If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen! For the asphalt producer, the lab is their kitchen and the heat is always on. Most labs have three to four ovens and the NCAT ignition oven by far is the hottest. While a kitchen oven is used to bake, the ignition oven is designed to burn off asphalt and leave the rocks behind.

For the 9th consecutive year, the VDOT/VAA Asphalt Seminars will be hosted around the state. Kicking off in Roanoke, a variety of topics will be discussed. Safety will be front and center at these seminars – both at the plant and in the work zone. Along with safety, discussions on the lessons learned from 2017 paving season and the new specifications for 2018 are on the agenda.

By: David D. Bradeson, P.E., Regional Project Manager, Chemung Contracting Corporation Since the dawn of computers, we have been told – "this program will reduce your paperwork," but who has actually seen that happen? How many times has a new form been created just to see it printed and only the hard copy saved? Fortunately, as time goes on, more people are open to receiving all information electronically. One of FHWA’s "Every Day Counts" initiatives was E-Construction. For the asphalt industry, there are several opportunities to utilize computer-based technologies and FleetWATCHER is one.

In 2013, the Asphalt Pavement Alliance introduced PaveXpress as a replacement for the sunset AASHTOWare™ Darwin software. PaveXpress uses the 1993 and 1998 AASHTO Pavement Design Guide as the basis for designing new asphalt and concrete pavements. Over the years, the internet-based application has added more features to assist the user. Today, over 26,000 individuals have logged into the application and performed a pavement design. Current features include a maintenance overlay option, a mechanistic-empirical pavement analysis option, an initial pavement costing tool and a life cycle cost module using the FHWA RealCost approach. Later this year, a structural porous pavement design module will be included.

Lane Construction has promoted Mark Schiller to the position of Executive Vice President and COO over HMA operations and stand-alone projects. Schiller recently relocated to the corporate office in Connecticut. Schiller served as President of VAA from 2009 to 2010 and is currently a member of the VECAT Executive Steering Committee.He has been a great supporter of VAA and we will miss his guidance at the local level, but we look forward to working with him on a national scale.

You can now follow VAA on Facebook! our page and instantly have access to pertinent industry news, updates on VAA activities and events, information on VECAT classes and other topics VAA members and friends will enjoy.

*2018 MCS Class Schedule – NEW CLASSES ADDED* 2018 MCS classes are well underway. At the time of this newsletter’s release, we will have completed 2 Field I and Field II classes, a Plant I and II class, a week-long Mix Design class and a Slurry Seal and Surface Treatment class. We listened to feedback from our students last year and many tweaks have been implemented to make class materials more accessible, the books easier to follow and updated photos and information on content covered. This translates to greater student success and a higher percentage of passing grades!

Germanna’s FredCAT center lab, which was only a vision in the making at this time last year, is finally in place and has already been used to facilitate a VECAT Plant II class and a Mix Design class. This lab was made possible by a grant from the Federal Highway Administration and was prepared for class use by employees from Germanna, VAA, VDOT and the Virginia Transportation Research Council.

2018 GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION The 2018 Virginia General Assembly session is now half-way complete, with cross-over occurring on February 14. In order to remain active, bills must be considered and passed by their house of origin by this date. Following is an overview of a few environmental and administrative law bills that may be of interest to VAA members:

VDOT's Hampton Roads District Administrator Jim Utterback has been chosen to take on the role of Project Director for the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) Expansion Project – VDOT's largest transportation project in Virginia. Utterback has a proven record leading major construction projects for VDOT. His experience in transportation development and project management is invaluable to what will be one of the largest infrastructure projects in the nation.

Women of Asphalt Council (During World of Asphalt) March 6 & 7, 2018 Houston, TX

DIAMOND Allan Myers American Paving Fabrics Associated Asphalt Bitumar USA Boxley Branscome, Inc. Branscome Paving Company Chemung Contracting Corp Colony Construction, Inc. James River Equipment National Asphalt MFG. Corp.

Slurry Pavers Superior Paving Corp. S. L. Williamson Co., Inc. PLATINUM Astec, Inc. B & S Contracting, Inc. Blacklidge Emulsions, Inc. Carter Machinery Company, Inc. F. O. Day Lee Hy Paving Corp. Virginia Paving Company