This Executive Update features this spring's Washington, D.C. fly-in, commercial and industrial parking lot training seminars, a national convention of county engineers held in Wisconsin, and news from other state asphalt associations.
Flyin
 Washington, D.C. Fly-In

This May WAPA took part in a  Washington, D.C. Fly-In sponsored by the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association.

Members of the Wisconsin transportation industry took this time in our nation's capital to urge lawmakers to support the highway investment bill for 2019. During the visit we also engaged in dialogue about the pressing next question: finding a long-term transportation funding solution.


The visit included a small group-discussion with Congressman Mark Pocan. We spoke with him about the impact of the transportation industry and infrastructure on Wisconsin's citizens and economy.

During the course of the fly-in, WAPA Executive Director Brandon Strand also had the chance to outline the importance of the asphalt pavement industry with Senator Tammy Baldwin, as well as the office of House Speaker Paul Ryan and Representative Mike Gallagher.

Beyond Congressional visits, the fly-in also included a  briefing with about a dozen elected county officials, as well as an opportunity to congratulate Congressman Gallagher on his appointment to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

While we will continue to keep in touch with our federal lawmakers year-round here in Wisconsin, the fly-in remains an outstanding opportunity to deliver WAPA's key messages to legislators and their staff: who we are, what we do, and policies that are most important to our industry and to the state.
Parking
 Parking Lot Training Seminars

In February we previewed a series of Commercial and Industrial Parking Lot Training seminars developed by WAPA member Pavement Consultingi (PCI), Murphy Pavement Technology, Inc., and the Asphalt Pavement Alliance.


"These seminars are part of a concerted effort by our industry to elevate the value of asphalt parking lots," says Michael Groh, a principal at PCI. "We focus on how to properly design, install and maintain commercial and industrial parking lots for maximum performance and life."

Tim Murphy, president and owner of Murphy Pavement Technology, agrees. "We have a common goal to maintain and grow the asphalt market," Murphy says. "We know the formula: Use a tough but fair specification and hire the right people, and you'll get the highest quality possible with asphalt."

The first training seminar, held in Illinois in April was an unqualified success. "Upwards of 80 people attended the event, including business with a global footprint," says Joe Teglia, PCI's director of client services. "There was great interest and interaction among the participants who wanted to know more about asphalt's commercial and industrial uses."

Two additional seminars are planned for this fall.
Based on participant feedback, the seminars have been adjusted to address topics of high interest to attendees. "We fielded a number of questions about geotechnical design and construction at our first session," Murphy says, "To meet participants' interests, we have added a geotechnical expert to our agenda for our fall seminars in Minneapolis and Kansas City."

Space in the seminars is limited (the April training was at full capacity), so individuals planning to attend should register now.

Related resources

WAPA Parking Lot Guide . This publication provides comprehensive guidance on all phases of asphalt parking lot design: assessment/planning, subgrade/drainage, construction, and maintenance. It includes a 61-point inspection checklist to help an on-site inspector identify key processes and follow best practices to produce a quality parking lot.

PaveXpress Scoping Tool . This free pavement design tool helps engineers and pavement decision-makers analyze pavement structures and create technically sound structural designs for all applications, including industrial and commercial parking lots.

Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating: Asphalt PASER Manual. Though focused on roadways rather than parking lots, this publication provides clear guidance assessing surface distress based visual inspection. The guide includes photo examples and a numerical rating system.

As part of WAPA's commitment to the growth and use of all types of asphalt pavement in Wisconsin, we continue to focus on developing and sharing guidance on asphalt parking lots. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the commercial and industrial space or if you would like more details about the information provided here.

NACE
 National County Engineers Conference

Wisconsin Dells was the site of this year's annual meeting of the National Association of County Engineers (NACE). The event gives county engineers from across the United States to hear from top industry and federal experts on a range of topics:
  • Pavement and bridge design, construction and maintenance
  • Safety and emergency management
  • Fleet management
  • National regulations and legislation
This was the first time this national conference has been held in Wisconsin, and WAPA was proud to take a role in the event. We gave a presentation to attendees that provided an overview WAPA as an association, highlighted the benefits of asphalt, and detailed ongoing steps toward increasing asphalt pavement durability and performance.

WAPA, together with nearly 20 other states through the Asphalt Pavement Alliance, also co-sponsored "Wisconsin Night" during the conference. This was a great opportunity to share some Badger State hospitality in the form of local beers, brats, and music with our visitors from all corners of the country.

The conference was an all-around success. It provided an outstanding forum for WAPA to put our state and our asphalt pavements in a positive light before a unique audience of practitioners.

SAPA
 SAPA News: Resiliency and Sustainability; Perpetual Pavements

At WAPA we keep in close touch with the other State Asphalt Pavement Associations (SAPAs) around the country, keeping an eye out for news and developments that will be of particular interest here in Wisconsin.  We are pleased to pass along two noteworthy news stories this month from the Oregon and Hawaii SAPAs.

Asphalt Pavement Association of Oregon, Spring 2018 Centerline newsletter

This article provides examples of how asphalt's speed of construction promotes resiliency by getting roads up-and-running quickly and reconnecting communities after catastrophic flooding and other disasters. It also discusses asphalt's role in sustainability, in particular how smooth pavements decrease vehicle fuel consumption and promote structural longevity.


Hawaii Asphalt Paving Industry, December 2017 newsletter

Amy Miller, executive director of the Asphalt Pavement Alliance, authored this piece on  perpetual pavements. The article describes the concept of a pavement designed for periodic resurfacing with a deep sub-structure intended for indefinite service life. It also outlines the criteria for APA's annual  Perpetual Pavement Award and highlights the free  PerRoad software for designing perpetual pavements.



 Thank You and Have a Safe Summer

In closing, I'd like to pass along a few quick reminders.

First, please save the date:

WAPA's 59th Annual Conference and Business Meeting
November 27-28, 2018
Madison Concourse Hotel
Madison, Wisconsin

We will share a preliminary agenda on our website and through email communications in early fall.

Also, for WAPA members, if you didn't get a chance to participate in our April 2018 Wisconsin Asphalt Industry Insider, we have an October 2018 issue planned. Please look for details later this summer on how to participate.

Thanks for taking the time during the heart of the paving season to check out this Executive Update. As always, if you have any questions about this information or if we can be of assistance in any other way, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Thanks again and stay in touch this summer.