On August 23, at U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters in Washington, DC, members of AEMA, ARRA, ISSA, and FP2 again met with FHWA staff to work together on efforts to promote pavement preservation and recycling.
AEMA President Mark Ishee and Secretary/Treasurer Bob Huitt, ARRA Secretary/Treasurer Jonathan Pease, ISSA President Rex Eberly, Secretary Larry Tomkins, Past President Carter Dabney, and Board member Chuck Ingram, and Executive Director Kristi Olson, joined FP2 Executive Director Jim Moulthrop, and FHWA Office of Infrastructure’s Antonio Nieves Torres, FHWA Resource Center’s Jason Dietz, FHWA Office of Research, Development, and Technology’s Morgan Kessler, and FHWA Hawaii Division’s Lisa Powell to discuss a variety of topics important to the industry.
The opening topic was the new PPRA website, RoadResource.org, with information shared with FHWA on the site and promotion plans including a request for FHWA to assist in promotion through their newsletter and websites. Also shared were plans to deliver a webinar geared toward helping agencies better understand how this resource can assist them in reviewing their pavement management systems and optimizing their network.
FP2 requested updates on the studies being conducted by the Turner-Fairbanks Highway Research Center (TFHRC), learning that data on the use of RAP in surface treatments is being collected, with reports expected in the November timeframe. The groups disucss that cells put down three to four years ago are ripe for preservation treatments and therefore there are thoughts of using this facility for testing, which might mirror some of the testing already being conducted at NCAT and MnROAD.
FHWA shared plans for a series of meetings regarding the Pavement Preservation Research Roadmap and asked for industry participation and collaboration. Each association was invited to have two participants included in these meeting. FHWA also shared upcoming events for inclusion on the RoadResource.org calendars.
AEMA shared information on the latest addition to the AEMA/University of Arkansas certificate course program, Manufacturing of Asphalt Emulsion, and requested FHWA assistance in promoting and perhaps funding enrollment in all three of the existing courses for agency personnel. AEMA will also work with FWHA to produce and deliver a series of webinars.
ARRA and FHWA discussed the possibility of again hosting joint regional seminars, as had happened in the past. These regional seminars would be an opportunity to work with and target local agencies. Additional discussions will be conducted between ARRA leaders and FHWA to determine feasibility and potential improvements.
Both ARRA and ISSA expressed appreciation for the support of their association events, the ARRA Semi-Annual Meeting and the ISSA Slurry Systems Workshop. FHWA continues to provide travel assistance for state department of transportation personnel to attend both events, enabling interaction with industry and relevant education on pavement preservation and recycling methods.
ISSA’s primary topic was the joint ISSA/FHWA web-based training program, noting plans to update the current modules on slurry, micro surfacing, chip seal, and crack treatment immediately following the revision of the ISSA Inspector’s Manual planned for year end. In addition, ISSA shared plans to develop a new module on combination treatments with FHWA providing next steps to assist ISSA in obtaining funding.
The groups plan to continue to meet biannually to foster cooperation and collaboration, with the next joint meeting planned for January 2019.
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