The award is given to owners of asphalt pavements that are at least 35 years old and never have had a structural failure. The average interval between the resurfacing of each winning pavement must be no less than 13 years. The road must demonstrate the qualities expected from long-life asphalt pavements: excellence in design, quality in construction and value to the traveling public.
Engineers at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) evaluated the nominations for the Perpetual Pavement Award and a panel of industry experts validated the winners. They are:
• The Arkansas Department of Transportation for a 1.9-mile stretch of U.S. 79 in Ouachita County; • The Maryland Department of Transportation—State Highway Administration for 3.8 miles of U.S. 50 in Talbot County; • The Minnesota Department of Transportation for two miles of State Rte. 36 in Washington County near Stillwater; • The Mississippi Department of Transportation for 10.9 miles of U.S. 90 in Jackson between Ocean Springs and Gautier; • The Tennessee Department of Transportation for five miles of westbound State Rte. 1- U.S. 11 in Grainger County; and • The Washington Department of Transportation for 3.7 miles of I-5 between Seattle and Everett.Each winner will receive an engraved crystal obelisk and a plaque and will have their name and project added to a permanent plaque which is kept at NCAT. Presentations will be made on Oct. 1 during a special ceremony at the International Conference on Perpetual Pavements in Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2009.
“Even though these pavements have been under traffic for over 35 years, motorists are still using the original pavement structure,” said Mike O’Leary, APA Co-Chairman. “The extraordinary performance of these pavements is worthy of attention.”
“Perpetual Pavement is an industry standard that is extremely well represented by these pavements,” added Gaylen Ghylin, APA Co-Chairman. “Long life, durability and exceptional performance are hallmarks of asphalt. These pavements are testimony to high-performance asphalt as a marriage of excellent design and quality construction.”
