Concrete Overlay Parking Lot Saves Minnesota School Maintenance Budget

Although the initial bid for restoring a 56,000 square foot parking lot for Russell-Tyler-Ruthton (RTR) High School, in Tyler, MN, was asphalt mill and 2-inch resurfacing, local promotion efforts led to a different outcome. The original bid was in May 2012, but exceeded district policy for an internal letting award. The project had to be re-bid and publicly advertised.  PCA-North Central Pavement Engineer April Stier’s well-timed contact to the district superintendent introduced the idea of a concrete overlay. Stier drew attention to the ongoing maintenance and repair costs associated with asphalt pavements. This coupled with safety advantages of better lighting, convinced the superintendent and school board to consider concrete.

Although higher in price, the RTR School Board selected the concrete overlay option because of its durability and reduced ownership cost. The parking lot was paved with 3.5-inches of concrete after sweeping and air blasting the existing asphalt. The RTR School District plans to  consider longer lasting, low maintenance concrete for future pavement projects.