Two Concrete Parking Lots Design and Construction Workshops were delivered in late February in conjunction with NRMCA Producer member Consumers Builders Supply Company headquartered in Lorain, OH, reports NRMCA Senior Vice President, Local Paving, Julie Buffenbarger. The workshop assembled key decision makers in the parking lot design and construction process, including architects, geotechnical engineers, design build firms, excavators, concrete contractors and key Consumers’ staff.  Attendees were armed with working knowledge of ACI’s 330 parking lot design for new projects in addition to the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center’s Guidance on Concrete Overlays of existing asphalt parking lots. Workshop attendees identified and reviewed local projects with the Concrete Pavement Analyst Tool. Results from the review educated workshop goers on the equivalency of pavement design, maintenance cycles of pavements and the life cycle cost effectiveness of concrete vs. asphalt.

The one-day programs were led by Buffenbarger and her colleague Phil Kresge, vice president, local paving. The success of this workshop with the design community has sparked additional interest and two workshops are planned for March in Northeast Ohio.