Working for you

Education, advocacy & networking—CalAPA

had a memorable year in 2015

As 2015 draws to a close,

here are a few of the many

highlights that were only

possible through the support

of CalAPA members:

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a

former San Francisco Mayor

and declared candidate for

governor, spoke at CalAPA’s

Annual Dinner Jan. 15 at the

Jonathan Club in downtown

Los Angeles, and on Aug. 20

toured an asphalt plant oper-

ated by CalAPA member Vul-

can Materials.

"The tour with Lt. Gov. New-

som provided an excellent

opportunity for our industry

to highlight the linkage be-

tween our products and the

vitality of the state's econo-

my," said Brian Anderson,

Vulcan's vice president for

property and land develop-

ment.

The Spring Asphalt Pavement

Conference & Equipment

Expo, held April 15-16 in

Ontario, was one of the

association’s most well-

attended in its history, as

attendees heard the lat-

est about technical and

practical issues in a re-

laxed setting. The associ-

ation followed up with the

highly successful Fall As-

phalt Pavement Conference &

Equipment Expo held Oct. 28

-29 in Sacramento. Well over

500 industry and agency

personnel attended the two

events.

Working collaboratively with

public agencies, particularly

Caltrans, was prominently on

display in 2015. After 20

years of urging by industry,

Caltrans in 2015 announced it

was going to implement a

joint industry-agency train-

ing and certification program

for asphalt lab technicians.

Caltrans also launched a spe-

cial task force with industry

representatives to examine

test turnaround times and

implement improvements.

CalAPA’s classes on Caltrans

Section 39 spec changes

proved enormously popular.

CalAPA held numerous tech-

nical-related meetings

throughout the year in 2015,

bringing subject-matter ex-

perts together with industry

and agency representatives.

The CalAPA Technical Advi-

sory Committee sponsored

“Hot Topics” events Jan. 28

in Bakersfield, and

Feb. 17 in Buellton

in the Central Coast.

The various regional

Technical Commit-

tees also held nu-

merous meetings in

Los Angeles, San

Diego, Orange Coun-

ty and the Inland

Empire featuring

presentations on

Warm Mix Asphalt,

pavement preserva-

tion, paving best

practices, specifica-

tion changes, asphalt

test methods and

equipment demon-

strations. Dr. Peter

Sebaaly (left) from

UNR was a speaker.

Inside this issue:

Fighting for $$ 2

Environmental 2

A good cause 2

Partnering 3

Sect. 39 classes 3

Test turnaround 3

At your service 4

Your dues support:

Comprehensive as-

phalt pavement con-

ferences

Advocacy on asphalt-

related issues in

Sacramento

Supporting national

research & issues.

Local technical meet-

ings and knowledge-

transfer

Exclusive “Member

Alerts” & newsletter

Professional staff &

technical consultants

Talking tech

On the Legislative front, CalAPA re-

mained very active, monitoring dozens of

bills and successfully lobbying to have

asphalt removed from a controversial

bill to expand prevailing wage laws to

the delivery of construction materials.

CalAPA also worked diligently, in concert

with many others, to keep transporta-

tion funding at the forefront of the

policy agenda in Sacramento, prompting

the governor to declare a special session

of the Legislature devoted to the topic.

CalAPA hosted plant tours for elected

officials as well as meeting with mem-

bers and staff in their Capitol offices

March 17-18 during the

association’s annual Cap-

itol “Fly-in.”

A group of legislators

toured an asphalt plant

operated by CalAPA

member Teichert, which

was featured on the

cover of CalAPA’s maga-

zine, California Asphalt.. The efforts were part

of a concerted governmental relations

strategy to keep transporta-

tion funding on the forefront

in Sacramento.

Every elected official who has

participated in a plant tour so

far has come away with a

greater understanding of

asphalt operations and the

industry’s many “green” at-

tributes.

Coming together for a good cause

CalAPA’s Annual Golf Tournament, held

Setp. 24 at the Pacific Palms Resort in

the City of Industry, was another popu-

lar association event and helped raise

funds for the association’s workforce

development activities.

The annual “Day at the Races” held July

18 at Del Mar Race Track in Del Mar was

an opportunity for members to mingle in

a relaxed setting.

Southern California Paving Contractor

Dinners were held throughout the year,

featuring networking, delicious food and

technical and practical updates geared

toward the paving contractor and relat-

ed businesses. The CalAPA event calen-

dar lists all association events.

The CalAPA Environmental Committee

had a very active year in 2015, repre-

senting the association before various

regulatory bodies and partnering with

other like-minded groups, such as the

California Chamber of Commerce, to

help minimize the impact of regulations

that could be harmful to the industry.

Of particular interest, the Environmen-

tal Committee in the past year was en-

gaged with the South Coast Air Quality

Management District, the San Joaquin

Valley Air Pollution Control District and

the Bay Area Air Quality Management

District on various asphalt plant and

asphalt construction emission issues. In

partnership with many others, the Envi-

ronmental Committee signed on to a let-

ter to the state Office of Environmen-

tal Health Hazard Assessment updates,

and worked with the National Asphalt

Pavment Association on environmental

issues with national implications.

Environmental Committee focus on Prop. 65, CARB

Fighting for road funding

“The provision contains ambiguities that may render it ineffective or,

at the very least, will result in litigation concerning its application.”

—Coalition letter to Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment

There were several instanc-

es in 2015 when CalAPA

partnered with Caltrans and

the Federal Highway Ad-

ministration to disseminate

technical information and

best practices.

On Sept. 28 the association

was co-sponsor of a special

“HMA Pavement Smooth-

ness Technology Forum” in

Sacramento to bring to-

gether agency and industry

representatives to learn

more about the new Cal-

trans pavement smooth-

ness specification and

new technology.

On Nov. 10 and Nov. 12,

CalAPA sponsored two

“Tack Coat Workshops”

that examined tack coat

specifications, paving

best practices, inspec-

tion and more. The work-

shops were scheduled for Sacramento

and Fontana.

CalAPA was also a partner with the

FHWA, Caltrans and local agencies on a

“safety edge” paving demonstration Oct.

21 in Kings County.

CalAPA was also a marketing partner for

an “Intelligent Compaction” software

workshop May 28 in Sacramento, and

June 24 in Fontana.

Test turnaround times in the spotlight

A longstanding issue by industry about

delays in getting construction material

laboratory results back to the supplier

was placed under the microscope in 2015

following a multi-association letter sent

in 2014 to California State Transporta-

tion Agency Secretary Brian Kelly that

led to a materials “summit” in Sacramen-

to.

A special Test Turnaround Task Group

was formed, with Caltrans and industry

participants, and a number of process

improvements already have been put

forward, including a policy memo, speci-

fication and procedure changes and oth-

er reforms that are still in the pipeline.

CalAPA participates in the Task Group

and will make periodic reports on the

group’s progress.

Partnering with Caltrans, FHWA

In 2010 Caltrans asphalt specifications

underwent numerous changes, and CalA-

PA was there with a special train-

ing class to help everyone under-

stand what was new. Now with the

introuduction of ‘Superpave,’ the

specifications have changed again,

and again CalAPA is rolling out a

special Section 39 class

statewide. The curriculum was

developed under the guidance of the

CalAPA Technical Advisory Committee

and taught by Paul Curren, P.E., a long-

time pavement consultant and CalAPA

trainer. The course material has

been reviewed by Caltrans, and

many Caltrans engineers are at-

tending the class.

The half-day classes, which have

been scheduled in Fontana, San

Diego, Bakersfield, Fresno, Hayward and

West Sacramento, have been filled to

capacity, and

more classes will

be scheduled in

2016.

Curren’s catch-

phrase, “Do it

once, do it right,

go home and get

paid” is nearly

as popular as

the classes.

Exclusive Caltrans Section 39 HMA spec training

“Do it once, do it

right, go home and

get paid.”

—Paul Curren, P.E.

The association is governed by a volun-

teer Board of Directors, representing

asphalt pavement producers, refiners,

and a paving contractor member rep-

resenting Northern California and

Southern California.

The CalAPA Strategic

Plan calls for the as-

sociation to elevate

the industry through

educational, technical

and other means.

CalAPA was originally

founded in 1953 in Los

Angeles, and a North-

ern California associa-

CalAPA is a non-profit trade associa-

tion representing the asphalt pave-

ment industry in California. CalAPA’s

professional staff is here for you eve-

ry day, whether it is to assist in sign-

ing up for an event, or answering a

complex technical question. CalAPA

staff is assisted by our contract lob-

byist, Jeff Sievers with Carpenter

Sievers, and Kerry Hoover, publisher

of the CalAPA magazine and annual

directory, of Construction Marketing

Services. In addition, numerous con-

sultants and trainers assist the asso-

ciation in delivering focused training

classes, seminars and other knowledge

-transfer activities to help ensure

that you stay on top of changes in the

industry.

tion was formed in 1994. The associa-

tion was united into a statewide entity

in 2012. Pictured below (L-R): Russell

Snyder, Rita Leahy, Sophie You and

Tony Grasso.

CalAPA

P.O. Box 981300

West Sacramento, CA 95798

1550 Harbor Blvd. Suite 211

West Sacramento, CA 95691

Asphalt: the flexible

choice

Phone: 916-791-5044

Email: info@calapa.net

CalAPA staff: at your service