16 Why Reality Capture is the Lynchpin for the Jobsite of Tomorrow
Construction executives have long debated the jobsite of the future built on autonomy and the increased use of technology, and with every day that passes, it’s becoming more than a theoretical concept: it’s now a business necessity.
SPECIAL REPORT
28 2025 State Of The Road Building
Industry
All eyes in the industry are on the fast-approaching September 2026. With another new transition in leadership approaching, what will become of the law’s legacy, and what will the future look like?
FACE OF THE INDUSTRY
40 Connection, Collaboration, Community
Reflecting on the asphalt industry and the changing face of our workforce.
JOBSITE INNOVATIONS
46 How to Create a Safe Zone at Road Construction Projects
The unique risks of work zones demand diligent safety practices that require a proactive approach.
INVESTIGATING INFRASTRUCTURE
48 Net Zero Only Possible With Public & Private Support
How the private and public sectors play a pivotal role in accelerating the transition to a more sustainable construction industry.
Published and copyrighted 2024 by IRONMARKETS. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Asphalt Contractor (ISSN 1055-9205, USPS 0020-688): is published ten times per year: January, February, March/April, May, June/July, August, September, October, November, December by IRONMARKETS, 201 N. Main St. Ste 350, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin and additional entry offices.
POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to ASPHALT CONTRACTOR, 201 N. Main St. Ste. 350, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. Printed in the U.S.A. SUBSCRIPTION POLICY: Individual subscriptions are available without charge only in the USA. The Publisher reserves the right to reject nonqualifying subscribers. One-year subscription to nonqualifying individuals: U.S. $45.00, Canada & Mexico $65.00, and $95.00 all other countries (payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank). Single copies available (prepaid only)
2025 BLAW-KNOX UNIVERSITY TRAINING
PAVER OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
2025 DATES
• January 20 - January 23
• January 27 - January 30
• February 3 - February 6
• February 10 - February 13
REGISTRATION
CLASS SIZE IS LIMITED, register today!
DETAILS
All details can be found at www.blawknox. com/training or contact at (407) 290-6000 ext. 342 or training@blawknox.com
The Blaw-Knox University, is dedicated to training paver operators and foreman on proper Paver Operation, Maintenance and Best Paving Practices through classroom-style and handson instruction.
For over a half a century Blaw-Knox has earned its reputation as the go to source for training and instruction on hot mix paving.
Learn improved technical and problem-solving skills on a variety of paver operations and maintenance topics from Course instructors with decades of field and teaching experience.
Advanced Asphalt Milling Techniques | No Edge Lines
Season 2 Episode 5
Thinking of adding a milling machine to your asphalt business? Or have you recently purchased one and want to get more efficient and more productive? There are lots of ways to level-up your milling game.
Watch the video at: https://asph.link/r4lofd6l
10 Predictions for Construction Technology in 2025
Construction technology giant Trimble has released several insights from in-house executives on the industry in 2025.
Read more at: https://asph.link/ bv98q160
3 Key Factors Affecting the Construction Industry PostElection
Using industry indicators and trends from the first half of the year, Dennis Howard shares where contractors can focus to optimize operations and prepare as far ahead as possible.
Read more at: https://asph. link/1ojvxlm8
How to Bridge the Generational Tech Gap
While some workers readily embrace new tools and processes, others may be hesitant or resistant to change. This resistance can occur among workers of all ages, and for construction businesses to remain competitive, it’s critical to bridge this divide.
Read more at: https://asph.link/ r3x8uu2x
Can We Build Roads To Withstand Climate Change?
As our climate-world around us changes, our infrastructure must change too. Year-after-year an increasing number of climate fueled catastrophes damage or destroy roads across the country. At what point do you stop rebuilding it, and just relocate?
Read more at: https://asph.link/ vkoffpcz
Signup for the Roadbuilding Update, a free bi-monthly newsletter for the most up-to-date DOT, FHWA, asphalt, and other industry news
NEW IntelliPac ™ Moisture System
Astec paves the way for sustainable, innovative asphalt plants. The new IntelliPac Moisture System is a revolutionary solution that integrates seamlessly with Astec control systems. This provides unparalleled, real-time visibility into virgin aggregate moisture content. IntelliPac empowers operators to optimize mix design, minimize energy consumption, and reduce environmental impact. With Astec, you get superior asphalt production – better for the environment, better for your business.
BUILT TO CONNECT
Brandon Noel, Editor
bNoel@iron.markets
234-600-8983
Giving Up The Ghost
Have you really considered what
to do when the time comes to retire? Do you own your business?
What are the next steps, really? There’s no time like the present to start answering those
No one likes to think of the end of a good thing. It’s a cliche everyone knows. The fate of all things good is to, in fact, end. The end and the good thing are connected. They are linked together. Sometimes people use another familiar phrase, “This too shall pass.” But they both communicate the same thing: nothing lasts forever.
Is your business booming? This too shall pass. Is it struggling, and this season wasn’t your best? This too shall pass.
What I’m trying to communicate to you, dear reader, is that it is never too soon to start thinking about what you will someday do with what you are building. There’s no shortage of people who will try to tell you what you should do, but that’s not what I’m here for. I just want you to confront the reality, perhaps for the first time, that someday you either wont be able to do the job anymore...or you won’t want to.
What comes next is up to you, but that doesn’t mean it’s clear, cut, and dry.
DIFFERENT PATHS TO TAKE
These days you hear the phrase “legacy planning” in regard to what happens to a small business when the current owner(s) decide to hang it up. It’s definitely a nice sounding, elegant term for what is just essentially “retirement” for those who are running their whole show.
When you retire from someone else’s business, for instance, no one talks about legacy planning. Either way, no one can do it forever,
questions.
and when the time comes there are some options for you in play, including any number of variations on these choices:
• Handing the company down to a family member
• Selling the company to an employee
• Transitioning to an employee ownership group structure (ESOP)
• Selling to an interested competitor
• Selling to outside investment groups
All of these options have their own pros and cons, and the important thing for you to do is to explore each one well in advance of when the day comes. The last thing you want to do is be ready to retire and this important decision be rushed or pressured upon you due to unforeseen circumstances like health, finances, or other outside stressors.
Even if you’re still in the early days of your asphalt business, and you know that you have a long way ahead of you, it would be shrewd to sit down with a lawyer and start asking the hard questions now precisely while you do have time on your side. You might believe that the legacy question for you is already a done deal.
Maybe you have children who’ve expressed the desire to follow in your footsteps. That’s great! However, there are still legal hurdles and challenges to address, and it can only be to your benefit (and theirs) to start getting your ducks in a row now.
Published and copyrighted 2024 by IRONMARKETS. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.
@ASPHALTCONTRACTOR
BUILT DIFFERENT BY DESIGN.
The future is connected. That’s why we’ve designed the ALmix Insignia Control System (ICS) around the power of high-speed Ethernet communication. An ethernetconnected facility means our team of programmers have complete visibility into your plant equipment and motor control center for diagnostics and remote troubleshooting. View and control data from your asphalt plants like never before. The Insignia Cloud Platform provides access while you are at the plant, in the office, or on the go. Critical, real-time, plant information is at your fingertips when you need it.
DON’T LET YOUR EXISTING ASPHALT PLANT CONTROLS KEEP YOU GUESSING:
The Insignia Control System is available on all new ALmix Asphalt Plants and is also available for existing plant control upgrades.
SCAN HERE TO LEARN MORE OR TO SCHEDULE A DEMO
NEW PRODUCTS
Ergodyne Thermal Gear
Ergodyne has announced the launch of four new thermal solutions. N-Ferno 6475 Insulated Freezer Coveralls, 6476 Insulated Freezer Jacket and 6477 Insulated Freezer Bib Overalls are rated to -50°F (-46°C) for up to five hours of moderate activity and include a 100% ripstop polyester shell with water-resistant coating and 200g 3M Thinsulate insulation traps heat for warmth in extreme cold (30% thinner than poly fill). ProFlex 850 Insulated Freezer Gloves are rated to -20°F (-29°C) for up to one hour of activity.
New Holland ML35T and ML50T
Telescopic Loaders
Two new telescopic reach models — the ML35T and ML50T — have been designed to give operators reach and hinge pin height when loading or moving materials is required. With their compact design, low ground clearance and balanced weight distribution, the machines allow operators to navigate tight spaces and minimize ground disturbances. The telescopic boom design of the ML35T and ML50T models redefine reach capabilities for SAL models. The flexible booms allow operators to retract and extend as needed to handle jobs with various height needs. With increased elongation of the boom, these models are designed for spacelimited sites, delivering horizontal and vertical outreach.
DPL Telematics Introduces AssetView Stealth Tracking System
AssetView Stealth is a solution for wireless monitoring and remote tracking of powered or unpowered assets to support logistics, manage inventory and curb theft. The small, portable GPS unit is self-contained and may be hidden on any asset, installing in seconds. AssetView Stealth allows managers to remotely monitor an asset from an internet-based software package and mobile app. The unit is an unwired attachment to an asset in a “hide and track” installation. Powered by two, AA lithium batteries, customer replaceable. Self-powered up to 10 years on daily updates, up to 2.5 years on more detailed tracking. Activate recovery mode or set movement alerts over the air from the software or mobile app. Waterproof IP68 and IK07 rated design for deployment in harsh environments. Locations enabled by utilizing all five satellite constellations.
TrucBrush Unveils TrucBrush SD-19 for Lowboy and Flatbed Clearing
TrucBrush released its TrucBrush SD-19 for lowboy and flatbed clearing of accumulated snow, which improves safety by eliminating the need for employees to manually clear snow from the top of a truck or trailer. This, in turn, reduces risk of the following hazards, according to the company:
• Risk of dislodging and jeopardizing other road users’ safety
• Risk of damaging trailer vehicle components
Hitachi Solution Linkage CONNECT Fleet Management System
Hitachi Construction Machinery has announced a new fleet management system, Solution Linkage (SL) CONNECT, to meet the real-world needs of modern worksites. With access using phones, tablets or computers, SL CONNECT users can monitor machines on different worksites in one of various languages. Using technological open-source tools, SL CONNECT allows customers to view information from Hitachi machines.
Volvo CE Next-gen EC230 Electric Excavator
Volvo Construction Equipment has introduced the new-generation EC230 Electric excavator for North America. This machine from Volvo CE is designed to meet the growing demand for large equipment with reduced environmental impact. The 23-ton EC230 Electric is a general-purpose crawler excavator with a breakout force of 33,500 lbf., a maximum digging reach of 32 ft., 7 in. and a maximum digging depth of 22 ft., 1 in. Early users have found that the EC230 Electric excavator reduces emissions. The updated version of the EC230 Electric excavator offers an improved battery and an updated cab and styling.
Program ends Dec. 31, 2024
DEDUCT UP TO THE FULL COST OF EQUIPMENT PURCHASED WITH IRS SECTION 179 PROVISION *
ZERO DOWN, NO PAYMENTS FOR 90 DAYS, VARIABLE PAYMENTS BASED ON CASH FLOW FOR QUALIFIED BUYERS
*Consult with your CPA or tax attorney for details on applicable deductibility based on your circumstances
NEW PRODUCTS
CASE 580EV Electric Backhoe Loader
The CASE 580EV electric backhoe loader carries over the same dimensional loading and digging specifications and delivers the same breakout forces as the four-wheeldrive, 97-hp CASE 580SN diesel model — marking an upgrade in performance since CASE first debuted its Project Zeus electric backhoe concept at CONEXPO in 2020. With this new production unit, CASE took customer feedback and made several updates from thermal management to operator controls to electrify a machine with comparable specs to the 580SN. CASE also included new features, like an 8-in. color display, air conditioning, front-dash display and LED lights.
Tenna Enhanced Reporting Engine
TENNA announced the enhancement of its reporting engine. This enhancement is designed to better solves contractors’ common obstacle of identifying actionable information when observing large quantities of equipment management data and helps to easily spot trends across the fleet. Tenna’s enhanced reporting engine includes new data visualizations as well as configurable construction report building capabilities. These visualizations provide a faster way for construction businesses to identify historical and forecasted trends across projects and sites and pinpoint and address issues across equipment fleet operations.
Caterpillar 995 Wheel Loader
The Cat 995 Wheel Loader is designed for large-scale material transfer and loading operations on jobsites. This machine is built to the same size as the 994K it replaces. It also features a higher rated payload and 6% increase in hydraulic force with equal cycle time. The higher payload rating enables a one-pass reduction when loading Cat 785, 789 and 793 Mining Trucks, equaling up to a 33% increase in production when loading the 785, up to a 25% increase with the 789 and up to a 20% increase with the 793. Features include:
• Up to 11% lower hourly fuel consumption when operating in Enhanced Eco Mode compared to throttle lock mode on the 994K
• Redesigned, pressurized next generation cab offers 50% more legroom
Topnet Live
Topcon Positioning Systems has announced a major addition to its reference station service, Topnet Live. New service areas are available through expansion within California, Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Washington, with 180 full-wave geodetic reference stations added to the network. Simplifying the workflows for many different devices in many different industries, network corrections offer centimeter accuracy for high-end engineering, surveying, construction and agriculture measurement and guidance systems.
One of the key benefits for customers is the ease of access to globally supported NTRIP network corrections. NTRIP, or Networked Transport of RTCM via Internet Protocol, is a protocol that streams Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) corrections data over the internet for realtime kinematic (RTK) positioning.
Deere Adds SmartGrade Tech to P-Tier Dozers
Available now on small dozer models, John Deere unveils its next generation of SmartGrade offering improved flexibility, ease of use and exceptional performance. Expanding offerings for customers, the next generation of SmartGrade is now available in both Leica and Topcon solutions. The next generation of SmartGrade helps customers easily complete grading tasks and supports new operators.
LBX 370 X4S
Excavator
LBX announced the new 370 X4S hydraulic excavator. The 370 has advanced technology, including Digital Level, Dynamic Stability Assist, Height and Depth Alarm, and Payload. The 83,776-lb. 370 X4S includes an electronically controlled hydraulic pump system and Tier 4 Final engine with 268 hp. Maximum dig depth is 24 ft., 2 in. and reach at ground level is 36 ft., 1 in. Bucket digging force is 56,160 lbf. Bucket capacity is 1.26-2.93 yd3. Maximum travel speed is 3.5 mph.
BIGGER PROFITS!
Provided by Collaborative Aggregates
Roads Last Longer When Preserved with Sustainable Treatment
NCAT conducts 48-month study to determine if spray-on rejuvenator extends asphalt pavement life
To extend the life of asphalt pavement that’s still performing well, spray-on rejuvenators, also known as rejuvenating seals, are sometimes used. These rejuvenators are designed to improve the flexibility of the pavement which can become stiff and brittle over time, leading to surface deterioration. The idea is that they preserve the functional and structural integrity by keeping the pavement softer and more pliable, making it less likely to crack under the force of traffic.
Rejuvenators are cost-effective pavement preservation treatments when applied to surfaces still in good condition. The treatments address the stiffening and brittleness of the asphalt binder in the 9 mm (3/8 inch) of the surface layer. Treatments restore the binder’s properties, reducing cracking and prolonging the pavement’s life. They can be reapplied every one to four years to extend the life of the pavement.
TESTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A PAVEMENT REJUVENATION TREATMENT
As part of the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) 2018 Test Track research cycle, the Mississippi Department of Transportation sponsored a spray-on rejuvenator experiment. The study’s objective was to
evaluate the field performance of sprayon rejuvenator type products compared to a controlled section of pavement. Both short- and long-term effectiveness in renewing asphalt surfaces were evaluated, as well as the effects on surface friction after application.
The study was recommended for traffic continuation in the 2021-2024 research cycle to further monitor and evaluate the applied product’s long-term performance. While products may work well in the short term, they age differently. An extended study reveals the product’s actual effectiveness. In this particular case, a liquid, plant-based asphalt rejuvenator product was used that penetrates the surface and softens the asphalt binder to improve cohesion while retarding crack propagation of the pavement surface.
The milky white substance dries clear and doesn’t obscure traffic markings or affect reflectivity. In fact, the average value of the retroreflectivity measurements taken on the centerline of the section of the track tested was 279 mcd/m2/lx. According to the 2016 Supplemental Notice of Proposed Amendment (SNPA) to the 2009
Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), retroreflectivity at or above 100 mcd/m2 /lx is deemed safe for roadways with statutory or posted speed limits of 70 mph or greater.
An added benefit of plant-based rejuvenators is that they require no preheating or heat to apply, and needs no sand or aggregate cover. They are safe for workers and the environment, and since they are non-toxic they release no volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, into the air. While there are currently no specifications for emissions, NCAT says this will likely be studied in the future.
HOW THE TEST WAS CONDUCTED
During the 48-month study, weighted tractor-trailer flatbed trucks are loaded with steel plating and run on NCAT’s 1.7-mile test track.
The test involved applying the plantbase rejuvenator over the surface of a
The test track after Delta Mist was applied. Delta Mist goes on as a milky white substance and dries clear. Provided by Collaborative Aggregates
1.5” mill/inlay asphalt pavement section constructed in 2012, after the section experienced around 20 million equivalent single axle loads (ESALs) of traffic without presenting rutting or cracking distresses. The hot mix asphalt (HMA) was a dense-graded mix with sand and gravel containing 25% reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and an asphalt content of 6.8%. The asphalt binder used in the design was a neat binder with a performance grade (PG) 67-22. The application rate was 0.10 gal/yd2.
For each treated pavement section, the asphalt binders were extracted and recovered from field cores at several time intervals after application of the sprayon rejuvenator product (i.e., 1 month, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, and 48 months). Due to the short length of the control section, core samples were taken at 1 and 24 months after the spray-on rejuvenator was applied.
NCAT TEST RESULTS
effective if applied earlier, or before the asphalt binder properties age to critical cracking condition.
DELTA TC (∆TC)
The Delta Tc (∆Tc) parameter is used to assess the loss of stress relaxation properties of asphalt binders. Comparing the control data to the Delta Mist treated section (Table 1: QR below), there is an overall softening on the surface of the treated section through the entire 48-month study, with the most significant effects occurring within the first 24 months. Overall, this indicates that the single treatment of Delta Mist effectively improved cracking resistance of the binder at the pavement surface for the duration of the 48-month study as compared to the control.
Delta Tc (ΔTc) parameter is used to assess the loss of stress relaxation properties of asphalt binders. Generally, a more positive (or less negative) ΔTc value is desired for asphalt binders with better ductility and block cracking resistance. Provided by Collaborative Aggregates
high susceptibility to block cracking. As shown in Table 3, the treated binder demonstrated increased ductility and resistance to block cracking to that of the control during the full 48-month trial period. The G-R parameter for the treated binder was 69.6% lower at one month and 48.1% lower at 24 months, respectively, when compared to the control binder (Table 3: QR code).
WHAT ABOUT SURFACE FRICTION?
When the treatment is applied, the Department of Transportation closes lanes of traffic because the road becomes slippery. The goal is to minimize the length of the closures. If the treatment penetrates faster, friction is less affected, making it the better choice.
When compared to the control data measured 24 months after the treatment was applied, there was an overall softening of the binder on the surface of the treated sections. The impact of the treatment increased further during the 24-48 month period. It improved cracking resistance after the 48-month field aging interval. This indicates that the plant-based asphalt rejuvenators continued to perform better as compared to the untreated control over time.
The treatment was applied to an eight-year-old section of pavement (containing 25% RAP); however, surface treatments perform best and are more
COMPLEX SHEAR MODULUS (|G*|)
The complex shear modulus (|G*|) of asphalt is a measure of how much an asphalt mixture resists deformation when shear loading is applied. While the binder in the treated section did stiffen over the 48-month period, test results still showed |G*| values smaller than the control throughout the full 48 months when compared to the control at 24 months. It’s expected that the |G*| of the control will have further increased during this period. (Table 2: QR code)
GLOVER ROWE (G-R) PARAMETER
Glover-Rowe (G-R) Parameter evaluates the binders’ ductility and block cracking potential, with a high G-R parameter indicating low ductility and
To test and compare the pavement friction properties as a function of speed, NCAT used the Dynamic Friction Tester (DFT). The DFT consists of a horizontal spinning disk fixed with three spring-loaded rubber sliders that connect to the pavement surface. A water spray system is used to simulate wet conditions. The disk is lowered onto the test surface at 40 km/h, and as it makes contact, the DFT measures the torque generated by the sliders’ resistive force to calculate the friction coefficient of the asphalt pavement surface.
The friction on the surface of the roadway returned to the initial control value within 72 hours after application, though, in most fieldwork, traffic is able to resume within 60 to 90 minutes after application (Table 4). To see all table data, use QR code below.
Michelle Garret, Aggregate Industries
For more information visit https://asph.link/m5qjlfz1
MEEKER SILOS & DRAG SLAT CONVEYORS
Silo cone opening is 36” wide for ef cient material ow.
Safety gates on all silos, including long-term and standard options.
Recessed tub liners prevent silo wall wear, avoiding bulging issues.
Silo bin top batchers feature secure long-term seals.
Recessed wireways on silo tops eliminate trip hazards.
Meeker drag conveyors are larger, allowing slower chain speed and reduced wear.
Hydraulic chain adjustment on slats maintains asphalt entry point, minimizing wear.
Visual chain tension indicators on Meeker slat conveyors aid operators.
All silos prewired with top and bottom junction boxes.
By Brandon Noel, Editor
Pulling The Trigger On
New Tech
Brandon Noel
At BOMAG’s annual Innovation Days exhibition held in Boppard, Germany, the heavy iron had center stage, but it was technology solutions that stole the show and dominated conversation among attendees.
Iwas invited to attend the 2024 BOMAG Innovation Days in Boppard, Germany, where the headquarters for BOMAG are located along with their international training center, and one of their largest manufacturing centers in the world. I was embedded in a group of about 50, made up of dealers and contractors from all over North America, as we toured the entire facility and spent time together.
The tour was excellent, and we got to see how some of the most iconic pieces of BOMAG equipment are made, including their ninety different roller offerings, and their intricately designed milling machines. As someone who worked in a factory for more than a decade, I was personally impressed with simply how clean and quiet things were.
Despite all the hardware we saw getting assembled by workers and welded together by cutting edge robots, one of the biggest things that was repeatedly highlighted was all the technology that BOMAG is bringing to bear alongside its big iron. The question that compelled me over the course of the four day experience was, what kinds of technology are these contractors using, if any, what were their thoughts about those presented to them during Innovation Days, and, what kinds of problems are they really looking for help in solving?
That was definitely on BOMAG’s mind, too. I asked their vice president of marketing and sales, Jonathan Stringham, how they are approaching the development and introduction of new tech platforms to its customers.
“It’s important to have people on our team that [our customers] feel know what their challenges really are,” said Stringham. “So, in all of our markets, we always have former operators and technicians, you know, that have been there, right? People who’ve actually done the job, and they can talk shop. That’s important in communicating with our customers and educating them in how to use the technology.”
During an opening address by Jean-Claude Fayat, CEO of BOMAG’s parent company the FAYAT Group, he echoed those sentiments by concluding that they had brought all these hundred of customers, contractors, and dealers from around the globe to see, but for BOMAG and FAYAT to, also, listen to what they had to say.
The general attitude that I picked up on from talking to contractors over the four days in Germany, was that the technology is definitely impressive, but that it is a careful balancing act. There is a lot for them to consider between the benefits it can realistically offer, the costs associated with using it, and the complexity of implementation. One particular point that was brought up to me stood out the most when talking about what makes someone pull the trigger on a new piece of asphalt software.
Contractors will require from manufacturers what their customers are demanding from them. In the simplest terms, pavers and producers aren’t likely to upgrade their efficiency, precision, data capture practices, etc. unless those things are being asked of them from their client base.
BOMAG’S TECHNOLOGY
During the presentation that kicked off the event, there were a few key pieces of technology and software that the company seemed keen to make attendees more aware of:
• BOMAP (and BOMAP: PAVE which was revealed briefly during the live demos)
• Asphalt Manager
• Joblink
• Asphalt Pro
The company used different tactics to demonstrate these technologies to the approximately 400 guests on the day I was there, including the use of BOMAP to track the location of all different tour groups, their locations, and how efficiently they were passing through each section of the tour. This kept each group moving without the next group bumping into it.
At one stop, we were shown a monitor displaying the map of the entire grounds and the loca tions and paths of all the groups simultaneously. What was interesting was how this was created using just the downloadable app itself and the internal GPS of the smart device each tour guide had with them. No additional hardware was needed, which is how it can work right on the jobsite. of course, to get the maximum benefit from its tracking ability, in conjunction with a given roller (whether a BOMAG machine or not) it requires some additional telematic data gathered by the machine. In those scenarios it doesn’t just track paths and passes, it can measure temperature, density, and other key data points.
Brandon Noel
GOING PRO
By far, the piece of software BOMAG was most keen on showing off was Asphalt Pro. BOMAG referred to it as, “The digital control center for road construction.” It offers step-by-step site planning, real-time controls, and, perhaps most significantly, complete documentation and analysis. Additionally, it can generate various types of reports and analyses, through the use of an integrated interface that allows you to export the data for use on other systems.
Starting with the smart site planning, where pre-measured 3D survey data can be taken or imported into the program, and it delivers back required volumes, masses, layers, as well as, mix requirements and construction scheduling for mixing plants, trucks and project sites. It can do this while juggling multiple projects all at once, and allow you to adjust, reschedule, or make other changes on the fly due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. It can track your truck locations, paver data, temperatures, tonnage, and all of this is in service of ever refining the quality and process. Minimize wait times, keep the flow of material steady, and maintain consistency. And when things don’t go fully to plans or projections, the analysis can help you track what and where things didn’t go as intended.
FOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES TO NEW TECH ADOPTION
As I spoke to contractors during the Innovation Days event, it was immediately clear that they are all using something for their office-end business, and sometimes a couple of different things for their jobsite work. In every case, it wasn’t just one, but multiple things working in conjunction with each other.
“We use HCSS for all of our time cards,” said Leland Freeman, a foreman at Gradeline Construction Company (Middleriver, MD). He explained that they use it for more than just tracking working hours. “On the time cards there are line items, in your line items you have the materials and the quantities. I can break out my crew’s time between those different line items. All the truck
drivers in-house have apps to clock into a job number with the foreman. At the end of the day, when they clock out, I just pull in the clocked-in hours, and it has all of the trucking already in there.”
Gradeline made the switch to using the HCSS program because state highway projects involved multiple line items, which were a hassle to keep track of manually, however, despite this seemingly helpful simplification of the process, not everyone was enthusiastic about the change. This uncovered the first big hurdle in new tech adoption: Contractor buy-in
“Everybody over the age of thirty,” Freeman laughed as he described the resistant group. However, it wasn’t just the old-timers that found kinks in the system. Leland’s younger brother Ethan, not yet in his thirties, works as a jackof-all-trades operator, and sometimes jumps from jobsite-to-jobsite in a single working day. He felt it still isn’t perfect.
“I struggle with the apps because I noticed they glitch a lot,” Ethan said. “If I’m breaking my time up amongst many different things, I can only do that [take a break] in theory, once through the app. And so then I get screwed over on hours.”
Leland was there when they made the switch from just paper and pencil tracking, and it was a significant improvement over the old way of doing
things. This made me wonder if he saw anything during the Innovation Days technology presentation that might offer a similar step up.
“They all did. It’s just the technology they’re trying to introduce [specifically Asphalt Pro] requires everybody to use all aspects of it. The asphalt industry is very resistant to change. The contractor has to get the software. Your trucks that might be a third party rental have to get the software, and then your plant has to get the software for it all to work.”
This revealed the second biggest hurdle to new technology adoption: Contingent ecosystems. An example of a contingent system is one where it only works, or you only get the maximum ROI if everyone in your production cycle is using the ecosystem.
To Brian Russel, who works on the plant and production side of the industry, Asphalt Pro also seemed to be the most eye catching technology product. However, he partly echoed some of Freeman’s concerns about how everyone involved gets on the same page.
“The Asphalt Pro stuff could definitely be helpful, and useful to what we do,” said Brian Russel, VP of plant operations at P. Flanigan & Sons. For him, the barrier has more to do with their trucking situation. “We don’t have a lot of trucks ourselves, so we subcontract all of our trucking out. We would have to be buying from the truckers that we use.”
Mark Schinzler is the COO at Larry Young Paving (Bryan, TX), and says they employ several different pieces of technology managing everything from schedules, to grade control, and tracking their fleet of heavy equipment. He is a big believer in the potential of technology platforms in the industry.
“The Asphalt Pro stuff is interesting, and I think that it’s it’s going to be something that’s going to be very good for the future of the industry,” Schinzler said. “I think tracking of rolling patterns [BOMAP] can be beneficial for QC/QA purposes. In reality, though, you’ve got to convince the industry that it’s necessary, and then sometimes convincing the [contractor’s] customers
Brandon Noel
LEADING THE WAY
Weiler Material Transfer Vehicles lead the way with proven innovations to provide the lowest cost per ton of operation.
Innovative and reliable operator friendly features such as paver hopper management system with distance to paver, storage hopper management and auto chain tensioning.
Clam shell doors and full width drop down floors provide unmatched access for cleanout and maintenance.
Variable speed elevator and conveyors meet production requirements while minimizing wear.
The multiple, incremental improvements to the 4th generation of chains, sprockets and augers are retrofittable to all machines and provide increased wear life.
that it’s necessary too. Because unless a customer is going to require you to take that step, it doesn’t right now make a lot of sense.”
Thus, the third challenge to new tech adoption is revealed to be: Endcustomer demand.
This process of communicating the potential benefits or the technology, not just to contractors but, also, to the end clients is on the mind’s of BOMAG’s team, as well. Prior to the live demonstrations at the Innovation Days event, we spoke to their VP of marketing and sales, Jonathan Stringham, and he outlined what their current strategy looks like.
“It’s important to have people that they feel know what their challenges are,” said Stringham. “So, in all of our markets, we have people that used to be operators or technicians that have been there, they’ve done the job and they can talk shop. That’s important in convincing people and educating them on how
to use the technology. It’s not just about marketing. It’s actually about bringing it to the fields, having people that can do it, that can explain how it’s used. It’s a very hands on, person-to-person process that you need to implement some of these technologies.”
According to Schinzler, there are some clients that are already more demanding when it comes to jobsite and project data. The contractors looking to go after the biggest jobs and the biggest customers could really see a benefit using software like BOMAG’s as part of their overall project bids.
“Typically, in the industry, things start with the guys who are usually the most restrictive when it comes to control and then it gradually trickles down to everyone else,” explained Schinzler. “That’s usually the upper levels of the US government, like the US Army Corps of Engineers, or the FAA. Then that will trickle down to the states, the counties, and the municipalities. So, you’ve got to convince those guys, which, if you do a good job of it, I think that they’ll bite, because they’re really concerned about QC/QA stuff.”
Convincing high-demand clientele of the value that advanced technologies can bring might be an easier task than selling it to your own crews. As we heard from the Freeman brothers, even indisputable upgrades to efficiency can be met with some resistance. Once you overcome that initial hesitancy, you’re faced with the fourth hurdle in the path to new technology adoption: Training
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TECH
BOMAG knows that last hurdle is, perhaps, the most important of all. So much so, that, the Innovation Days event is held on-site at their training facility where people come from farand-wide to learn how to use the tools they’ve invested in. This doesn’t eliminate altogether the challenge of bringing training to everyone, but it shows a huge step in the right direction.
“The challenges are different depending on where you are,” said Stringham. “[Because] you might be convincing the production manager, the job site manager, or the owner of the company that a [new technology] product is good, but they will only generate the value from it if you can actually train the operators. So, that’s one of the things we do, not just here, but training the operators on the use of the technology, making them more familiar with it on job sites. That’s actually, I think, how you get into that, you know, you’ve got to make sure that people are comfortable with using it.”
Contractors echoed this sentiment in two different ways. For some, it was about maximizing the usability of such platforms across all their staff and crews. In some cases, while a company might have multiple crews working on different projects on a given day, they may only have one of those crews doing the type of work that could really benefit from large interconnected platform with all the tracking and telematics. The rest of the time, those crews might be doing smaller patches and other low tonnage type jobs.
This is a question about flexibility as much as it is about training, and it’s also about finding the right fit. Many of these platforms aren’t always “one size fits all” which means it’s even more important to assess how much time you have to give to training, as well as, how much of your team will benefit overall.
“Training is honestly the biggest thing for us. We want the guys to understand how to actually utilize the software to its utmost,” said Schinzler. “We have limited amounts of time to devote to tech training. It’s critical that it be easy for them to kind of work their way into it, and that there is good support available.”
For more information visit https://asph.link/9ywso6
Brandon Noel
January 28 - 30, 2025
Chattanooga Convention Center | Chattanooga, TN
This new, exciting event is designed to enhance your business through a full three-day schedule.
The first ever PAVE/X Show was host to nearly 1,700 paving and pavement maintenance professionals for live equipment demonstrations, an in-depth educational program and deeper connection opportunities on an expansive sold-out trade show floor.
After a successful year one, PAVE/X 2025 will head to Chattanooga with even more space, revamped hours and of course outdoor equipment demonstrations.
We’ve planned for accelerated growth in year two, securing nearly double the size of space at the Chattanooga Convention Center. To date, PAVE/X is officially a packed show floor featuring the top exhibitors in the industry.
The PAVE/X difference begins with a robust educational program that is unlike any other learning experience in the market. The educational program featuring 90+ hours of education will cover topics, such as: Paving, Striping, Sweeping, Sealcoating, Business Management, and more. Attendees can choose the sessions that will be most impactful to them and their needs.
Following education, contractors will be able to see equipment in action - an incredibly important part in any equipment buying decision.
Most notably in 2025, we are changing up the outdoor demo experience so that contractors can engage with the equipment and the operators for an even more hands-on experience. We will do this in a controlled space with manufacturer representatives on-hand to answer all contractor’s questions. We will also have a daily safety briefing, sponsored by Rabine, to ensure each contractor practices the correct safety protocols onsite.
The final leg to the PAVE/X experience is creating meaningful connections. Over the three-day event, there will be ample opportunity for next-level networking that will create and strengthen the relationships that are vital to the success of business owners working to grow.
“Like everything else we do, our IRONMARKETS team wouldn’t take on an event like the PAVE/X Pavement Experience unless we could do it better, bigger and bolder than anyone else. We owe you that and we’re looking forward to hitting the pavement with you in 2025,” says Amy Schwandt, Chief Revenue Officer, IRONMARKETS (previously known as AC Business Media).
We hope you can join us in Chattanooga as we continue to build on the success of year one!
Brought to You By:
State Of The Road Building Industry: END OF AN ERA 2025
All eyes in the industry are on fast-approaching September 2026, when IIJA expires. With a change in leadership taking place, there’s still a lot of IIJA work left to do.
INFRASTRUCTURE IN AMERICA
As of early November, more than 40,000 projects were moving forward thanks to funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). While the funding is welcomed (for the most part) throughout the industry, there are lessons to be learned from the spending bill. As we see the end of this historic bill in sight, it is time to really start figuring out where the asphalt and road building industry should be putting their collective influence to best use.
IJA created 452 different funding buckets, which feed those tens of thousands of projects completed or currently underway nationwide. More than half of the 5,532 competitive awards have been for less than $1 million, and another 29% fall between $1 - $10 million. The positive effects of the law will
continue to be felt for years to come.
It’s hard to overstate how revolutionary that is, because it feels like we’ve been talking about it for so long. But these monies actually made it down to the local and municipal levels of infrastructure. Bridge repairs, safer streets and neighborhood initiatives, and so much more, all the way up to lane expansions for congested highways in smaller market cities. If you’ve witnessed small sidewalk repairs happening in your local area, bad stretches of worn out roads finally getting fixed, or old pieces of infrastructure getting torn out, then you’ve likely witnessed IIJA funds at work in your community.
The final chapter of the bipartisan bill might not be as impactful as the
early ones, though. This is because, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, somewhere between 31% and 40% of the remaining funds could be absorbed by inflation. That is completely without equal precedent. There is an added uncertainty with President Donald Trump returning to the White House — there could be disruptions to the way the last days of the IIJA play out. That doesn’t just take into account direct actions against the bill, it also takes into account other factors such as Trump’s proposed tariffs.
Where inflation took a huge chunk of the pie out of the equation, the possible impacts of tariffs on imported goods could make matters more difficult. Tariffs are not paid by the country
or foreign companies shipping goods to the United States, but are paid by the one importing the goods and usually passed on to consumers.
Going into the final year of the IIJA, what are some of its biggest successes?
Zack Fritz, COO, Sage Policy Group: While this may seem obvious, the biggest success is that infrastructure outlays have translated into actual infrastructure projects. Spending on highway and street projects, for instance, is up more than 36% since the IIJA was signed. Other infrastructure categories, like water supply (+62% over that span), have seen even larger increases. Given how the environmental review process and other legal challenges can bog these projects down, seeing dollars hit the asphalt should come as a big relief.
Alison Black, senior vice president and chief economist, American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA): The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) continues to have a significant market impact as Year Four of the program gets underway. The law’s investment has helped support significant increases in major indicators, including contract awards, highway and bridge contractor employment, and construction activity. ARTBA analysis suggests that there is still a lot of IIJA funding on the horizon. Many projects supported by discretionary grants and the new formula bridge program have yet to enter the construction phase.
This impact has been amplified by states increasing their own transportation revenues in 2023, through bond issues, raising recurring revenues, new user fees, and general fund transfers. While not many states raised transportation revenues in 2024, voters approved 77% of 370 funding measures on the ballot. The approved measures will generate an estimated $41.4 billion in new and renewed funding over the next few decades.
Contractors continued to be busy in 2024 – with construction activity continuing to trend upward for highways
(+8% versus 2023) and bridges (+16%).
These markets are expected to continue to show growth in 2025, according to ARTBA’s market outlook, with total transportation construction activity across all modes increasing 8% compared to a record-level of work in 2024.
New state department of transportation (DOT) budget authority fell by 2% in fiscal year (FY) 2025, from $215.1 billion to $210.5 billion, after two consecutive years of 12% growth — more than double the typical rate. However, FY 2025 budgets were up in 35 of the 48 recorded states.
The aggregate decline is primarily attributable to the recognition of major one-time appropriations out of state revenue surpluses in FY 2024, which only appear in the initial budget year but will be spent out over a much longer period Audrey Copeland, president and CEO, National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA): The success of IIJA was in setting a new standard for highway funding. At the time, we celebrated its historic nature, while cautioning that such funding levels must become the rule rather than the exception. The hurdle we face in the 119th Congress is working with many lawmakers who’ve never been involved in creating a highway bill. We must help them see IIJA as the baseline rather than a one-off.
Specific to our industry, besides the funding levels, the very necessary Buy America exemption on our construction material supply chain allowed work to proceed without undue bureaucracy, and we’re proud to have championed that effort alongside our partners in the construction materials space. Additionally, we advocated for the Work Zone Safety Contingency Fund to provide state DOTs with more funding flexibility on this critical issue. While successfully included in IIJA, we haven’t seen it take off in a meaningful way. With nearly 1,000 roadway workers suffering fatalities each year while building and maintaining our surface transportation network, we urge the USDOT and state DOTs to leverage these funds without additional delay.
THE STATE OF DAMAGES
Although this graph does not include data from this year, we know that the back-toback hurricanes “Helene” and “Milton” both categorically belong to this grade of natural disaster. In some of these regions where damages are highest and most frequent, insurers have pulled out and left property owners to fend for themselves. This graph, created by the National Climate Assessment, which is funded and mandated by the Global Change Research Act of 1990, and requires the creation of a report no less than every four years delivered to Congress and the president. Billion-dollar weather and climate disasters are events where damages/costs reach or exceed $1 billion, including adjustments for inflation. Between 2018 and 2022, 89 such events affected the U.S., including 4 droughts, 6 floods, 52 severe storms, 18 tropical cyclones, 5 wildfires, and 4 winter storm events. During this period, Florida had the highest total damages ($140 billion) and experienced the highest damages from a single event—Hurricane Ian ($113 billion). Over the 1980–2022 period, Texas had the highest total damages ($375 billion). Increasing costs over time are driven by changes in the assets at risk and the increase in frequency or intensity of extreme events caused by climate change.²
What lessons have been learned from the IIJA?
Copeland: Our focus on the next highway bill will always be how to work in the middle and strive for bipartisanship support whenever possible. That holds true for the 119th Congress. Despite differences, Congress can still get important things done. Bipartisanship is what it took to push IIJA over the finish line and that’s what will be required again, in part because of the many newly elected officials involved in what will be their first federal highway bill.
An important lesson from IIJA is that it’s critical to properly fund and focus on road infrastructure, a true highway bill, rather than making a highway bill a ‘catch all’ for other investments. IIJA provided generational investments in various public works programs like EV charging stations and rural broadband; however, with highway authorization expiring in fall 2026, that is where the focus should be – reauthorization of highway programs and sticking to core infrastructure projects. We urge lawmakers to listen to the industries that keep America moving for guidance on what it will take to maintain and improve the infrastructure that carries our shared economic prosperity.
Fritz: The IIJA dedicated more than $42 billion to increase rural broadband access through something called The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD). Thus far, exceedingly few—if any— rural households have been connected to broadband via the program, largely due to federal requirements about how affordable that internet needs to be. Policymakers should study everything about the BEAD program so they can make sure it never happens again.
Black: One important thing to understand about transportation investment is that it takes time for projects to get underway. The IIJA provided an average increase of $21.1 billion per year in increased funding levels compared to FY 2021.
About 45% of that incremental funding ($9.5 billion of the $21 billion increase) represents a top-up to core
THE STATE OF AT-RISK INFRASTRUCTURE
Top Row: Maps show (a) the average number of minor high tide flooding events per year in 2020 (with historical sea level rise) and (b) the expected number of events per year in 2050 (when driven by extrapolated sea level rise).
Bottom Row: Maps show (c) average annual loss (AAL) from all types of flooding in millions of dollars in 2020 and (d) the projected changes in AAL in 2050 relative to 2020. AAL estimates were made only for the contiguous U.S. Over the next three decades, the number of flooding days along all coastlines of the U.S. is expected to increase. These increases in the occurrence of flooding will drive greater AALs, especially in coastal areas of the U.S.²
highway formula programs. States have decades of experience programming these funds and flexibility over the types of projects receiving obligations.
New under IIJA is a bridge formula program, which accounts for an additional $5.5 billion (26%) of the average annual $21 billion funding increase, and an electric vehicle (EV) formula program, which adds $1 billion (5%) per year. Congress granted states four years to obligate funding from these programs. As a result, the pace of obligations from these programs has been slower.
Finally, the remaining $5.1 billion per year, or 24% of the average annual increase in funding, is controlled by the U.S. DOT and administered through a series of discretionary grant programs.
This amount includes both growth in existing programs, as well as newly introduced grants.
A large share of this funding has also been slow to obligate. For example, while more than $13 billion in discretionary awards was announced during the first half of IIJA, only about $2 billion had been obligated. A primary source of this lag is the additional time often needed to reach a grant agreement, lengthened under IIJA by the rollout of new programs and learning curve for local agencies directly applying for the first time.
What would you add to a future bill with the guarantee that it would be included?
THE STATE OF SUSTAINABILITY
Things are speeding up, and the question is whether or not our infrastructure can withstand the increasingly brutal conditions. Modern road designs are built to withstand 100-year weather events, but their being faced with events that exceed that threshold. Since 1980, there have been 400 weather-related climate disasters that reached or were in excess of $1 billion in damages, adjusted for inflation, and the total damages of all events is greater than $2.785 trillion.
As of Nov. 1, 2024, there have been 24 weather and climate disasters that meet the $1 billion threshold in the United States. These events included 17 severe storm events, 4 tropical cyclone events, 1 wildfire event, and 2 winter storm events. Between the years of 1980 and 2023, the annual average for this scale of event is 8.5 disasters, when adjusted for inflation. However, if you average the last five years only, it has been 20.4 billion dollar disasters.
This is a significant increase in, not only disaster frequency, but also event intensity. From this perspective, the federal government should be looking to invest more money into resiliency engineering, durable road design, and proper maintenance.
What is the current state of/or attitude towards the EPD program, and how has the overall buy-in progressed across the industry? Is it working? If not, how can it be improved?
With the release of version 2 of the PCR for asphalt mixtures nearly three years ago along with improvements to the Emerald Eco-Label software, we’ve seen a multiplication in creation and publication of verified EPDs, driven in part by emerging requirements at federal, state, and local levels. There’s a realization in many markets that EPDs are part of the new reality. And there’s also a growing appreciation for the efficiencies the EPD process can provide to companies. Better data – materials,
additives, and energy consumption – doesn’t just put a label on our products. It also helps businesses make better decisions, improve operations, and save money. We’re seeing that embraced on a level and in numbers we didn’t see before 2022.
As the government has continued to push for greener policy, have their been any valid pushbacks have you seen from producer and pavers that should be addressed?
Audrey Copeland, NAPA: Some contractors are concerned about EPDs being publicly available, because EPDs include inputs to the mix designs. Some contractors are concerned that competitors could undercut their operations using proprietary information extracted from EPDs; others are concerned that policy is moving faster than science.
Any time major change is incorporated into federal procurement, as we’ve seen on programs like EPDs and Buy Clean, there is natural resistance. We recognize there are differences in how people may interpret climate information and how that influences policy. Our industry has done well to recognize that even if ‘greener’ policies aren’t the biggest discussion of the day, they are nevertheless present in legislative and regulatory agendas at all levels of government. The asphalt pavement industry is very well positioned to work on policies like these and we’ll always be proactively collaborating with elected officials on policies that are complimentary, not adversarial, to the industry’s growth and market share and the people we ultimately serve – the American people.
WMA and BMD are well worn territory at this point, but are they the industry standard? Why or why not? What continue to be the limiting factors?
Copeland: In cooperation with FHWA, we’ve been analyzing the use of RAP and WMA for almost 15 years. This year, we also asked about barriers to increasing the use
Fritz: While not technically part of the IIJA, I would reverse the administration’s executive order requiring project labor agreements for all federal projects worth more than $35 million — call it addition by subtraction. PLAs drive up labor costs, meaning taxpayers get less infrastructure per dollar spent.
Copeland: We must figure out how we make the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) financially secure, a problem that’s plagued Congress for more than two decades. If we can identify some real solutions in the next highway bill for new user fees, that would be a great step forward for future infrastructure packages. This Congress is likely the first one we can recall in modern times when a tax bill and highway bill will evolve at the same time – meaning we can work with the committees of jurisdiction simultaneously on authorizing a surface transportation bill, and paying for it, in one swoop. And unlike many industries working on tax credits and deficit risers, industries in the construction space are revenue raisers, providing options to build more resources for Congress to enact robust federal infrastructure packages.
of both technologies. For WMA, we heard from both agencies and contractors that education and incentives are needed to promote higher usage. Agencies are primarily concerned about low in-place density and moisture-induced performance issues – both of which represent opportunities to educate agencies, and maybe contractors too, about how to overcome and mitigate these concerns.
BMD is gaining traction in the industry but has not yet become the industry standard. While many agencies and contractors recognize its value for improving pavement performance, challenges remain. To address these, NAPA, in collaboration with FHWA, established the BMD Implementation Working Group to accelerate adoption. Additionally, NAPA offers the BMD Resource Guide, which we’re continually updating. These efforts, along with continued collaboration, training, and investment, are key to positioning BMD as the standard for asphalt mix design.
What is the biggest hurdle standing in the way of the asphalt industry’s 2050 goal of carbon net neutrality? How best can it be overcome?
Copeland: I think the biggest hurdles at the moment are specifications and funding. Specifications govern what a contractor can do regarding materials and mix design. Owners should be willing to open specifications up to allow contractors to use lower carbon materials. On funding, I’m specifically referring to the cost of moving to lower carbon technology at asphalt plants. Asphalt plants are often generational purchases. Because of this outsized and infrequent investment, the industry will need some help, plant by plant, in making the purchases needed to reduce carbon emissions.
One of the biggest issues is and continues to be, how to keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent. What pathway forward most benefits road builders?
Audrey Copeland: If we maintain current spending under IIJA without any new user fee generation, the HTF will be insolvent by 2028, and if we maintain our current outlays in IIJA without any new user fees, by the next decade we’d expect the HTF deficit to approach $250 billion. While increasing the federal fuel tax would be the simplest solution, it’s also the least likely to receive support from politicians. NAPA welcomes all possible solutions, from new programs like vehicle miles traveled (VMTs) to straightforward opportunities like capturing the electric vehicle (EV) market; VMTs have been pragmatically studied for years but have not been implemented on a large scale. Just a year ago, NAPA along with 20 coalition partners, sent a letter to the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee urging the DOT to move expeditiously on this matter.
While the sale of EVs ebbs and flows, we must recognize the importance of this market. EVs use the same roads, highways, and bridges – yet they don’t pay into the HTF at all. This is a critical oversight in our outdated user-fee funding mechanism. We must capture this market now before it gets any bigger or more politically challenging.
Neither of these solutions is a holy grail and we need to be creative on a potential myriad of options. Other promising solutions include user fee models that focus on gross vehicle registrations at the state level, project-specific public-private partnerships, and indexing the federal fuel tax for inflation.
THE ELECTION AND FUTURE FUNDING
The country will face another change in administration, as the Republican party now sits in the same position that the Democratic party did four years ago, controlling both chambers of Congress, with their executive sitting behind the desk. At press time, Republicans had won 218 of the 218
seats needed for a majority in the House of Representatives.
The question for the road building industry is whether or not the GOP will have a similar focus on infrastructure investment, or does their immediate agenda lie elsewhere? With the IIJA set to expire in 2026, will the Republicans use their new-found power to build on what the bipartisan infrastructure bill started?
The incoming administration will take power in 2025, just one year ahead of the expiration of the IIJA. Given this short window, would it benefit the road building industry more to continue, presumably, under a similar administrative mindset or is change better?
Copeland: The ability to craft the next highway bill may have less to do with timeframe and more to do with mindset. After a contentious election season, it’s incumbent upon everyone to set aside political differences to come to the table to hash out a highway bill that propels the American economy – because that’s what it does, that’s what we do in this industry. We are moving people and commerce to keep everything flowing.
Infrastructure has long been one of the policy pillars that largely reduces partisanship by welcoming cooperation and compromise. If members of the 119th Congress can come together around issues that improve the daily lives of all Americans and continue to drive economic prosperity, we know they can deliver a bipartisan bill ready for signature and implementation.
It is also worth noting that the administration won’t pull every string on the next highway bill – that responsibility begins and ends with Congress – so the focus is really on elected officials in the House and Senate. That work is already under way, before the 119th Congress is even sworn in. That’s why NAPA is already working with the returning offices on highway bill priorities to establish the right priorities, right away.
Black: The 119th Congress will convene with a long to-do list, including writing a new law when the current
highway and public transportation program expires on Sept. 30, 2026. Congressional hearings and other “behind the scenes” work is expected to begin in 2025. Educating lawmakers about the importance of federal transportation investment, and how projects supported by the IIJA over the last four years have benefited communities, will be important.
What political goals should the industry put its collective weight behind first and foremost?
Copeland: (1) Funding certainty for our industry and the American public – because roads and highways benefit everyone and every community across our nation. (2) Material neutrality – to allow localities and their engineers to determine what’s best to move their communities, to maximize budgets, and to minimize disruption and environmental impact. (3) Safety – for our workers, along with all road users. Our industry remains willing to work with all parties and across the aisle because roads are built for everyone, not just the people in power. We welcome the opportunity to work with the incoming administration and the 119th Congress while continuing our steadfast work with returning allies.
What political issues should our industry be paying more attention to?
Copeland: First, we need to recognize how many new faces will be in Washington following this election season. The influx of new members of Congress over the last two election cycles means that more than quarter of the 119th Congress were not in office when IIJA passed in 2021. It is incumbent upon our industry and partners to educate and work with new faces across the political spectrum. If we proactively and consistently engage with our legislators, both in Washington and when they’re in their home districts, we can collectively advance our industry and our issues. Local engagement –jobsite visits and plant tours in each Congressional district – are especially
key to demonstrating our industry’s relevance and showing lawmakers exactly how federal policy impacts their constituents. Our members are embracing those opportunities, with direct support from NAPA’s Government Affairs team.
LOOKING AT THE RECORD
The “Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill” what is officially called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), has dominated the conversation since it’s passage in the fall of 2021, during the first year of the Biden-Harris administration. It was the single largest investment into our country’s roadways, public transportation, and bridges since the post World War II era expansion of the interstate highway system.
They call it bipartisan, because, technically it did have the voting support from members of both parties in the House and the Senate. However, the vast majority of House Republicans did not vote in support of the law despite the billions in funding it secured for their home states. Their Senate counterparts were more cooperative. There were a handful of House Democrats who also did not vote for it.
Half of the House Republicans who voted for IIJA’s passage were removed by their own party through primary challenges, so it remains difficult to pin down what the current House makeup will do in regard to infrastructure. While many in both chambers of Congress who voted against the bill explained their support for infrastructure-related spending, they took various issues with the bill’s funding, which was originally $2.6 trillion, but was eventually paired back to half that.
WHAT WAS CUT, WHAT WASN’T, AND WHAT THAT COULD TELL US
In our current political era, it isn’t a huge surprise to see even a popular idea like infrastructure spending become divided along party lines. With this in mind, it is possible that whatever future infrastructure spending bill
reaches Congress will pass without much difficulty, since Republicans now control both chambers. They may not need the same bipartisan support to pass their agenda.
Despite this, it’s difficult to get a read on what their priorities might be in crafting new legislation. The biggest cut from IIJA was in the area of manufacturing, which was originally set to be the largest chunk of the bill at $566 billion, to get the bipartisan support, it was completely removed along with three other funding categories:
However, based on the fact that in their negotiations they didn’t touch these proposed budgets, it could indicate that these funding categories are a serious priority that exceeds even partisanship. While spending for roads and bridges was reduced by 28% (from $154 billion to $110 billion) these categories remained unchanged even after negotiation. There is likely a good reason for this, and the answer brings us to the next section of our report.
While some clean energy tax incentives were included in the following Inflation Reduction Act (IRA, 2022) less than a year later, the other areas have gone mostly unaddressed. This could become a focal point of the next Republican agenda, especially given how much domestic manufacturing was touted as a priority during the campaign season. What might be more interesting and more telling than what was completely cut out, is what was left alone during the negotiation process. There were three funding categories left untouched:
THE STATE OF RESILIENCY
While every year sees a certain number of natural disasters taking place, knocking out roads, bridges and other infrastructure, the state of things might be a bit more concerning than just run-ofthe-mill washouts. All three of the areas where the spending was left untouched deal, in one way or another, with the continued encroachment of climate change fueled catastrophes, or they exist on the periphery of the subject.
In just the past few months, the two hurricanes “Milton” and “Helene” have
As of the writing of this article, president-elect Trump has not released a detailed statement about the administration’s goals for the first 100 days in office. According to the most recent GOP official platform and the Trump campaign materials, the top three priorities seem to be 1) Immigration reforms and the southern border, 2) Economic changes, tariffs, and tax cuts, and 3) International conflict resolutions.
caused damages ranging between $51.5 and $81.5 billion combined in what one area of North Carolina described as a 1,000 year storm. These increasingly costly events have brought the concept of road resiliency to the forefront, as seen by the bipartisan effort to fund it through the IIJA. However, despite this, the situation doesn’t look too good for the industry, because the funding’s existence has not translated to projects being awarded,
which means work isn’t being done.
A new study released on Nov. 7, 2024, by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) called The Economic Cost of Extreme Weather Events reported that, “The number and severity of climaterelated extreme weather events has risen by 83% from 1980–1999 to 2000–2019, posing significant risks to individuals, businesses and economies. This includes events such as heatwaves, extreme precipitation, droughts, and tropical cyclones. These extreme events threaten ecosystems, infrastructure, buildings and human lives, and are putting significant economic burden on countries.”
Between 1980 and 2023 there were, on average, 8.5 climate-related extreme weather events per year with estimated losses exceeding $1 billion.5 In 2024, there have already been 24 confirmed events of this kind, and severe storms have accounted for 16 of these.6
According to a Politico story written by Zack Colman and Jessie Blaeser, “Through the end of September, 80 federal programs that received $24.4 billion of the climate resilience money had awarded just $10.3 billion of it... in tentative awards among the climate resilience programs included in Politico’s analysis, to address needs such as preparing roads to withstand extreme weather, reducing flood risk and preventing wildfire.”
In a statement to Politico for the story, White House chief of staff Natalie Quillian said, “All states — red, blue, purple and everywhere in between — are experiencing more frequent and severe impacts of climate change, and we are proud to have secured bipartisan legislation to help communities make long-term investments so they are protected from the harshest impacts of these events in the future,” Deputy White House Chief of Staff Natalie Quillian said in a statement.
The delays in these funds getting into the hands of climate-at-risk communities may very well translate into greater loss of infrastructure, roads, and bridges, as well as, to greater loss of life. In terms of our industry, these monies mean jobs on
the front lines of where resiliency design meets real-world tests. Additionally, the incoming Trump administration has signaled to its supporters that it may roll back many of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill’s climate policies, including resiliency funds.
Not only might this endanger already at-risk zones, but a move like that would directly pull funding away from potential government contracts for road builders. Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt did tell Politco that the new Trump administration plans to rescind all unspent money from Biden’s landmark climate law, the IRA, which included its own additional resiliency funding. However, that doesn’t tell the full story.
During the first Trump administration, the president signed into law the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (2018) as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. The law aimed to simplify some of the bureaucratic red-tape of FEMA, with 56 provisions and $25 billion in funds to aid local governments in reducing the impact of future disasters. While this law avoids anything resembling mentions of “climate change” it is essentially funding resiliency efforts.
This means it is anyone’s guess what the new administration’s guiding principles really are when it comes to these kinds of policies. In the past, they’ve been supported, but they are, at the very least, saying they intend to roll the current efforts backward. However, there is another, third possible fate for these funds.
The Biden administration left its official definition and guidance on the term “resilience” incredibly vague and ill-defined. This means that the incoming executive could redefine what the government means by the word “resiliency,” opening the door for those funds to be used in other ways. This could mean it gets to be spent on other roads or bridges, but, there’s simply no way to know.
THE STATE OF THE WORKFORCE
The real solution to the ongoing labor shortages is simple, we need more laborers. Where they are going to come from is, at least, becoming a little clearer than it has been in recent years. This is because there’s been a significant uptick in vocational school enrollment, as much as 16% from 2022-2023, and that trend continued to rise in 2024, while enrollment in bachelor degree programs fell by 4%. Clearly, there is a generational paradigm shift underway, one that our industry can benefit from. In September, the Biden-Harris administration announced more than $244 million to help modernize, diversify and expand the Registered Apprenticeship system in growing U.S. industries. This announcement marks the largest federal investment in U.S. history in registered apprenticeships.
Trade schools and post-secondary vocational programs are attractive for many reasons going into 2025. For many families with children reaching the age of adulthood, it offers a low-cost, low-barrier threshold to a better future.
How would you suggest those our industry best take advantage of these trends?
Copeland: This is really a local issue for every company in our industry. So it’s locally that these solutions will be identified and implemented. One example appeared on our Pave It Black podcast, featuring NAPA member C.W.
Matthews. They have a program that gets training into schools and places students with different contractors across the state, establishing connections early and giving students valuable, hands-on experience. The program also incorporates technology, such as simulators, which are newer tools for training and introducing the next generation to the various opportunities our industry offers. This is just one example out of many across our industry for recruitment.
The construction industry labor shortfall is hovering around 500,000 people, and while that number isn’t just for the asphalt industry, there’s still lots of spaces that need filled.
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) reports that the construction industry will need to bring in 501,000 more workers on top of normal hiring to manage the construction labor shortage in 2024. Women make up a growing share of the construction employment, reaching 10.8% in 2023. This is a noticeable increase from 9.1% in 2017 and just below the record high share of 11% recorded in 2021. The median age of workers in construction is 42. As a new encouraging development, the share of younger workers ages 25 and younger increased from 9% in 2015 to 10.8% in 2022. However, due to aging trends, the share of construction workers ages 25 to 54 decreased from 72% in 2015 to 67.3% in 2022.4
However, it’s not all bad news. More job availability also signals that the industry is strong, growing, and well funded. For instance, from 2011 - 2019 the highway, street, and bridge construction sector added, on average, 700 new jobs a month. Since January 2021, that sector has ballooned to four times that, adding approximately 2,800 new jobs a month.
This brought the overall industry workforce back up above the pre-Great Recession high. Of course, it may not FEEL like the workforce has recovered because of all the issues with labor supply. Both things are true. There isn’t always a new body to fill that new job created, so it seems like there’s a shortage of workers from what everyone remembers a few years ago. But the truth is more complicated, because there are more jobs available now than there were 5-10 years ago. The overall need is greater, it’s not just that there are missing workers.
What other significant needs are you hearing about?
Copeland: The ongoing struggle to fill job vacancies really raises just one issue among our members, alongside the desire to steer more students toward the trades. And that’s immigration. The lack of a functional immigration system is impacting the ability of the construction industry to attract those willing to work in this field. And that’s what we’re hearing from our members – they need more, better ways to legally attract and hire qualified workers.
To see a full list of sources and references used for this report visit: https://asph.link/lsdxqdgs
CONNECTION, COLLABORATION, COMMUNITY
Reflecting on the asphalt pavement industry and the changing face of our workforce.
Iget a lot of questions about various topics across the asphalt industry, especially at NAPA events, and a lot of times my response has more to do with my connections at NAPA than anything I myself know. Most of the time, it’s like, “You’re in luck, I work at NAPA.” But you could also say it was a stroke of luck that I found my way into the asphalt pavement industry in the first place.
CONNECTING TO A CAREER THAT KEEPS GIVING BACK
I’ve gotten to know asphalt pavement from the subgrade up. My role, in a trade association sense, is to know all the many ways NAPA resources benefit the industry, and to be able to share those with the decision-makers who can make a difference. It’s also about listening to our members to learn what they do and what is driving their businesses so when someone calls with a question, I can give them a list of companies they can reach out to. Growing up, my father worked in the restaurant business. When you work in a family-owned business, you quickly learn all aspects of that business. I started out at 14 as a hostess at Phillips
Crab House in Ocean City, Maryland, working alongside my father, the general manager. When the restaurant needed help prepping desserts, my stepmother and I started heading in at 5 a.m. to create those too. When I was old enough, I started serving, and that’s how I paid for my education at Salisbury University on Maryland’s Eastern Shore After a year as a substitute teacher for classes in the languages (French, Spanish, American Sign Language) as well as language arts and mathematics, I was looking for a new challenge. I contacted a temporary staffing agency in 2005 and there was an opening at NAPA. It was my first placement – and I haven’t left. At that time, NAPA was conducting
a series of meetings to educate contractors about porous asphalt. There were some circumstances that meant that the meetings staff would be unavailable for these 100-person regional meetings, so I handled registration. It was an example of learning to serve the industry and the association.
In fact, I would describe myself as a curious person, taking inspiration from my great grandaunt born in 1910. She said the key to long life was to learn one new thing a day, and I’ve always taken that route. At NAPA, I’ve never passed up an opportunity to learn from my colleagues and from the industry, and to use that knowledge to contribute in every way possible.
COLLABORATING TO ADVANCE PROFESSIONALLY, AND ADVANCE AN INDUSTRY
Since processing registrations and reconciling cash came naturally, I started looking around for other tasks to keep myself busy as an early-career staffer. I pitched in on the
Diamond Commendation program. Back in those days, nothing was online. We’d receive applications in the mail, manually calculate point totals, and review photos and VHS tapes. All these detailed steps taught me about the asphalt pavement industry. After three months, there was an opening in the accounting department and I started working for NAPA full-time.
Thanks to that role, I got to know Larry Lemon when he was NAPA’s Treasurer. Larry deeply cared about NAPA’s finances and wanted the association to be in a good position. He was cognizant of the need to invest wisely because he wanted to be a good steward with members’ money.
Larry came to our old Lanham office for a week and sat with me in my cubicle going over investments, finances, and reports. Our task was figuring out what to do that was in the best interest of NAPA. This experience solidified in me an appreciation of the industry’s people – their true selflessness. Larry donated a week of his time (he was running his family business Haskell Lemon at the time) and yet spent a week to talk with an accounting assistant, to develop plans for the industry and the association. It was fun to sit with somebody I deeply respect and learn about who him as a person more than just a businessman.
Provided by NAPA
In 19 years, I have never been in a situation where I sat in a room and thought someone was in there just for themselves. NAPA’s members have conversations that shape the industry, and at times I’ve seen leaders make decisions in the best interest for NAPA and the industry, even when it might not have been the best decision for their own business. That is true leadership – a servant leadership style that inspires others to follow.
I keep learning from members, especially since we reimagined our membership engagement geographically through the Regional Advisory Councils. I get to hear about the challenges across regions firsthand. It showcases the role that associations can play – as bridges bringing people and ideas together.
For example, there’s never a challenge that any one contractor is facing that another member hasn’t already faced. Though situations might seem unique or
even taboo, if you reach out, ask questions, and listen, you’ll hear from somebody in the community who has been impacted and is willing to share. That’s true even if you get just 20 people in the room! Imagine 900 people – the size of NAPA’s Annual Meeting – asking and sharing from every corner of the country.
While each operation is unique, the challenges are not, and you can mine great gold nuggets from your peers. The solution may not be copy/paste, but a lot of the knowledge-sharing happens at NAPA meetings and events. I learn new things every day, just like my great grandaunt recommended! Collaboration makes the industry one that makes businesses feel like family and turns competitors into friends.
MORE THAN AN INDUSTRY, A COMMUNITY
The IMPACT Leadership Group is a microcosm of the industry, bringing
together producers, paving contractors, suppliers, and service providers. The group is comprised of people that are managing from the middle. They know how challenging that can be, but also appreciate how much autonomy leadership can afford them. This group is looking to network and to learn. They’re very thirsty for knowledge – and for a platform where they can showcase their own expertise. It’s an interesting dynamic. They’re all willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work, while also leading others.
This attitude was evident at the most recent IMPACT Leadership Group Conference in Washington, D.C., where panels featured national officers who got their start leading by getting involved in IMPACT. Over time they have expanded their skills, their roles, and their knowledge. They are leaders within their own companies.
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I look at IMPACT as the future of the association. If NAPA can harness their desire and their love of the industry, then it’s going to be successful for years to come because these people are really invested in its success.
Despite our smartphones and AI and other technological advancement, this is still very much a community that values being together, in person. In a post2020 world, coming together in person over the ease of quickly connecting online can seem foreign or disruptive. But there is no substitute for bumping into somebody you know at a meeting and sharing a moment of inspiration. Or picking up the phone to talk about local issues that are, no doubt, occurring across all types of localities.
This community hasn’t lost their desire to connect and I think that that’s pretty unique. I see it on display at our NAPA events, where I continue to learn from leaders and up-and-coming
leaders from across the industry, like Jay Lemon, Larry’s son. It’s the kind of industry that makes you want to be a part of what’s next, and working with IMPACT and emerging leaders gives me a great perspective on the future of our industry.
by Ester Magorka, MBA, CAE NAPA Senior Vice President for Membership
For more information visit https://asph.link/orqb8o
Provided by NAPA
Presenting the 2024 Best Contractors to Work for in Construction
Tackling the Construction Labor Shortage Starts with Great Employers
Recruiting and retaining skilled workers is crucial as labor shortages continue to challenge the construction industry. While there’s no shortage of gimmicks and quick fixes out there, the real solution begins with being a great employer.
That’s why Equipment Today, Asphalt Contractor, Concrete Contractor, Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction, and ForConstructionPros.com hosted the Best Contractors to Work For recognition program. This program goes beyond surface-level strategies, offering a comprehensive, research-based analysis of a company’s workplace culture, benefits, and employee satisfaction.
To be considered, employers needed to register, while employees filled out surveys about what it’s like to work for their boss. Entry forms and surveys were handled by the Best Companies Group, who analyzed the data and provided an actionable insights report that companies can use to improve employee recruitment and retention.
Want to be considered for the 2025 Best Contractors to Work For?
★ After a few months of tallying and analysis, the results are in! Congratulations to the 2024 Best Contractors to Work For in Construction award winners:
Winners include, in alphabetical order (company name, number of employees, headquarters):
A & A Paving Contractors, Inc., 16 Roselle, IL
AGUA TRUCKS LLC, 30 El Mirage, AZ
K-Five Construction Corporation, 114
Westmont, IL
Reed Construction, 61 Chicago, IL
Robbins Construction Group, 30 North Charleston, SC
C.W. Driver Companies, 323 Pasadena, CA
CF Evans Construction LLC, 128 Orangeburg, SC
D.A. Sullivan & Sons, Inc., 50 Northampton, MA
Diamond Surface, Inc., 101 Rogers, MN
Fessler & Bowman, Inc, 775 Holly, MI
Fite Building Company, 141 Decatur, AL
Four Seasons Kanga Roof, 63 Roseville, MI
Hayner Hoyt Corporation, 114 Syracuse, NY
Kent Design Build, 85 Mandeville, LA
KNL Industries Inc., 58 Canby, OR
Landis Construction Corporation, LLC, 68 New Orleans, LA
McHugh Concrete Construction, Inc., 38 Chicago, IL
Millstone Weber, LLC., 326 Saint Charles, MO
Morrey’s Contracting, 45 Detroit, MI
MYCO Mechanical, Inc., 207 Telford, PA
Palmetto Sitework Services, 46 Orangeburg, SC
Precision Concrete Construction, Inc, 614 Alpharetta, GA
Stevens Construction Inc., 65 Fort Myers, FL
Stronghold Engineering, Inc., 147 Perris, CA
Supersealers Asphalt Maintenance INC DBA Black Eart Pavement, 59 Delafield, WI
T&K Asphalt Services, Inc., 135 Whitman, MA
The Garrett Companies, 300 Franklin, TN
The Pavement Group, 29 Wexford, PA
Wm Winkler Company, 49 Newman Lake, WA
Please join us in congratulating these leading employers!
SAFE ZONE How to Create a at Road Construction Projects
The unique risks of work zones demand diligent safety practices that require a proactive approach.
Road construction projects come with a unique set of risks — for those who work on them and those who drive through them.
With narrowed lanes, increased traffic, and the prevalence of distracted drivers, the risk of accidents in work zones is significantly heightened. Workers can face fast-moving vehicles, heavy machinery, and harsh weather
conditions. And drivers have to navigate sudden lane shifts, reduced speeds, and unexpected obstacles. Given the dangerous conditions, work zones can quickly become deadly.
In 2022, 891 people were killed and 37,701 injured in work zone crashes, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). Drivers caused the majority of incidents—those engaged in construction activities and those traveling through work zones, according to the NSC.
Bottom line — if proper precautions aren’t taken, it can put your workers and motorists at risk.
Here are a few essential safety tips you should implement to help protect your employees and your business.
Provide high-visibility clothing, such as reflective vests, helmets, and other gear to help ensure workers aren’t just visible—they need to stand out.
@Jerry Sliwowski - adobe.stock.com
ESTABLISH A PROPER WORK ZONE
Minimize risk by creating a wellorganized work zone. Establish a physical separation between traffic and your work area. Inhibit traffic movement as little as possible. Place signage, traffic cones, barrels, and barricades to guide drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians safely away
from your workers. You can also refer to the Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices to help establish a safe environment. Inspect your traffic control elements day and night and make modifications when necessary.
PROVIDE HIGH-VISIBILITY APPAREL
There’s a lot going on in work zones. That’s why you need to make it easy for drivers to spot your workers amid the chaos.
Provide high-visibility clothing, such as reflective vests, helmets, and other gear to help ensure workers aren’t just visible—they need to stand
out. This is especially important during low-light conditions or projects conducted at night.
FOLLOW A TRAFFIC PLAN
Work with local and state entities to develop a traffic control plan and keep the public well informed. If at all possible, create a detour to keep heavy traffic away from your site. If it’s not feasible to provide an alternative route, ensure barriers are clear, speed limit signs are prominent, and workers are trained in traffic safety protocols.
Spotters and flaggers can also help guide heavy machinery operators and manage traffic flow through your work zone, directing vehicles to slow down or stop when necessary.
If possible, work when traffic is lighter. Nighttime or early morning shifts may provide a safer environment for your workers.
BE AWARE OF DANGEROUS WEATHER CONDITIONS
The number of construction projects typically hits a peak in the summer. That means workers have to battle all kinds of weather, such as intense heat, humidity, rain, or severe storms. These types of weather conditions can have a major impact on your work zones and employees. Be proactive and monitor the weather forecast to help you plan ahead. If severe weather develops, have a contingency plan in place to halt work and implement safety measures.
When dealing with extreme heat, The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends adjusting your work schedule to take place early in the day or late in the afternoon. It also recommends that you train your employees to spot the signs of heat stress so they can respond quickly.
Overall, ensure workers have easy access to water, shade, and shelter — anything that can help keep them safe in the elements.
PLAN FOR THE FUTURE WITH THE RIGHT INSURANCE POLICIES
Given the heightened risks of road construction projects, having comprehensive
insurance coverage can help you protect your workers and your business. Here are some coverage options that could work for your business:
• Workers’ compensation insurance provides coverage for employees injured on the job. It covers medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and a portion of lost wages. It can also help shield employers from lawsuits related to the injuries.
• General liability insurance protects your business against claims of bodily injury or property damage that occur due to your operations.
• Commercial auto insurance provides coverage for damage to vehicles you use to haul materials or control traffic. It can also cover medical expenses for injuries caused by your vehicles, and liability for accidents involving company-owned vehicles.
• Builder’s risk insurance covers damage to property and materials during the construction process incurred from events like fires, vandalism, theft, or natural disasters.
• Professional liability insurance is also known as errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. It can help protect against claims of negligence or mistakes in the planning or execution of projects.
The unique risks of work zones demand diligent safety practices that require a proactive approach. The wellbeing of workers and motorists hinges on your preparation and execution. Help prevent incidents by staying vigilant and adhering to your established safety protocols.
These four elements aren’t meant to be a complete list. It’s important to evaluate your business and determine what makes the most sense for your safety program. As always, reach out to your insurer or local experts for a plan specific to your business.
by Randy Dombrowski, director of safety services for Sentry Insurance.
For more information visit https://asph.link/9ywso6
Construction Won’t Reach Net-Zero Without PUBLIC & PRIVATE SUPPORT
How the private and public sectors play a pivotal role in accelerating the transition to a more sustainable construction industry.
The climate crisis is growing increasingly dire, and some governments around the world are ramping up efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in carbon-intensive industries. Thanks to its extensive size and reliance upon fossil fuels, the construction sector remains a prime area of opportunity. Construction is responsible for more than one-third of global carbon emissions — the industry must adopt a more sustainable business model.
To incentivize the built environment to curb their emissions, numerous major countries have introduced a wide range of sustainability-related policies, subsidies, and grants. While government regulations and increased public spending are crucial for combating climate change, reducing construction’s carbon footprint requires support from the private sector as well.
Despite increasing government support, the private industry needs to act quicker to deploy sustainable technologies on a mass scale. Government incentives and federal funding are not enough to facilitate this transition.
Action from the private sector is also required to meet ambitious sustainability goals through investing in cleantech startups and finding new ways to make better materials and structures. This includes funding research and development, scaling up the production of sustainable materials, and facilitating the adoption of carbon capture technologies, renewable energy production, and waste-to-energy systems. Through strategic partnerships and investments, the private sector
can play a pivotal role in accelerating the transition to a more sustainable construction industry. Here’s how.
THE RISE OF ‘CLEANTECH’
Fortunately, the past decade has seen significant advancements in methodologies for reducing carbon emissions, which have come to be called “cleantech.” And much of this cleantech applies directly to various stages of the construction process. One of these methodologies is called carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). CCUS represents a suite of technologies designed to contain the carbon dioxide produced during the manufacturing of many construction materials.
Meanwhile, in the solar energy sector, some startups are developing technologies capable of generating solar heat that’s powerful enough for industrial processes like cement manufacturing.
The point is that a fair amount of the technology needed to achieve net zero emissions in construction already exists, and governments are taking notice. To encourage the adoption of technologies like CCUS, the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act offers tax credits of up to $85 per metric ton of captured carbon emissions. In May of 2023, the Biden administration also announced an investment of more than $250 million to support 12 commercial CCUS projects.
In addition, world leaders have unveiled multiple long-term initiatives to reduce global dependence on fossil fuels. At the 2024 G7 Summit, participants committed to phasing out unabated
coal power generation in energy systems and tripling the use of renewable energy globally within the next 10 years.
However, despite increasing government support, the private industry needs to act quicker to deploy sustainable technologies on a mass scale.
PRIVATE FUNDING
As in so many areas of technology, it’s very difficult for cleantech startups to garner and maintain momentum without consistent support from investors and venture capital firms. Groundbreaking advancements could be underfunded or underdeveloped, especially in such a rapidly evolving and increasingly competitive space.
Perfecting sustainability systems and technologies also involves extensive — and expensive — research and development, which can require more funding than any federal program can offer. The world’s existing startups would have struggled to put their ideas into action without the help of venture capital. But since governments are so committed to sustainability, there is a likelihood that investing in exceptional cleantech startups will be rewarded with additional government funding or financial incentives.
HiiROC is creating a proprietary process for low-cost, zero-emission hydrogen production. When used as an energy source, hydrogen can significantly reduce construction’s dependence on fossil fuels and reduce CO2 emissions. In 2022 and 2023, HiiROC received investment from Cemex Ventures,
Cemex’s open innovation unit and Corporate Ventures Capital, to transition from fossil to alternative fuels and escalate the use of hydrogen in Cemex’s production processes.
WtEnergy, another cleantech startup out of Spain, specializes in converting biomass and non-recyclable waste into clean energy for various industrial processes, such as the production of building materials. Backed by venture capital, WtEnergy has been awarded several multi-million dollar grants from the European Union for the implementation of its novel waste-to-fuel technology. Thanks to this combination of public and private funding, WtEnergy is finding opportunities in numerous countries and recently is helping establish Europe’s first large scale facility for the conversion of organic waste into hydrogen fuel.
Government assistance alone would probably not have been sufficient for these companies to combat construction’s emissions problem alone. The combination of public support and private funding has been crucial in allowing cleantech startups to innovate, scale, and implement their technologies on a global scale.
PARTICIPATION
Lastly, construction’s transition to a more sustainable business model cannot take shape if the industry’s biggest players don’t participate. Fortunately, these technologies not only help reduce carbon emissions but also create long-term cost savings through increased efficiency and reduced energy consumption. Now, forwardthinking construction companies need to demonstrate the cost-cutting advantages of sustainability so the rest of their industry can take notice.
For major construction sector companies, current government incentives are encouraging widespread adoption. This is another example of how the private and public sectors can develop a more reciprocal relationship in making construction more sustainable. For major construction companies hesitant to take the first step, it’s important to recognize that early adoption can result in a competitive advantage and drive further governmental support. As more construction companies demonstrate a genuine commitment to achieving net zero emissions, governments will be more inclined to introduce additional sustainability-related policies, regulations, and incentives, making the transition increasingly attractive for all industry players.
The technology to eliminate carbon emissions in construction to a significant extent has already arrived, but it needs the support of the private sector to become widely accessible. With more collaboration between the private and public sectors, cleantech startups can facilitate construction’s inevitable transition to a sustainable business model.
by Gonzalo Galindo Gout, president of CEMEX Ventures.
For more information visit https://asph.link/7tiuz5
Shrink Your Fuel Bills With These Machine Technologies
Four factors play a role in fuel efficiency: idle time, operator technique, jobsite setup, equipment selection and configuration, and technology. Let’s take a closer look at that last item.
We used to feel confident saying that fuel expenses accounted for 30%-50% of a machine’s operating costs. Given the recent spike in prices, that number may be even higher now. Either way, it’s a lot — and anything you can do to lower that percentage goes straight to your bottom line.
Four factors play a role in fuel efficiency: idle time, operator technique, job-site set-up, equipment selection and configuration, and technology. Let’s take a closer look at that last item. When you’re shopping for equipment, what fuel-saving technologies should be on your priority list?
➊ ADVANCED ENGINES
Look for equipment engines capable of delivering full power at lower RPMs, which reduces both fuel consumption and emissions. Power density is important, too, allowing higher performance in a lighter-weight package. The option to run the engine in economy mode when the job allows is another fuelsaver. It reduces maximum engine speed and can cut fuel usage by as much as 6%. Also keep an eye out for automatic engine idle shutdown, which stops the engine after a predetermined period of idle time.
➋ INNOVATIVE FEATURES
Consider machines equipped with electric drive, hydrostatic or continuously variable transmissions. They can deliver double-digit reductions in fuel consumption with productivity equal to or greater than standard models of the same size or class. Load-sensing hydraulics also improve fuel efficiency by automatically directing the right amount of flow to the implements based on operating conditions. Even features like electro-hydraulic joystick controls can contribute to fuel savings by helping operators of any experience level work more quickly and efficiently.
➌ ONBOARD SYSTEMS
Your choices here are practically endless: 2D and 3D grading, on-the-go payload weighing, productivity measurement, lift and slope assist, even remote-control and semi-autonomous operation. Talk to your equipment dealer about which onboard systems make the most sense for your operation. The good news is that they can all deliver significant fuel efficiency improvements — primarily by helping your operators dig, load and grade with more confidence, speed and accuracy.
➍ TELEMATICS
Most every machine today comes with a telematics system. The key is choosing one you’ll actually use. That means a simple interface, the ability to customize the information you want to see and access to reports that make understanding — and acting on — data easy. With the right telematics system, you can track everything from working time versus idle time to fuel consumption by machine, operator or jobsite. Then you can identify issues affecting fuel efficiency and make changes to improve it. No single technology is the magic bullet to shrink your fuel bills. But the right mix of solutions above — combined with a focus on idle time reduction, good operator technique, smart equipment selection and proper job-site set-up — will have you filling up the tank less often and getting more work done along the way.
by Jason Hurdis, senior market professional, construction materials industry, Caterpillar Inc.
SHUTTLE BUGGY ® SB-3000
Roadtec Shuttle Buggy ® SB-3000
Astec revolutionized the paving industry with the introduction of the Shuttle Buggy, and now the SB-3000 sets a new standard in material transfer vehicles. Effortless maintenance, unmatched performance, and four steering modes for ultimate agility keep paving seamless. Experience groundbreaking innovation with the patented Ground Crew Control Station for the ultimate user experience and protection. The SB-3000 isn’t a machine, it’s a revolution in material transfer, built on Astec’s legacy of industry firsts.
