Keen interest in pavement preservation was reflected by the record participation in the 2016 National Pavement Preservation Conference that concluded on October 14 in Nashville, TN. The theme of the conference was “Continuing the Drive for Change” which featured remarks by Jean-Francois Corte, past Secretary General of the World Road Association (PIARC). Corte stated that preserving highway investments has become a major concern for countries around the world and that addressing this concern is necessary to ensure social progress and advance economic prosperity. The participants also heard remarks from Paul Degges, Deputy Commissioner and Chief Engineer of the Tennessee Department of Transportation, regarding the benefits that can be realized with a strong pavement preservation program.
Carlos Braceras, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation, spoke of the necessity of building trust between agencies, industry, and the public. Braceras said without trust, change is nearly impossible. Butch Waidelich, executive director of the Federal Highway Administration, discussed various initiatives that are being undertaken to spark innovation in pavement preservation. Among the most recent initiative is Every Day Counts – EDC4, designed to advance the use of pavement preservation by agencies. Finally, Brian Stacy, president of the National Association of County Engineers (NACE) spoke of importance of pavement preservation at the county level and the need to develop strong preservation programs that address public demand for good roads.
The conference offered a wide variety of technical sessions along four concurrent tracks having a total of 58 speakers. Topics ranged from pavement preservation basics to new and emerging treatment technologies. Subjects such as the economics of pavement preservation, quality assurance, decision-making, and pavement condition data, were just a sampling of the many sessions presented by experts in the field.
In addition, the conference served as a forum for the four regional AASHTO TSP•2 Pavement Preservation Partnerships. The partnerships provide an opportunity for state and local agencies, contractors, suppliers, manufacturers, consultants, and universities from across the country and around the world to discuss issues of regional relevance and importance. The regional partnerships meet on an annual basis and membership is open to all. More information about joining a partnership is available at www.tsp2.org
A major highlight of the conference was the field demonstrations of pavement preservation treatments. Thanks to the support of the NFL Tennessee Titans, all demonstrations occurred on the stadium parking area. Many treatments were constructed live for the conference attendees, while other treatments were pre-placed for viewing. During each treatment demonstration, attendees were given the opportunity to interact with contractors and ask questions about the treatment.
Annually FP2 Inc. (formally known as the Foundation for Pavement Preservation) presents the James B. Sorenson Pavement Preservation Award to an agency that has greatly advanced and cultivated pavement preservation. The award was named in honor of the late Jim Sorenson, who led efforts on behalf of FHWA to advance pavement preservation. This year, the award was made during the Nashville conference and was given to the Ohio Department of Transportation in recognition of their great strides in recent years to advance the use of preservation treatments and to preserve their pavement infrastructure investment.
With over 760 participants, the 2016 National Pavement Preservation Conference has shown that the traditional maintenance philosophy of ‘worst first’ is no longer a viable alternative for road agencies. Advancing pavement preservation is not only the best approach, it is the right approach for our Nation’s highways, roads, and streets.
All presentations from the conference were recorded and will be available for viewing through the National Center for Pavement Preservation’s website at www.pavementpreservation.org and the AASHTO TSP•2 website at www.tsp2.org. For more information contact NCPP at 517-432-8220.
Author: Neal Galehouse, P.E., Engineering Specialist, National Center for Pavement Preservation
