Northeast Asphalt Wins Top National Pavement Award

Northeast Asphalt Inc., a Walbec Group company, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Northeast Region were named the winner for Northeast Asphalt's work on State Trunk Highway (STH) 26 from Waupun to Rosendale. "This is a great national spotlight for our member companies and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) considering that only one award is earned annually," said Brandon Strand, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement Association (WAPA). "This is actually our second Hayes Award in the last three years further proving that Wisconsin contractors are some of the very best in the country." The 16-mile stretch of construction included various road widenings, the reshaping of twelve intersections, fifteen culvert crossings, and a full realignment of the highway. Two pilot requirements were in place during the entire project – a Quality Management Program special provision to pulverize and relay base density and a high-recycle material test section. As a result, the $11 million investment in the STH 26 project rejuvenated the service life of the existing highway and provided a safer, smoother road. The efficiency of the two pilot programs combined with the high quality driving surface earned Northeast Asphalt the distinction of winning this year's Sheldon G. Hayes Award. "To be awarded the highest honor in asphalt paving is truly humbling," said Chris Winiecki, Director of Technical Services for the Walbec Group. "This is the result of exceptional collaboration between WisDOT and industry in the design phase, coupled with a high degree of skill and attention to detail by all the men and women involved in the field construction." The Sheldon G. Hayes Award winner and finalists are determined through a rigorous two-year evaluation process. Any highway pavement project using more than 50,000 tons of asphalt is eligible for consideration. Initially, the project must win a Quality in Construction (QIC) Award, which is determined by numerical scores given by pavement engineers at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) on the basis of how well the contractor met specifications and achieved density on the finished pavement. All the pavements that meet a benchmark figure earn a QIC Award. The year after a project wins a QIC Award; it is eligible for consideration for the Sheldon G. Hayes Award. The top-ranked projects from each year are tested for smoothness, and then visually inspected by an independent pavement consultant with many years of experience in the industry. This year, the evaluators praised all the candidates for their high-quality construction practices, which resulted in smooth, safe, and durable pavements. About WAPA "Asphalt. Wisconsin rides on us." Established in 1948, WAPA is a statewide, non-profit organization representing the interests of the asphalt industry. WAPA members serve the Wisconsin DOT, counties, municipalities, towns, commercial, and private customers. WAPA’s mission is to keep asphalt the number one choice for pavements by building roads in a safe, environmentally friendly, and cost- effective manner that is in the best interest of the customer and the state. For more information, please visit www.wispave.orgor contact Brandon at strand@wispave.org