Note: The Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement Association continues to recognize the impact that COVID-19 (coronavirus) is having on our members. All projects and plans for asphalt pavement construction and maintenance activities around the state are continuing as scheduled but we know the safety and health of our employees is the top priority. During these challenging times, WAPA strives to serve as a trusted resource for your company, agency, and employees.

That's why last month we set up our  COVID-19 industry page to keep you updated on safety guidelines and best practices, changes to construction operations, event cancellations, and more. Our plan is to continue providing member and agency partners with regular communication throughout this outbreak.

WAPA, WisDOT, local agencies, and the asphalt paving industry are working together to address the challenges facing our organizations, companies, projects, and employees. WAPA was successful in advocating for construction to be declared as an essential service and we have provided best practices and recommendations for the asphalt industry on workplace measures to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. Our industry agrees that road construction and maintenance is an essential operation and our roadway infrastructure is critical, especially for our state's response to this crisis.

We appreciate all the feedback and input from members as we move forward together during these uncertain times and encourage you to stay connected with us during the pandemic to support the asphalt industry's  commitment to health and safety. For more information, please visit  wispave.org or contact us directly.
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Bakertilly
Baker Tilly is a leading advisory, tax and assurance firm whose specialized professionals guide clients through an ever-changing business world, helping them win now and anticipate tomorrow. To help our clients and contacts understand the business implications of COVID-19, Baker Tilly has developed a  Coronavirus Resource Center . This resource center includes such information as how to access the SBA loans, 13-week cash flow models, and additional insights related to the CARES Act. 
 
To better serve the construction industry, we developed a  Construction Coronavirus Resource Page  that dives deeper into the issues that face the construction industry. This page is continually updated with new and relevant insights. We understand the impact COVID-19 has on the construction industry. Many companies are facing a variety of unknowns, such as possible labor shortages, delayed or canceled projects, and material delays, among many others. 

During unprecedented times, Baker Tilly's construction advisors are here and ready to help. We understand the obstacles you are set to overcome and the action steps moving forward to get there.

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Benesch
Benesch pavement projects provide critical performance lessons for long-term improvements

Thanks to the results of two critical asphalt pavement replacement projects led by Alfred Benesch & Company, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has gained valuable insights that will improve long-term pavement design and constructability on similar projects in the future.
 
Both projects - the STH 49 pavement replacement in Green Lake County and the STH 23 pavement rehabilitation in Fond du Lac County - were WisDOT research projects. Benesch led construction services on both.
 
STH 49 involved 7.38 miles of asphalt pavement and used two separate methods of replacement for side-by-side long-term performance comparison of asphalt pavement recycling processes - cold-in-place and pulverize relay. Despite the challenges of paving varying thicknesses over multiple substrates, density requirements were exceeded and resulted in an exceptionally smooth ride. This success also earned the project a National Quality in Construction award at the 2019 National Asphalt Pavement Association Conference.
 
The STH 23 project entailed eight miles of pavement rehabilitation and was one of the first projects in the state to include the Longitudinal Joint Density specification and Percent Within Limits sampling specification. This required significant collaboration between contractors, project staff, and WisDOT to deliver the project on schedule. It is anticipated that the life of the pavement will be extended, and due to the success of the project, the application of the Longitudinal Joint Density test is to become the new standard.


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Cargill
New transportation agency tests show improved 
reliability with recycled asphalt pavement

Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the Virginia Department of Transportation have completed the construction stages of ongoing field tests with Cargill's plant-based asphalt rejuvenator, Anova ® , and the data shows continued reliability with reclaimed asphalt paving (RAP).
 
"The results prove that Anova-rejuvenated RAP continues to deliver consistency, predictability and 'construct-ability' while reducing costs and being more sustainable," said Justin Black, Cargill's global category leader for road construction.
 
The independent tests were conducted with 45 percent RAP mixes over two years on the MnROAD test track outside Minneapolis and the  National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) test track at Auburn University.
 
Key findings include:
  • After two years and 5.5 million ESALs, NCAT results show:
    • Zero percent cracking.
    • The Anova section has maintained its ideal roughness properties better than the control section. The increase (loss) in International Roughness Index IRI is around 10 in/mile for Anova versus around 20 in/mile for the control pavement.
    • No difference in rut depth between control and rejuvenated Anova mix.
    • A cost savings of 50 cents to $1.50 per ton on average compared with traditional mixes, which could equate to around $750,000 in annual savings for a mid-sized contractor.
" The test sections built in the fall of 2018 at MnROAD are performing as well or better than the control test sections to date," said Ben Worel, research operations engineer with the Minnesota Department of Transportation . "MnDOT values our partnership with Cargill and feels that the future of improving our roadways is looking to new ideas and technologies like Anova." 

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CWMF
Travis Mick, Vice President and Co-owner of CWMF Corporation, is determined to provide quality service and equipment to his customers throughout Wisconsin and all the surrounding states.

With more than 20 years of experience in the asphalt plant equipment industry, Travis continues to build a customer base through hard work and dedication. His knowledge of asphalt plant equipment and operations allows him to provide solutions to his customer's current needs. Whether it's offering options for new equipment or helping customers troubleshoot their current equipment, Travis always puts the needs of his customers first.

About CWMF Corporation

CWMF Corporation, a Minnesota-based company, is a manufacturer of asphalt plant equipment. Founded in 1968, CWMF began as a custom fabrication shop. Then, in 1988, the company fully dedicated itself to the asphalt plant equipment industry. CWMF's line of products includes anything from drums to silos, all the way to complete asphalt plants. For more information about CWMF Corporation, please contact Travis Mick at travis@cwmfcorp.com , or visit the company's website at www.cwmfcorp.com .


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Forta
With   innovative solutions for   today's   problems, FORTA Corporation is focused on fiber. We are the synthetic fiber reinforcement   industry leader   and have found ways for governments to extend pavement life cycles and   save   valuable time   and money.  Local municipalities are seeing investments in their roadways returned. Most notably is the City of Marshfield, Wisconsin where fiber has been a consistent part of the asphalt program since 1989. The city was recently recognized during the Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement Association's 60 th   Annual Conference and received the Local Government Asphalt Award for Advancing Innovation in Asphalt Pavements.  
 
Our patented asphalt fiber, FORTA-FI® is a high-tensile-strength synthetic fiber formulated to reinforce asphalt mixes in both new construction and rehab projects. FORTA-FI can provide initial cost savings through reduced pavement layer thickness while delivering the same durability as conventional, or the ability to reduce the overall life-cycle costs by extending pavement life. Ease of use is critical, and our fibers can be mixed in batch or drums while still distributing uniformly and completely for STRONGER LASTING™ reinforcement throughout the pavement layer. Our fiber blend has reinforced asphalt projects all over the world, ranging from municipal streets and roadways to commercial and industrial parking lots - even residential driveways and interstates. Speak with one of our fiber experts to compare traditional asphalt mixture and FORTAfied asphalt.  

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Husky2
Superior Refinery rebuild update
 
Husky is monitoring the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation and has plans in place at all our sites to ensure the health and safety of our workforce and continued safe operations. We have taken appropriate precautionary steps, based on medical advice, and are closely following the advice of health authorities.
 
On March 24, given the current safety and public health risks associated with the COVID-19 situation, we suspended major construction activities related to the Superior Rebuild Project. We know the decision to suspend work on the project has an impact on many people. We made this decision with the sole focus of the health and safety of our workforce, including contractors, their families, and everyone living in our community. Those who can work from home will, and that includes continuing engineering and design work. The impact on the planned schedule for return to full operations has yet to be determined.

Preparations for the 2020 paving season are near completion. Husky will provide asphalt to the Wisconsin market from our terminals in Rhinelander, Wisconsin and Crookston, Minnesota. PMA will be shipped from La Crosse, Wisconsin. 

Husky remains committed to the Superior community for decades to come.

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Kinetrex
Asphalt company reports 35% lower fuel costs with Kinetrex liquefied natural gas (LNG)
 
Fuel costs are a major factor for consideration in the operation of asphalt plants. However, fuel must be evaluated on more than just the delivered price. Fuel oil and diesel are subject to contaminants and dirty emissions which can increase operational costs. Understanding how different energy sources can affect the asphalt industry can lead to a more cost-effective and efficiently operated plant.
 
The following case study reveals how one asphalt production company lowered its fuel costs and operating costs using LNG from Kinetrex: 


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MBR
CASE Construction launched its updated B Series Skid Steer Loaders and Compact Track Loaders at CONEXPO, and these are available now from Miller-Bradford & Risberg

These units have a new 8" color LCD display with split-screen rear backup camera. New hydrostatic pumps allow for precise straight-line tracking and a creep speed with increments from 1-100 for sweeping and cold-planing applications. Operators have more streamlined joysticks and controls with larger buttons and an intuitive interface. All units have updated electronic controls and military-grade wire harnesses that provide for a much lower cost of ownership and increased uptime.

Contact your local Miller-Bradford & Risberg location for details on any of the 13 models of CASE B Series SSLs or CTLs.

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Motion
Frederick "Fred" James Petrie, 74, of Greendale, Wisconsin, answered God's call to have a piece of pie with Him on Wednesday, March 25, 2020. Born on March 18, 1946 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Fred lived a very fulfilling life and wore many hats on this earth as a teacher, deputy sheriff, and pilot. Most recently his love for entrepreneurship led him to build his own business, Motion Engineering, a prominent business in the field of industrial aggregate process that provides services to the asphalt manufacturing industry. Fred was a long-time friend and colleague of many WAPA members.

Fred had so many friends in high and low places, and if you were lucky enough to know him, you knew just how charismatic and generous of a heart he had. If he wasn't behind the wheel traveling to some destination to help someone out, you could find him kicking back watching "American Pickers" or the History channel in his recent years. Throughout his life Fred was an adventurous man who loved to take his family on trips across the country. Going skiing or riding ATVs in Colorado and Montana were favorite pastimes. He loved going with his wife, Melanie, and taking his grandkids to the Mississippi River to go fishing and exploring. One of their favorite memories was traveling to Europe and riding their Harley across the country. If you knew Fred, you know he loved to tell stories and you could be sure 50% of every story was true. You just never knew which 50%.  He was a good soul with a big heart, and he will be forever remembered as "Papa" -- The man. The myth. The legend. Fred is survived by Melanie, his three children, Nancy, Michael, and Jon, and his 10 beloved grandchildren. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

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Roadtec
We are here for you

A lot is changing these days, but one thing that remains constant is Roadtec's commitment to supporting our customers.  As an essential business we are fully operational and here to serve you. We are taking precautions to keep all employees safe, and we hope you are too.

We look forward to when we can see you in person. Until then, stay safe, and please reach out with any needs by calling 800-272-7100. 


SB-3000 and RX-505 Debut

We were happy to see many of our valued customers and dealers at CONEXPO. If you weren't at the show, don't worry, we have you covered. You can check out all the details of what was in the Roadtec booth

CONEXPO included many new updates and enhancements, but the biggest news is the release of two new machines: the  SB-3000 Shuttle Buggy MTV and the  RX-505 Cold Planer

The RX-505 is a 610-horsepower, half-lane cold planer capable of cutting 79" or 86" wide and up to 13" deep. This lightweight, maneuverable machine provides a high-performance solution to a wide range of milling applications. Find out more about the RX-505.

The SB-3000 Shuttle Buggy is a completely reinvented Material Transfer Vehicle. Ground-level maintenance access, agile four-wheel steer, bright lighting, and a 35-ton storage capacity make the SB-3000 the best choice for your material transfer needs. Find out more about the SB-3000 and see for yourself what it looks like to operate the SB-3000 with our Virtual Reality Experience



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Rock
Rock Road Companies, Inc. has achieved a lot of success over the past year. Our business continues to provide Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois with the highest quality of construction materials and services. This attention to detail on each project is what earned Rock Road the 2019 Quality in Construction Award from the  National Asphalt Pavement Association. 

We are proud to have received this award for our mill-and-overlay project on US 51 in Janesville, Wisconsin. This jobsite contained a series of 2,000-ton HMA test sections using a variety of crumb-rubber technologies: terminal blend, terminal hybrid blend and dry mix. The test sections proved that Rock Road went above and beyond all expectations, resulting in a safe and smooth ride for US 51 drivers. As shown in the chart below, Rock Road exceeded the national average in asphalt cement content, plant air voids, in-place density and composite for this entire project.
 
We are proud to have received this prestigious award and look forward to the new opportunities that 2020 will bring.





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STRSEG
STR-SEG is a professional engineering and building envelope consulting firm. Our unique, interrelated group of companies integrates people with diverse education, expertise, and work experience to the benefit of our clients. 

STR-SEG properly identifies the cause of the problem with our peer-review process, and allows our collective expertise to develop the appropriate solutions. The question STR-SEG regularly asks is, "Are we working in the best interest of our customer?" If the answer is yes, then we keep moving forward with the project. If the answer is, "Hmm...not sure," then we re-group and develop a strategy to align with the first question. We are committed to excellence in the services we provide in our clients' best interest.



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WAPA

Thanks as always to all WAPA members who participated in this newsletter.  I would like to pass along a few quick reminders in closing.
  • Please save the date for WAPA's 61st Annual Conference and Business Meeting, to be held December 1-2 at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. We will announce details for attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors a little later this year.
  • Note: We will continue to monitor state restrictions as the year progresses and keep you updated if there are any changes to our annual meeting.
As always, please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or if there is ever any way we may be of assistance. Thanks again, and have a safe summer.


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