding forcebehind an agency’s financial plan-ning and proper asset manage-ment.”

Its transportation system alwayshas been the backbone of theUnited States’ economy, Sorensonsaid. “The safe, efficient mobility ofgoods and services, unimpeded,across the country and into everycity and neighborhood make ournation’s business world and ourlifestyle strong,” he said.

But the attacks of Sept. 11brought the needs of the transporta-tion system into focus, Sorensonsaid. “When the U.S. Department ofTransportation grounded all U.S.airlines, for a moment, transporta-tion halted,” he said. “Commerce,industry and business all turned tothe nation’s highway network. Theroads and highways were there andwere ready to meet the public’sneeds.”

All the more reason, then, to pre-serve the system that exists,

Sorenson said. But this is requiringa change in mindset among U.S.transportation agencies.

“Highway agencies are redefiningtheir objectives, requiring them tofocus on preserving and maintain-ing, rather than only expanding ourexisting highway system,” he said.“A change in philosophy must bemade.”

And FP2 is one way that changemay come about, FHWA’s Sorensonsaid. “The Foundation forPavement Preservation, establishedin 1992, provides resources toadvance knowledge for improvedasset management for maintainingand preserving highway pave-ments.”

He said FP2 has grown “into afully integrated organization with avision to provide resources toadvance knowledge for managingand preserving pavements througheffective public-private partnering.Their vision is to provide funding,research and skills to see that pave-ment preservation is done correct-ly.”�

6Pavement Presevation Today

At press time in late August,nearly 50 pavement preserva-tion practioners got an inside

look at the use of sealers, rejuvenatorsand binders both in the lecture hall,and in the field.

A practical Foundation for PavementPreservation (FP2)-sponsored work-shop on sealers, rejuvenators andbinders was held Aug. 21-22, inBloomington, Minn., in conjunctionwith the second meeting of theMidwest Pavement PreservationPartnership.

Scoop On Sealers, RejuvenatorsThe Ensuring Pavement

Preservation through the Use ofEmulsified Sealers and Rejuvenatorsworkshop agenda included a host ofblue-ribbon speakers and panelists, allstrongly associated with theFoundation for Pavement Preservation.

A goal of the FP2 Sealer/Binder/Rejuvenator effort is to conduct fivelocal workshops, a national workshop,and then one “lessons learned” work-shop. FP2’s first national workshop washeld in Myrtle Beach, S.C. in March. Alocal workshop also has been held inSacramento.

The event kicked off at 1 p.m.Wednesday, Aug. 21, with FP2’s per-

spective on sealers,rejuvenators andbinders, by FP2

President BillBallou, KochMaterials Inc.,Wichita, Kan. Then,Glynn Holleran, ofLaw CompaniesGroup, Inc. dis-cussed the Purposeand Use ofEmulsified Sealers/Rejuvenators.

That was followedby the presentationof a brand new sur-vey, conducted ear-lier this year,Results of National Survey on StatePractices on Sealers andRejuvenators, by Larry Scofield,Arizona DOT. It was followed by apresentation on Providing EarlyProtection of paved surfaces, by GayleKing, of Koch Pavement Solutions.

Arizona’s Scofield then presented anupdate on the ongoing FederalHighway Administration/FP2-sponsoredfield study on sealer/binder/rejuvena-tor research.

This was followed by technical pre-sentations on Chemical Characteriza-

tion andPerformancePrediction byMichaelHansberger,Western ResearchInstitute, and howPavementPerformanceAssessment is con-ducted in the field,by Dr. SoheilNazarain,University of Texas-El Paso. Lastly,Koichi Takamura,BASF Corp., dis-cussed how poly-

mer networks form in modified emul-sion residue and how they enhanceperformance.

The next day, Thursday Aug. 22, theentire workshop traveled via bus to alow-volume road in southernMinnesota, where a variety of surfacetreatments were placed as part of FP2’sfive-year sealer/rejuvenator/binderstudy. A more detailed report on theworkshop and field application willappear in the Winter 2003 issue ofPavement Preservation Today.

Workshop Part Of Larger EffortThe Sealer/Rejuvenator Workshop is

only part of a larger effort by FP2 tostudy the role and applicability ofemuslified sealers, binders and rejuve-nators in pavement preservation.

Traditionally, highway agencies allowthe ride quality and structural condi-tion of pavements to deteriorate sub-stantially before taking steps to pre-serve their investment. This is costly.An effective pavement preservationprogram can provide an agency withconsiderable monetary savings.

The use of emuslified sealers,binders and rejuvenators is of greatinterest to the pavement preservationcommunity due to their ability to pro-

BULLETIN: Sealer/Rejuvenator/BinderWorkshop Draws Experts To Minnesota

Jerry Geib, P.E., Minn/DOT Research Project Engineer, is interviewed on loca-tion at sealer/binder field test by Minnesota broadcast media on significanceof pavement preservation testing

FP2 President Bill Ballou opens Minnesota Sealer/Binder Workshop Aug. 21

7Fall 2002

Midwestern Pavement Preservation Partnership Formalizing Union

tect oxidized asphalt surfaces, or actu-ally penetrate and rejuvenate them.

The oxidative aging of pavementsbegins at the time of construction andcontinues throughout a pavement’slife. However, most oxidative agingoccurs within the first two to fouryears of service life.

This results in the top 0.5-inch or soof the pavement surface becomingmore brittle than the underlying mate-rial due to the oxidative actions ofwater, ultraviolet, and environmentalactions. This can result in raveling andor premature cracking, which oftenwill begin at the pavement surface.

Maintenance personnel in manyagencies have combated this agingprocess by applying spray-appliedtreatments using distributor trucks.Two major types of spray applied treat-ments are commonly used:

• Products that seal the surface, and• Products that rejuvenate the sur-

face.

Sealers consist of products that areapplied to seal pavement surfacesagainst intrusion of air and water, andto eliminate or minimize raveling ofthe fine aggregate due to aging of theasphalt binder. These treatments canbegin immediately after constructionbut more typically occur many yearslater when some form of distress isobserved. Sealers have been used inapproximately two thirds of the states.

Rejuvenators are formulated to pen-etrate into the pavement and thenenhance the properties of the asphaltbinder of the existing the pavement.These treatments are most commonlyused in the western states where ultra-violet exposure appears to promote

greater oxidation.Little quantitative data exists to

develop design procedures for applica-tion or to determine the cost effective-ness of specific applications. So inFebruary 2001, the FHWA contractedwith FP2 to evaluate the effectivenessof spray applied emulsifiedsealer/binders.

This was a unique approach as itbrought together a partnershipbetween industry and the FHWA.Although the FHWA provides the sig-nificant share of research funding, thepavement preservation industry alsocontributes to this effort through thefoundation. FP2 conducts the researchthrough its partners and contractors.

For more information about FP2’sstudy, contact Larry Scofield, ArizonaDepartment of Transportation, e-maillscofield@dot.state.az.us. �

The Midwestern PavementPreservation Partnership(MPPP) is growing in stature

and outreach as a medium toenhance pavement preservation inthe nation’s heartland, and it held itssecond major meeting in the TwinCities in mid-August.

Over 70 attendees fromMidwestern and Western states cameto the Ramada Inn/Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport Aug. 19-21 for the second meeting. There,MPPP leaders began to draw upbylaws and a formal charter.

Review and finalization of thesematerials would take place throughfall 2002, said Jerry Geib, P.E., MPPPmember, and Research ProjectEngineer, Office of Materials andRoad Research, MinnesotaDepartment of Transportation,Maplewood, Minn.

In April 2001, the MPPP wasformed by the states of Illinois,Indiana, Kansas, Michigan,Minnesota, Missouri, Montana,Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio,

South Dakota and Wisconsin, to per-form work tasks related to pavementpreservation in their climatic area.In addition to most of the foundingstates, representatives from Iowaalso attended, as did registrants tothe following FP2-sponsoredSealer/Binder Workshop.

At the August meeting, MPPP con-sidered what’s been accomplishedsince the previous year, focusing onpavement preservation activitiesboth locally and nationally.

On Monday, Aug. 19, DougWeiszhaar, DeputyCommissioner/Chief Engineer,Minnesota Department ofTransportation (Mn/DOT) welcomedthe group. He was followed by anupdate on Foundation for PavementPreservation (FP2) president BillBallou.

MPPP team updates commenced,on Training by Jerry Geib(Minnesota) Materials by LeeGallivan, Research by Aric Morse(Ohio), Specifications by KirkFredrichs (Kansas) and Policy by

Larry Galehouse (Michigan). A dis-cussion of team dynamics followed.

On Tuesday, Aug. 20, the programcontinued with discussions of sealcoating, incuding emulsions, materi-als, equipment, ADT, QC/QA; cracksealing, microsurfacing, partial depthrepairs, and warranty and policyissues.

The program concludedWednesday morning, Aug. 22, with adiscussion on pavement manage-ment systems and their interactionwith pavement preventive mainte-nance; optimal timing issues;National Highway Research Programand National Highway Instituteactivities; pavement preservationand the City of Egan, Minn.; andfuture steps.

MPPP plans to meet again in St.Louis in early spring 2003.

For more information about theMPPP, contact Larry Galehouse,Michigan DOT, P.O. Box 30049,Lansing, Mich., 48909, e-mail gale-housel@mdot.state.mi.us.�

8Pavement Presevation Today

Anew funding stream for pave-ment maintenance is boostingNorth Carolina pavement condi-

tion, while laying the foundation forpavement preservation as articulatedby the Foundation for PavementPreservation (FP2).

In doing so the state has gainednotoriety for its efforts in both the42,000-circulation Better RoadsMagazine, and in Focus Newsletter ofthe Federal Highway Administration(FHWA).

FP2 defines pavement preservationas the application of the “right” treat-ment to the “right” road surface at the“right” time.

Through FHWA, the AmericanAssociation of State Highway &Transportation Officials, and FP2,North Carolina learned of success sto-ries of other states in prolonging pave-ment life through judicious pavementmaintenance practice, said FP2 partici-pant Steve Varnedoe, P.E., StateMaintenance & Equipment Engineer,and George C. Gibson, P.E., StatePavement Management Engineer,North Carolina Department ofTransportation.

“North Carolina began to look forways to implement these strategies toprotect the investment in its pavementassets,” they said. Theirs was a bigtask. North Carolina maintains thesecond largest highway network in thenation, with more than 78,000 center-line miles of which over 71,000 arepaved.

Unused Trust Fund UtilizedThe key to this enhanced road work

and preservation is the utilization ofunspent cash balances in the state’sHighway Trust Fund, without jeopard-izing their use for promised future cap-ital improvements.

North Carolina’s Highway TrustFund is a funding vehicle establishedin 1989 to widen and improve specificcorridors, construct outer loops in sev-

eral metro areas and pave more than10,000 miles of unpaved roads acrossthe state.

“North Carolina TransportationSecretary Lyndo Tippett made fundingfor maintenance a high priority in hisadministration,” Varnedoe and Gibsonsaid. As a result, the department lob-bied for legislation during the 2001session of the General Assembly thatincreased funding in the budget formaintenance line items, and also pro-vided a special provision allowing theuse of cash balances which have accu-mulated in the Highway Trust Fund forpavement preservation on the primaryhighway system.

This legislative support now permitsthe DOT to use cash accrued in thisfund through 2005 to improve the con-dition of primary route pavements,without jeopardizing the schedule ofany programmed projects for whichthis fund was established.

The $470 million infusion of fundswill allow the department to “jumpstart” a pavement preservation pro-gram by addressing the backlog of

“worst first” needs, and leveragingrecurring contract resurfacing fundsfor thin overlays to preserve pave-ments still in good condition. Suchfunds were increased from $135 mil-lion to $154 million in FY 2001-2002.

Also, the department has earmarked$28 million ($2 million per division)from the legislative increase in routinemaintenance funds for pavementpreservation activities such as cracksealing, chip seals and slurry seals,bringing the total for these treatmentsto around $40 million per year.

“A significant improvement in sys-tem wide pavement condition ratingsshould be evidenced by time the 2004pavement condition survey is complet-ed,” Varnedoe and Gibson said. “Thelong-term goal is to sustain 75-80 per-cent of the system rated at the good orabove level (PCR>80).”

Narrowing Window Of OpportunityNorth Carolina conducts a visual,

100 percent pavement condition sur-vey every two years on its non-inter-state highway system, Varnedoe and

New Funding Stream Boosts North Carolina Roads, Pavement Preservation

Sealing prolongs life of secondary road in North Carolina. Photo courtesy State Road Maintenance Unit.

9Fall 2002

Gibson said, adding Interstate routesare evaluated annually.

Key distresses evaluated include alli-gator and block cracking, rutting,bleeding, raveling, and ride quality.Based on a network level analysis ofyear 2000 data, approximately 41 per-cent of the primary system was ratedas fair to poor, while the secondarysystem was slightly less at 35 percent.

“Looking at the data in a more posi-tive view found that for all systems,”they said, “an average of more than 60percent had pavement condition rat-ings of 80 or higher, making thempotential candidates for preventivemaintenance techniques.”

Given that most of North Carolina’spavements are still in relatively goodcondition, despite inadequate fundingfor maintenance and the rapid rate ofgrowth in traffic volumes, the state hasa narrowing window of opportunity todevelop and implement a preservationprogram, they said.

To implement this strategy, the staterelied on materials developed in coop-eration with FP2. In spring 2001, allfield engineers at the county, districtand division levels involved with pave-ment maintenance attended NationalHighway Institute Course No. 131054,Pavement Preservation: ThePreventive Maintenance Concept.

“These six classes held across thestate laid the groundwork for a culturalchange in the organization,” Varnedoeand Gibson said. “Getting buy- in” tothe concept of pavement preservationfrom the engineers who make deci-sions on a daily basis on project selec-tion was a critical element,” they said.

This same group of engineers attend-ed a second course, NHI No. 131058 inspring 2002, Pavement Preservation:Selecting Pavements for PreventiveMaintenance. Also, the theme of ajoint NC DOT/Hot Mix Asphalt indus-try conference held in January 2002centered on pavement preservationand protecting the investment in pave-ment assets.

Preservation Vs. Worst FirstWith the movement toward imple-

mentation of a “preservation philoso-phy” vs. “worst first”, the DOT revisedthe pavement condition survey deci-

sion tree to indicate more preventivetreatments where none had been, theysaid. This would identify those fair togood pavement sections whose pave-ment life would benefit by applying“the right treatment, to the right road,at the right time.”

With the ability to utilize theHighway Trust Fund cash balances forprimary system pavement preserva-tion, North Carolina made a consciousdecision not to just to apply “bandaids” but to take an engineeredapproach to this preservation effort.

A fleet of nondestructive pavementtesting equipment has been mobilizedto determine pavement needs. “As aresult, very detailed information isbeing assimilated and used to makerecommendations that will serve wellto leverage other pavement preserva-tion funds in the future,” Varnedoeand Gibson said.

In past years North Carolina reliedheavily on hot mix asphalt thin lift(HMA) overlays as its primary meansof maintaining and preserving its pave-ments. “Emphasis is now being placedon a wide range of pavement preserva-tion treatments through the inclusionof these activities in the pavementmanagement system decision tree,”they said.

Now the focus is on treating pave-ments in fair to good condition bysuch techniques as crack filling andsealing; conventional and modifiedchip seals; slurry seals and microsur-facing, as well as a variety of thin liftHMA surfaces.

The use of Cape Seals (chip seal onbottom and slurry seal on top) haveincreased in the past couple of yearsand are proving to be an effectivepreservation tool that is well receivedby the public, they said.

Hot-in-Place Recycling (HIR) isanother technique that has also beenused effectively on several projects.An alternate bid specification has beendeveloped for HIR or mill-and-fill withHMA for projects that are identified asrecycling candidates.

“All of these techniques can effec-tively be used to extend pavement lifeand prevent deterioration if properlytimed and used appropriately,” theysaid. “Pavement preservation makesgood cents and sense. [It] not onlyconserves precious maintenance dol-lars, but portrays a good public image.Our goal is to live up to the reputationthat was established many years agowhen North Carolina became knownas The Good Roads State.” �

Crack sealing part of North Carolina DOT pavement preservation program. Photo courtesy State RoadMaintenance Unit.

10Pavement Presevation Today

This spring the Federal HighwayAdministration (FHWA) wasseeking comments on how both

worker and driver safety — but alsoenhanced driver mobility — can beimproved in highway constructionwork zones.

On Jan. 31 Federal HighwayAdministrator Mary Peters issued an“advance notice of proposed rulemak-ing” (ANPRM) which solicits potentialimprovements to federal regs on trafficsafety in roadway work zones, with aneye to making zones safer and transittimes faster. Suggestions and com-ments were accepted through June 6.

The solicitation dates to early 2001,when FHWA director of traffic opera-tions Shelley Row asked AssociatedGeneral Contractors (AGC) membersassembled in Nashville to help estab-lish a new push to make work zonessafer, beginning at the very conceptionof a road project.

Later, in July 2001, AGC held aWork Zone Safety Summit that devel-oped potential solutions to work zoneproblems. AGC said the summit pro-duced over 50 concepts for safer workzones, and developed an action plan toidentify the recommendations, impedi-ments, implementation strategy, andwhat additional information is neededto give life to the recommendations inthe field.

AGC endorsed FHWA’s initiative andsaid a joint public/private strategy forreducing fatalities and injuries mightinclude:

• Increased enforcement of speedlimits

• A public relations campaign toeducate motorists, and

• Training programs aimed at con-tractors and workers.

To that end, in May 2002 in St.Louis, AGC’s new Highway Work ZoneSafety Committee held its first meet-ing and prepared its response toFHWA’s request for comments for itsproposed rulemaking.

Similarly, American Traffic Safety

Services Association executive directorRoger Wentz presented ATSSA’s planfor enhanced work zone safety andtraffic safety in next year’s federal sur-face transportation program (TEA-21)reauthorization at a meeting of trans-portation insiders in Washington inMay.

Setting The Stage For FedsThere is a precedent for federal

involvement with work zone safety.TEA-21’s predecessor legislation, theIntermodal Surface TransportationEfficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA)ordered the U.S. secretary of trans-portation to improve work zone safetyby enhancing the quality and effective-ness of traffic control devices, safetyappurtenances, traffic control plans,

and bidding practices. This was rolledout as a non-regulatory action inOctober 1995, which established aNational Highway Work Zone SafetyProgram. One of the fruits of thiseffort was creation of the NationalWork Zone Safety InformationClearinghouse(http://wzsafety.tamu.edu) by FHWAand the American Road &Transportation Builders Association(ARTBA).

The clearinghouse is a gold mine ofinformation for government agencies,public and private organizations, andthe general public about safe and effec-tive traffic work zones. The clearing-house began operations in February1998 under FHWA funding, and now isa cooperative partnership between

Driver MobilityIncluded In New Work Zone Rules

11Fall 2002

As it refines its implementationplan for best-practice pavementpreservation techniques from

overseas, select members of a U.S.-based team will return to Australia tofollow up on promising technologies.

Overseas pavement preservationpractices have application here in theUnited States, a fact-finding task forceco-sponsored by the Federal HighwayAdministration (FHWA) and AmericanAssociation of State Highway &Transportation Officials (AASHTO)reported last year.

This overseas scanning task force —including members of the Foundationfor Pavement Preservation (FP2) —traveled to France, South Africa andAustralia July 6-22, 2001 as part ofFHWA’s International ScanningProgram for Pavement Preservation.

The objective of this scanning tourwas to review and document innova-

tive pavement preservation tech-niques, materials, procedures andequipment utilized in host countries,and to evaluate these elements forpotential application in the UnitedStates.

The FHWA/AASHTO InternationalScanning Tour proved that the UnitedStates is on target with pavementpreservation, and moving in the rightdirection similar to other countries,reported FHWA’s Luis Rodriguez earli-er this year.

Now, a scout team composed ofRodriguez, with John Andrews,Maryland DOT, Zane Web, Texas DOT,and Steve Varnedoe, North CarolinaDOT — with Larry Galehouse,Michigan DOT, and Larry Scofield,Arizona DOT as alternates — willreturn to Australia this fall to furtherinvestigate technologies. Many of theseindividuals are active in FP2. This may

include:• Chip seals, including geotextile

use, quality materials, and pre-coated aggregate). A ResearchProblem Statement may result askey to obtaining future study.

• Pavement Management inAustralia. This material may beused in the National HighwayInstitute course No. 4 now in plan-ning stages, in cooperation withFP2).

• Condition Survey Vehicles inAustralia. The team will investi-gate what is available domesticallybefore its visit.

A early version of the OverseasScanning Tour’s technology implemen-tation plan has been written and isbeing reviewed. For more information,call FHWA’s Luis Rodriguez at (404)562-3681, or Julie Trunk at (202) 366-1557.�

Scanning Tour TeamTo Return To Australia

ARTBA and the Texas TransportationInstitute, supported by private andpublic organizations.

In support of heightened federalinvolvement with work zones, FHWAstates that much of TEA-21’s enhancedfunding is being spent on maintainingand operating existing roads, as com-paratively few new roads are beingbuilt. At the same time, traffic volumescontinue to grow and create more con-gestion.

“From 1980 to 1999, the U.S. expe-rienced a 76 percent increase in totalvehicle-miles traveled, while total lanemiles of public roads increased only by1 percent,” FHWA observes.“Congestion is frustrating and costly tobusinesses and individuals.”

Over the years, improvements inwork zones have taken place, FHWAsays. “However, more effort is requiredto meet the needs and expectations ofthe American public,” FHWA says.“FHWA is seeking to identify and fos-ter ways to make work zones function

better. This requires looking at the fulllife of our transportation infrastructureand may require changing the wayconstruction and maintenance proj-ects are conceived, planned, designedand executed.”

FHWA believes that the trends ofincreasing road construction, growingtraffic and public frustration with workzones call for a more broad-basedexamination of the current regula-tions. Regulations may be updated toreduce the need for recurrent roadwork, the duration of work zones, andthe disruption caused by work zones.

Driver Delays Vs. Road Workers?Given the difficulty and vulnerability

of the road worker in constructiondone under traffic, some may questionwhy driver delays should be includedin as part of a new federal work zonesafety regulation. But FHWA is right toinclude user delays and motorist atti-tudes in the work zone safety equa-tion, along with worker and motorist

safety.That’s because as road work volume

ramps up to the levels required bycondition — and permitted byenhanced funding — the entire indus-try risks a backlash from motoristswho see work zones blocking prime,and often, alternate routes.

This backlash already is being culti-vated by people who outright opposeroad work such as the environmentalmovement and local NIMBYs (“not inmy backyard”) opponents of projects.Moreover, frustrated motorists are asource of impulsive driving that endan-gers road workers. It’s enough thatworkers have to dodge beer bottles andsoda cans; they shouldn’t have tododge vehicles as well.

A fresh, new, national perspective onwork zones – constituted by industrystakeholders, bolstered by the FHWAand including motorist needs — canhelp all the industry in the long termand is something to watch for in com-ing months.�

Foundation for Pavement Preservation8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300McLean, VA 22102

Sept. 7-10. PavementPreservation Expert Task Groupand Strategic Planning Meeting,Kalispell, Mont. Contact: MelindaBridges, FP2, voice 703.222.5986,fax 703.610.9005, info@fp2.org,http://fp2.org.

Sept. 24-27. Third WorldCongress on Emulsions, Lyon,France. Sponsored by COLAS, S.A.Contact: Web site, http://www.cme-emulsion.com.

Oct. 7-8. Pavement PreservationSeminar, Austin, Tex. Contact:Tanya Clarkson, AGC of Texas,512.478.4691, e-mailtclarkson1@agctx.org, web sitehttp://www.agctx.org.

Oct. 11-15. American Associationof State Highway &Transportation Officials (AASH-TO) Annual Meeting, Anchorage,Alaska. Host State Contact: GingerJohnson, e-mail ginger_johnson@dot.state.ak.ua; association contactHannah Whitney 202.624.8489, e-mail hwhitney@aashto.org, web sitehttp://www.transportation.org/calen-dar/2002AnnualMeeting/.

Oct. 28-29. Asphalt Recycling &Reclaiming Association Semi-Annual Meeting, Palace StationHotel & Casino, Las Vegas. ContactARRA, voice 410.267.0023 orwrite to ARRA Headquarters, No. 3Church Circle - PMB 250,Annapolis, Md., 21401, or downloadregistration brochure fromhttp://www.arra.org.

Jan. 12-16, 2003.Transportation Research Board,Washington, D.C. Contact: TRB,National Research Council,202.334.2934, fax 202.334.2030,web site http://trb.org/trb/meeting.

Feb. 4-7, 2003. Slurry SystemsWorkshop, Las Vegas. ContactInternational Slurry SurfacingAssociation, 410.267.0023, fax410.267.7546, http://www.slurry.org.

Feb. 19-22, 2003. 27th AnnualMeeting, Asphalt Recycling &Reclaiming Association, FortLauderdale, Fla. Contact ARRA atvoice 410.267.0023, fax410.267.7546, http://www.arra.org.

March 18-20, 2003. World ofAsphalt 2003 Show andConference, Nashville ConventionCenter. Contact World of Asphalt,800.355.6635, http://www.worldo-fasphalt.com.

March 19-22, 2003. 30thAnnual Meeting, Asphalt EmulsionManufacturers Association,Nashville. Contact AEMA at voice410.267.0023, fax 410.267.7546,http://www.aema.org.

Coming Events