From Tech Transfer Newsletter, Spring 2007 » printer-friendly

Pavement Preservation Through Partnering

By Alyssa Sherman, Technology Transfer Program

The California Pavement Preservation Task Group (PPTG) has quickly reached the national forefront in pavement preservation. The group unites Caltrans, local agencies, industry, and academia to foster coordination and continuous improvement in pavement preservation techniques and pavement quality statewide.

Mission and Organization

The PPTG's mission is to foster innovation and to promote the proper selection, placement, and evaluation of pavement preservation strategies. A coordinated pavement preservation program enables local agencies to maintain roads in better condition, helps cut costs, and improves citizen satisfaction with the roads they use.

The group is organized as an advisory committee with nearly two dozen working subtask groups that each focus on a different area of pavement preservation. The distinct topics the subtask groups cover include innovation, education, recycling, strategy selection and evaluation, integrating pavement preservation with a pavement management system, crack seal and joint resealing, thin overlays, fog and rejuvenator seals, chip seals, and slurry/micro seals. Each subtask group is co-chaired by a Caltrans representative and a representative from Industry. The group emphasizes that members of the PPTG are considered equals based on their areas of expertise, rather than as representatives of their respective employers.

A number of local agency employees have become active members of the various PPTG subtask groups, but more participation is encouraged. To become involved with the subtask groups covering areas of personal interest, or to join the local agency subtask group, which focuses specifically on the needs of local agencies, please contact George Bradley, the local agency co-chair of the PPTG. His contact information is included in the sidebar accompanying this article.

Innovations

The Innovation subtask group has been particularly active. The group established a unique approach to encourage innovation within Caltrans, in which documentation is considered critically important to the implementation of new technologies. Under this approach, a champion who is responsible for innovation is identified in a particular Caltrans District and a systematic documentation process is required, in which a written proposal, a construction report, and a performance evaluation report are submitted. Caltrans has established a $5 million fund for innovative projects, to provide an incentive for the districts to pursue innovation. Within a short period under this approach, several innovative technologies involving seal coats and thin overlays have been developed and implemented as mainstream strategies.

The MTAG

Shakir Shatnawi, Caltrans Co-Chair of the PPTG, considers the publication of the Maintenance Technical Advisory Guide (MTAG) to be the group's most distinguished accomplishment to date. The MTAG covers both flexible and rigid pavement preservation strategies. This document can be used as a reference guide to assist California local agencies in making informed decisions on maintenance practices, and it has been adapted for use nationwide by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The FHWA has developed a training program based on the MTAG; Caltrans is in the process of developing training as well.

The Pavement Preservation Center

The PPTG is the advisory board for the California Pavement Preservation Center (CP2 Center), which was established at California State University at Chico in July 2006. A strategic planning meeting took place in August 2006 that established the work elements for the center's first three years. The center exists to provide a focused look at the practical applications of pavement preservation by developing partnerships with highway agencies, universities, industry, and other regional and national centers to provide unique technical assistance for those in need of preservation services.

The PPTG's vision is that the center will act as a credible third party and will provide pavement preservation advice and services throughout California. The center will be the technical arm of the PPTG and the Western Pavement Preservation Partnership (WPPP), which involves California, Nevada, Washington, and Hawaii at this point, with more states expected to join.

The Pavement Preservation Conference

To promote effective pavement preservation concepts and strategies, and to encourage innovation best practices and technology transfer, the PPTG encourages training in pavement preservation through workshops and seminars. In 2006, the PPTG presented the first California Pavement Preservation Conference, which was held in Southern California. The event – which drew more than 300 attendees and 15 exhibitors representing 94 organizations – featured presentations covering the entire spectrum of pavement preservation techniques and strategies for both rigid and flexible pavements. The 2007 event will be held April 11-12 in Union City (Northern California), and will feature a larger capacity exhibit hall, increased time for audience questions, and a more in-depth discussion of flexible and rigid pavements.

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