Highway Department recognized for innovative construction practices
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: December 1, 2020
Contact: Brandon Strand (608) 255-3114
Madison – The Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement Association (WAPA) announced today that the Sauk County Highway Department was the recipient of the 2020 Local Government Asphalt Award for advancing innovation in asphalt pavements. The Department was recognized today (December 1) at a virtual ceremony during the association’s 61st Annual Conference held online.
County Trunk Highway A between Baraboo and Wisconsin Dells is one of the most heavily traveled roads in Sauk County. It was repaved this summer for the first time in over two decades using various innovative construction practices. The project involved Cold In-Place Recycling (CIR) the existing pavement, paving a 2.5” 3 MT traditional asphalt for the lower layer, and surfacing the driving course with a 2” 4 MT Warm-Mix Asphalt (WMA).
“WMA technologies reduces energy consumption which decreases the production of greenhouse gases,” said Brandon Strand, Executive Director for WAPA. “The US Department of Transportation also estimates the use of WMA will save American taxpayers more than $3.5 billion in 2020 by reducing the amount of energy needed to produce pavement materials.”
CIR mills the existing road surface and processes the material on-site for reuse by crushing, adding new liquid asphalt, and paving simultaneously. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has calculated significant cost savings using this pavement rehabilitation method.
“We commend Sauk County for using innovatively designed pavements to ensure pavement performance and leveraging technological advancements in our industry to build better roads for the traveling public,” Strand concluded.
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“Asphalt. Wisconsin rides on us.” Established in 1948, WAPA is a statewide, non-profit organization representing the interests of the asphalt industry on a wide range of issues related to pavement design, construction, maintenance, specifications, costs, marketing, and policy at the local, state, and federal levels. WAPA’s mission is to promote quality asphalt pavements that are safe, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective.
For more information, please visit www.wispave.org or contact us at info@wispave.org