Examining
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Publisher’s Letter
Big shoes to fill and Important work ahead
It is an honor to introduce this issue of California Asphalt magazine during my first year serving as Chair of the CalAPA Legislative Committee. I am grateful to the CalAPA Board of Directors for the nomination and to the membership for their support at the association’s Annual Dinner earlier this year in Los Angeles.
That evening was a reminder of the strong legacy behind this role. Outgoing Legislative Committee Chair Steve Ward of Pavement Recycling Systems and former Chair Rene Vercruyssen have both made lasting contributions to CalAPA’s advocacy efforts over the years. Rene’s induction into the association’s Hall of Fame was a fitting recognition of that impact. Their leadership has set a high bar, and I am mindful of the responsibility and opportunity that comes with continuing that work.
CalAPA’s advocacy strategy is built on consistent engagement with policymakers, regulators, and community leaders. Our industry plays a critical role in building and maintaining the infrastructure that connects California’s communities and supports its economy. Through ongoing dialogue and relationship-building, we can help ensure decision-makers understand both the importance of this work and the expertise our industry brings to the table when shaping transportation and land-use policy.
At this year’s CalAPA “Fly-In” to the State Capitol, I had the opportunity to meet Jeff Sievers and the team from CalAPA’s Sacramento lobbying firm, Carpenter Garcia Sievers. Jeff has represented the association since 2012 and brings deep knowledge of both Sacramento and the issues affecting our industry. Our delegation had productive conversations with members of the Assembly and Senate, as well as legislative staff, reinforcing the importance of continuing to work together on policies that strengthen California’s transportation system.
Engagement with elected officials — whether in Sacramento, Washington, D.C., or within our local communities —is one of the most effective ways to build understanding about our industry. Those conversations help dispel misconceptions and highlight the professionalism, innovation and commitment that define the asphalt pavement sector.
Equally important are opportunities to bring policymakers and community leaders to our facilities. Tours are one of my favorite ways to showcase the people behind this work and the essential role our industry plays in delivering safe, reliable infrastructure.
Our roads connect every community in California, and the women and men who build and maintain them take immense pride in that responsibility. I am proud to represent their work and their contributions, and I look forward to continuing to advance CalAPA’s advocacy efforts in the months and years ahead.
Sincerely,
Aimi Dutra CRH Americas Materials, Inc.
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Examining the campaign to reduce paved surfaces in California
Member Profile
Innovative partnership between CalAPA members, Pavement Recycling Systems and Sully-Miller Co., power 3D technology driven training project
Association News
Diverse topics, perspectives aplenty at Asphalt Conference & Expo in Pomona
CalAPA members take the ‘fix our roads’ campaign to the state Capitol
Industry friends celebrate Jeff Benedict’s career
Industry News
Industry leader Richard Dean Koleas honored at March 7 services in Arizona
On the Cover: Cover illustration by Aldo Myftari, Construction Marketing Services, LLC. THE CALIFORNIA ASPHALT PAVEMENT ASSOCIATION www.calapa.net
2026 CalAPA Board of Directors
Frank Costa (Chairman) Martin Marietta
Chris Gerber (Vice Chair) G3 Quality
Scott Bottomley (Treasurer) Sully-Miller / Blue Diamond Materials
Phil Reader (Secretary) Reed Family Companies
Scott Metcalf (Immediate past chair) Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions
Ron Criss Hat Creek Construction
Tim Denlay Knife River
Scott Fraser Pavement Recycling Systems
Chris Handley Tullis, Inc.
Gary Houston Valero
Robert Jarvis Century Paving
Kevin Jeffers Albina
Kody King Mercer-Fraser
Pete Lambert McGuire & Hester
John Reid CRH Companies
Eric Richard Reed & Graham
HEADQUARTERS: P.O. Box 981300 • West Sacramento • CA 95798 (Mailing Address) 1550 Harbor Blvd., Suite 120 • West Sacramento • CA 95691 • (916) 791-5044
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Russell W. Snyder, CAE, rsnyder@calapa.net
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Brandon M. Milar, P.E., bmilar@calapa.net
MEMBER SERVICE COORDINATOR: Jackie Henry, MBA, jhenry@calapa.net
GUEST PUBLISHER: Aimi Dutra, CRH Americas Materials, Inc.
PUBLISHED BY: Construction Marketing Services, LLC • (909) 772-3121
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Russell W. Snyder, CAE, CalAPA and Brian Hoover, CMS
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Copyright © 2026 – All Rights Reserved. No portion of this publication may be reused in any form without prior permission of the California Asphalt Pavement Association. California Asphalt is the official publication of the California Asphalt Pavement Association. This bimonthly magazine distributes to members of the California Asphalt Pavement Association; contractors; construction material producers; Federal, State and Local Government Officials; and others interested in asphalt pavements in California and gaining exclusive insight about the issues, trends and people that are shaping the future of the industry.
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Examining the campaign to reduce paved surfaces in California
By Russell W. Snyder
Coral Richardson, a University of California Davis graduate student, is following a wellworn path to earning her Master’s Degree in Political Science taken by countless commuter students before her, juggling classes, homework, jobs and a myriad of other demands for her time. All of these challenges, part of the college experience, are obstacles to be overcome and have been anticipated, as she closes in on graduation and prepares to enter the working world.
There is one obstacle, however, that she was unprepared for: parking, or more accurately, the lack of it.
She recalls that during busier seasons of the quarter, such as the first week, midterms, and finals, her schedule includes afternoon classes that would require her to be on campus from noon until 3 p.m.
“However, from my experience, arriving on campus after 10 a.m. means that finding parking is often time-consuming or seemingly impossible. For example, during the first week of Winter quarter, I arrived in Davis at 10:30 a.m. for a class that began at noon and spent over 45 minutes scaling parking garages and skimming parking lots with no success. After nearly an hour, I decided to instead find parking downtown and rent an electric scooter to make it to class on time. This example of one of the many times I have run into a similar issue, which not only increased my cost of gas but left me also paying for parking and a scooter rental.”
Not exactly the multi-modal utopia envisioned by advocates of alternate transportation.
“As a graduate student,” Richardson added, “these additional costs add up and to avoid such costs, I instead commute earlier in the morning to find parking and end
up spending several hours more on campus just to avoid the nightmare of finding parking in the late morning.”
The experience of Richardson, who is also a summer intern for the California Asphalt Pavement Association, is not unique. As chronicled in a 2023 issue of California Asphalt magazine, planning decisions and a concerted effort by some environmental groups to force people out of their cars has popped up in city halls around the state, and also appearing in planning policy documents, public hearings and on social media.
This issue is important for the asphalt industry, of course, because most parking lots are constructed of asphalt, and there is a robust industry tied to maintaining those parking lots with pavement preservation strategies. Less parking means less projects.
But the issue has morphed into a larger one for cities and counties that
A parking lot on the campus of the University of California, Davis during off-hours. One of the conundrums of parking is that, depending on time of day, it may sit unused or be filled to capacity.
are trying to balance environmental goals, quality of life concerns and providing basic services in communities while also being mindful of the retail tax revenues those services provide in an era of stretched budgets.
Entering into the discussion is a new campaign, labeled the “DePave” movement, which seeks to convert non-core pavements (basically anything except streets and highways) to landscaped parklets and other non-pavement designs. These two forces, vanishing parking and a broader push to replace or reduce pavements of all kinds, are colliding as motorists try to navigate their daily lives via the automobile, which still reigns supreme as the most popular and versatile way to get around.
walking, biking and transit. That was the plan, anyway.
In reality, the opening of the center in 2025 has resulted in chaos: Cars circling the parking lot in search of a parking space, and then eventually leaving. Angry posts on social media and calls to City Hall. Pointedly, more than one poster on NextDoor said they would continue to patronize the businesses, but in other nearby towns. In governmentspeak, that is known as sales tax “leakage,” a gut-punch for municipal budgets already under tremendous strain.
Dan Carson covered state and local government for the San Diego Union newspaper, completed his MBA at UC Davis, then served as a fiscal and policy advisor for the state Legislature before retiring as deputy of the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office. He remained engaged in local public policymaking as a former city finance commissioner and Councilmember for the City of Davis, and now serves on the board of a local charitable organization assisting the homeless. He was on the City Council when the old University Mall redevelopment, now called The Davis Collection, was moving through the city approval process.
A sign at “The Davis Collection,” a redeveloped retail mall in Davis, Calif., across the street from the University of California, Davis campus.
Not far from where Richardson was searching in vain for that elusive parking spot sits a retail center, literally across the street from the UCD campus. Once called the “University Mall” when it opened in the 1960s, in recent years it suffered from vacancies and cried out for redevelopment. An ambitious effort to demolish the mall and convert it into a mixed use development of housing and retail failed to get off the ground, so the center was eventually converted to retail only, with a mix of anchor stores (Pet Smart, ULTA, Nordstrom Rack) and restaurants joining an existing Trader Joe’s, a popular specialty market. The revitalized center has been a smashing success, save for one glaring issue: not enough automobile parking. As the city moved the proposed project through to the various approvals, the 3.5 parking spaces per 1,000 squarefeet of retail space standard was waived in favor of smaller parking footprint, more bicycle parking with an ample amount of parking reserved for electric vehicles. The location, near the university and downtown, would mean it would be more likely to be frequented by alternate forms of transportation,
“In the past,” Carson observed. “our city, like many others, imposed an array of inconsistent and irrational minimum parking requirements in our commercial areas while Amazon and major demographic shifts have transformed our national and local economy and made a lot of these rules obsolete. In writing our new plan for downtown Davis a couple years ago, we took a big step back from setting parking minimums and are now letting the free market decide what it needs.”
“That approach,” he adds, “won’t always work perfectly. For example, one housing project the city approved on a busy corner of downtown so far has been unable to complete its financing in part because its plans
include no parking at all for its residents. In the long term, though, we think this more hands-off approach by city government will work out. We are a town anchored by a major commuter train station, with flexible zoning that now allows high-rise construction, and a location next door to the UC Davis core with a huge share of students and educators use bikes or e-bikes or scooters daily to go to work and classes. We are comfortable letting entrepreneurs make the call as long as the needs of the disabled are addressed.”
He acknowledges that in the case of 100,000 square-foot The Davis Collection development, set on 8.25 acres of prime real estate close to campus and downtown, the utopian ideal of people frequenting the center on foot or bicycle has not been fully realized.
“We also understand that many in our community, like families and seniors and commuters, rely on the automobile,” Carson said. “I’m no longer in public office but am working as a private citizen with others to persuade our city leaders to invest the funding needed to fix our badly deteriorating streets and roads and bike paths. We are racking up a backlog of pavement maintenance projects of $5 million a year. That’s unwise and unacceptable.”
Meanwhile, social media continues to erupt with parking complaints, and tenants of the center are expressing concern about angering or losing customers.
One resident posted her letter to the City Council where she wrote, “I cannot park anywhere there much after early a.m. before the storefronts open, and it takes me 5-10 minutes to find a way to LEAVE the parking lot to shop elsewhere.” Elsewhere in the letter she called the planning for the center “terribly flawed in at least the parking department” and added, “Please fix the parking situation and please do not tell me that I need to ride my bike.” Contacted by California Asphalt magazine, she declined to be interviewed for this story.
Others in town hope that the parking issues are temporary and related to growing pains of a new center, complicated by the unique characteristics of a college town, and will be tempered as people settle in to new routines. It’s a truism of parking – people don’t think about it until they can’t find it. Several visits to the center found stores and shops busy, and plenty of pedestrian and bicycle activity. At some peak hours, cars were seen circling searching for parking, while in other non-peak hours open parking spots were clearly visible.
In Los Angeles County, meanwhile, pavements of all types,
Parking at “the Davis Collection,” a retail mall in Davis, Calif. The city reduced minimum parking requirements for the center, in part, to encourage more walking and biking.
not just parking, are facing scrutiny by advocates who are popularizing a new term for the movement: “De-Pave.” A recent analysis put out by an environmental group and a design firm conducted an inventory of all pavements in Los Angeles County and concluded that 312,000 acres of the nation’s most populous county are taken up by pavements, and the study authors concluded that 44% percent of those pavements may not be needed in their current form. That study attracted the attention of the Los Angeles Times, with a Feb. 16 story carrying the headline, “Nearly half of L.A. County’s pavements may be unnecessary, new map finds.”
The report that was the source of the Los Angeles Times story is titled “Turning Pavement into Plants – A Block-by-Block Approach to Adapting L.A.” Splashed across the cover in large block letters is “DEPAVELA.” It was produced by Accelerate Resilience Los Angeles (ARLA). In the executive summary of the report, it states, “This report responds to a growing ecological crisis and policy consensus: the time has come to depave paradise. If Los Angeles wants to reduce heat, manage water, expand tree canopy, and support public health and equity goals, it needs an actional strategy for transforming pavement.” Elsewhere in the report it states, “Depaving requires a fundamental shift in how we value and design urban land. In a region where pavement has long been
synonymous with progress, DePave LA urges us to remove excess pavement and allow the land to breathe, recharge, and sustain healthier, more resilient communities.”
A closer examination of the report, however, finds that it concedes that “core” pavements (streets and highways) are essential for mobility and not likely to be going away anytime soon. It does target the “non-core” pavements in the county, 70% of which reside on private property, the report estimates.
The report notes how pavements are hotter than natural or planted surfaces, and may contribute to warming of cities, a phenomenon that has come to be known as “Urban Heat Island” effect. It advocates for converting pavements to plantings, although it offers no practical solutions for how this would be done or paid for. One idea is to promote incentive programs similar to what has been used successfully to get homeowners to replace thirsty lawns or swap out energyinefficient appliances. No source of funding for such incentive programs were identified in the report.
Additionally, scant attention in the report is paid to accessibility, and the inevitable increase in maintenance costs. The report authors acknowledge that more [ Continued on page 12 ]
needs to be done with regard to practical implementation of their recommendations.
“Replacing pavement with permeable surfaces can support groundwater recharge, promote vegetation growth, and create safer, cooler more walkable environments,” the DePave LA report states. While noting that quick and easy solutions to advance the DePave agenda may be elusive, the report states “In the months and years ahead, we hope this report will guide strategic decision-making and serve as a resource for agencies, planners and advocates.”
Brent Bucknum, founder of Hyphae Design Labs, an Oaklandbased design and engineering firm and one of the contributors to the “De-Pave LA” report, said the inspiration for the project was to highlight ways to improve the comfort level and quality of life for residents, particularly in urbanized areas, as well as to advance airquality and water-quality goals.
“We were working at the nexus of a number of different issues,” he said in an interview with California Asphalt magazine. “They include tree planting and canopy, stormwater mitigation, and Urban Heat Island effect, and those areas that tend to be more impacted in industrialized neighborhoods, or communities on the edge of industrialized areas.”
He said when there is support for planting new trees, for example, and funding has been identified, there is still a need to help public or private property owners understand the issues, costs and benefits of the plantings before trees go in the ground.
“In order to plant more trees,” he said, “we need to figure out where to put them.” That inspired the ‘top-down’ approach to developing a geospatial inventory to identify candidate locations for such changes. There will also be an educational aspect for property owners, designers and construction
companies to implement these changes that may not follow templates of the past.
With regard to parking, Bucknum said there may be opportunities for asphalt paving, but done in a different way. Installing a tree well, for example, may involve pulling out some pavement but also replacing some of it. Parking redesigns to optimize traffic flow may also result in more spaces with the same footprint, freeing up additional space for plantings.
“This is strategic design, such as switching traffic flow to one direction, which is more efficient, and allows more space for plantings. It can be done holistically without reducing parking.”
Other innovative approaches are being considered, such as the use of porous asphalt pavement designs for stormwater mitigation, and eliminating concrete curbs in favor of asphalt edging, which reduces cost and maintenance.
“We need an acupuncture approach, not necessarily an epic approach,” he said.
The pavement report, and subsequent coverage by the Los Angeles Times, did not include interviews with developers or those who are entrusted with maintaining pavement assets, such as shopping center owners, local public works officials, school district facility managers or others responsible for maintaining those pavement assets. Previous reporting by California Asphalt magazine found that maintenance costs are an important factor in how assets are utilized.
Also not consulted: constituent groups that rely on cars to get around and for which other modes are not an option, such as many in the disabled community. David Ward, a retired manager from Irvine, falls into that category. He has been in a wheelchair for 38 years. “The current standards for the number of disabled parking spaces should not be reduced, even if the standards for other parking spaces are
reduced, in my opinion,” he told California Asphalt. “While many able-bodied people can switch to a bicycle or public transit as an alternative to parking spaces, many people with disabilities cannot make that transition.”
The DePave report arrives in the wake of a target established by Los Angeles County in 2025 to remove 1,600 acres of pavement by 2045, replacing it with trees, rain gardens and so-called green infrastructure. That target was part of the “Los Angeles Countywide Sustainability Plan” released in October of 2025. Ironically, the report cites many innovative pavement strategies already being promoted by the asphalt pavement industry and chronicled in this publication over the years, such as permeable asphalt pavements, cooler pavement mixes and the use of sustainable materials. Asphalt is the world’s most recycled product, and a substantial portion of asphalt placed on the state highway system and local streets includes rubber from reclaimed tires. In other words, many environmental and sustainability goals communities are seeking may already be readily available without eliminating pavement entirely.
In Sacramento, meanwhile, the Legislature has advanced several laws mostly aimed at reducing projects to relieve congestion or increase vehicle capacity of freeways and local routes in favor of other types of projects that would promote transit use and alternative ways of getting around that don’t include the car. So-called “Active Transportation Projects” (ATP) call for substantial portions of transportation dollars to be devoted to bike paths, pedestrian access and other non-highway purposes. CalAPA and its pro-transportation coalition partners have been united in reminding ATP advocates that Senate Bill 1, the $50 billion Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, was sold to voters and
taxpayers as a way to reduce congestion and improve existing pavement conditions.
The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) has been prominent in championing various Active Transportation strategies in its “Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure” report, first released in 2021 and updated in 2025. In a 2021 comment letter on the plan by CalAPA, the association noted that several of the planning concepts aimed at reducing vehicle travel are disconnected with “the reality of how people, goods and services move around our communities and our state.”
That apparent disconnect was recently highlighted by the Reason Foundation, a prominent think tank, which ranked California 49th among the states in the condition of its highways, and not much better on pavement smoothness.
“In terms of improving in the road condition and performance categories, California should focus on improving its Rural Interstate, Urban Interstate, and Urban Arterial Pavement Conditions, as well as reducing its traffic congestion,” said Baruch Feigenbaum, lead author of the 29th Annual Highway Report and senior managing director of transportation policy at the Reason Foundation. He added that while California has made some progress in addressing deficient bridges and administrative costs, “its consistently poor rankings in pavement condition and congestion remain areas of concern.”
In other words, in its quest to achieve global environmental goals, the state lost sight of the basics in facilitating the safe and efficient movement of people, goods and services around the vast state, and that includes properly maintaining pavements of all kinds.
Meanwhile, at this very moment, countless motorists are driving around looking for that elusive parking space and wondering how this all came about. And asphalt
paving companies, and asphalt producers, are wondering where all the work went.
This much is clear: parking lots and other non-street pavements are getting fresh scrutiny by environmentalists, designers and community groups to see if old standards can be updated to soften some of the edges of these paved surfaces to meet goals beyond traditional standards of durability, functionality and cost effectiveness. Or to paraphrase Shakespeare, to pave or not to pave, that is the question. CA
Russell W. Snyder, CAE, is executive director of the California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA). Coral Richardson, MA, a graduate student at the University of California, Davis, and CalAPA Summer Intern, contributed research and analysis to this article.
REFERENCES:
Feigenbaum, Baruch; Nguyen, Thuy; Derr, Jay; Bui, Truong (2026) 29th Annual Highway Report. The Reason Foundation. March 2026 (accessed on-line at: www.reason.org .
Tanaka, Meg (2026) “Nearly half of L.A. County’s pavement may be unnecessary, new map finds” Los Angeles Times, Feb. 16, 2026 (accessed on-line).
“DEPAVELA: Turning Pavement Into Plants: A Block-by-Block Approach to Adapting L.A.” (2026). Bloome, Deborah; Provo, Devon; Fleisher, Daniel; Bucknum, Brent; Pingeon, Maxwell; Olson, Eric F.; and Futerfas, Eric. A report produced by Accelerate Resilience L.A. and the Hyphae Design Laboratory. Report date: January 2026. Accessed on-line March 2026 at: www.acceleratela.org/depavela/
“Our County: Los Angeles Countywide Sustainability Plan” (2025) Official publication produced by the County of Los Angeles. Date of publication: October 2025. Accessed on-line March 2026 at: www.ourcountyla.lacounty.gov .
Valentino, Silas (2025) “Davis, California has a bicycle problem,” SF Gate, May 26, 2025. Accessed on-line via www.sfgate.com
Snyder, Russell W. (2023) “The disappearing parking lot. The end of mobility?” California Asphalt, Journal of the California Asphalt Pavement Association, 2023 Private Construction Issue, PP 9-14
Peters, Adele (2023) “How parking lots across the U.S. are being turned into housing – and not a moment too soon.” Fast Company, April 6, 2023. Accessed on-line.
Margolies, Jane (2023) “Awash in Asphalt, cities rethink their parking needs” The New York Times, March 7, 2023. Accessed on-line.
Milman, Oliver (2022) “Shifting gears: Why U.S. Cities are falling out of love with the parking lot.” The Guardian, Dec. 26, 2022. Accessed on-line.
Khouri, Andrew (2022) “California bans mandated parking near transit to fight high housing prices, climate change.” Los Angeles Times. Sept. 23, 2022. Accessed on-line.
“Climate Action Plan for California Infrastructure” (2021-2025). A publication of the California State Transportation Agency (Version 1.0 and Version 2.0). Accessed on-line at https://calsta.ca.gov/ subject-areas/climate-action-plan
Buehler, Theodore, Handy, Susan, (2008) “Fifty Years of Bicycle Policy in Davis, California.” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2074, pp 52-57.
California Asphalt magazine previously examined how parking lots are disappearing all across California.
READ THE FULL ISSUE
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP FORUM
INSPIRATION & FUN!
AT THE SUMMIT EVENTS: • Speakers, Panels and Committee Meetings
• Lake Tahoe Charity Golf Outing (Optional Event – Pre-Registration Required)
SPEAKERS
CalAPA has negotiated special group discounts on lodging to help make this luxury destination affordable. Space is limited so early registration is strongly encouraged for this family-friendly event. Scan the QR code for details & to register on-line. Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino 111 Country Club Lane, Incline Village, NV 89451 WEDNESDAY – THURSDAY JUNE 24-25, 2026
Steak Dinner Attendees are encouraged to wear their fancy Westrern attire (including boots and hats).
INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CALAPA MEMBERS
Pavement Recycling Systems and Sully-Miller Co., power 3D technology-driven training project
By
As digital technology continues to reshape pavement rehabilitation across the country, contractors are increasingly turning to advanced machine control and data-driven workflows to improve efficiency, accuracy and final pavement quality. A recent training project at Sully-Miller Contracting Co.’s Irwindale plant demonstrated how collaboration and technology can work together to advance asphalt projects and the industry as a whole.
The project brought together crews from Pavement Recycling Systems (PRS) and Sully-Miller to showcase the capabilities of modern 3D milling and paving technology. The demonstration incorporated Topcon’s
SmoothRide™ resurfacing workflow while also highlighting PRS’s broader commitment to integrating technologies and data-driven processes that help contractors improve pavement performance and jobsite productivity.
According to Ryan Zenahlik, Technical Program Manager for Pavement Recycling Systems, the effort served two purposes. First, it helped improve traffic flow and drainage conditions within SullyMiller’s Irwindale yard. Just as importantly, the project created a training opportunity for SullyMiller’s paving team as the company expands its use of 3D paving technology. “We focus on leveraging technology to improve our operations and prepare our company for the future,” Zenahlik
“We focus on leveraging technology to improve our operations and prepare our company for the future”
- Ryan Zenahlik,
PRS
said. “That means identifying where automation and digital workflows can improve processes and ultimately produce better results in the field.”
The project began when Sully-Miller invited PRS’s Jurupa Valley milling crew to perform a
Brian Hoover, CMS
Photos supplied by Pavement Recycling Systems, Inc.
continuous three-inch mill at the Irwindale plant in preparation for the company’s own 3D paving training exercise. Recognizing the potential of the opportunity, PRS team member Terry Graves suggested expanding the scope and turning the work into a demonstration of PRS’s 3D milling capabilities.
The Sully-Miller training project in Irwindale covered roughly 60,000 square feet and involved significant surface variability across the area. Zenahlik explained that elevations varied from zero to five inches in some locations, making the site an ideal candidate for demonstrating the advantages of digital surface modeling and machine-controlled milling.
Using PRS milling equipment equipped with Topcon SmoothRide™ technology, crews were able to remove inconsistencies in the existing pavement and prepare a uniform surface for the new asphalt layer. Addressing these irregularities during milling helps streamline the entire paving process by improving coordination between plant production, trucking, paving operations and compaction.
Before milling began, PRS’s Technical Resource Unit (TRU) conducted a detailed LiDAR scan of the existing pavement surface. Using the collected data, the team developed an optimized milling design that addressed both smoothness and slope improvements across the yard. The results were presented to Sully-Miller in a technical presentation that walked their team through the digital model and proposed milling strategy. After reviewing the plan, SullyMiller approved the approach and the project moved forward.
The 3D resurfacing workflow digitally manages the rehabilitation process from the initial pavement scan to automated machine control in the field. The process begins with high-speed pavement scanning using a vehicle-mounted LiDAR system that collects millions of elevation points while traveling at normal traffic speeds. The scanner captures detailed information about the pavement surface, including cross slopes, elevation changes, rutting and roughness.
Once the scanning data is collected, it is processed into a three-dimensional digital model of the pavement surface. Engineers then analyze the profile and design the optimal finished surface.
Rather than removing a fixed amount of material across the entire area, the workflow identifies exactly where pavement needs to be milled to restore smoothness while maintaining project requirements. By calculating the minimum amount of material removal required to correct surface irregularities, contractors can reduce material waste and improve production efficiency.
That digital design is then transferred directly to the milling machines operating in the field. During milling operations, the machine control system compares the existing pavement surface with the designed finished surface in real time. “The machine knows exactly where it is and what the finished surface should look like,” Zenahlik explained. “It compares those surfaces continuously and adjusts the milling depth automatically to achieve that design.”
Above: PRS crews utilize a Wirtgen milling machine equipped with Topcon 3D technology to perform variable-depth cold planing, correcting cross slopes and improving smoothness at Sully-Miller’s Irwindale plant.
The PRS crew completed the variable-depth milling in a single day, removing material ranging from zero inches in some areas to nearly five inches in others. Observers from both companies watched as the system automatically adjusted milling depths across the site to achieve the planned design.
Once paving begins, automated screed controls can use the same digital design surface to maintain precise elevation and slope while placing new asphalt. Because
the milled surface has already been corrected for inconsistencies, the paver can operate more efficiently and place asphalt at a consistent thickness. At the Irwindale project, the 3D milling process reduced surface variability to less than a quarter inch in many areas.
The training project also highlighted the collaborative relationship between PRS and SullyMiller. Crews from both companies worked closely together throughout the process, sharing insights and refining how the technology was applied in the field. That cooperation helped ensure the demonstration achieved its goals while giving Sully-Miller’s team valuable hands-on experience with advanced paving technology.
While Topcon’s 3D technology played an important role in the demonstration, the project also reflected PRS’s broader investment in advanced technologies designed to improve pavement rehabilitation. The company continues to explore and implement a range of tools including LiDAR scanning, advanced surveying systems, machine control platforms and data-driven project planning methods.
The collaboration also reflects the broader partnership between PRS and its contractor clients. Pavement Recycling Systems performs milling, recycling and pavement preservation work across California and works closely with paving contractors to support their operations. “We like to say we go beyond the surface,” Zenahlik said. “A lot of people
think we’re just a milling company, but we’re really a partner in helping our customers achieve success on their projects.”
Pavement Recycling Systems has grown significantly over the past several decades and now has more than 600 employee owners. The company has expanded its services beyond milling operations to include roller-compacted concrete, cold recycling, diamond grinding, slurry seals and a range of pavement preservation solutions.
Zenahlik believes continued innovation will remain a key driver of the company’s future growth. “We’re not followers. We’re leaders,” he said. “Technology in this industry is evolving quickly and we have a team dedicated to looking at what comes next.”
Projects like the Sully-Miller training effort provide a glimpse of how digital technologies are transforming pavement rehabilitation. The success of the Irwindale demonstration also opened the door to additional opportunities for collaboration. Sully-Miller has already expressed interest in incorporating PRS’s 3D milling capabilities into future projects, including a potential job along the Interstate 40 corridor.
For Zenahlik, the most important outcome of the project was seeing how technology and teamwork can come together to improve the final result. “The success of our partners is our success,” he said. “If we can help them improve their operations and deliver better projects, everybody wins.”
For more information on Pavement Recycling Systems and their numerous pavement solution strategies, please visit www.pavementrecycling.com . CA
Brian Hoover is co-owner of Construction Marketing Services, LLC, and editor of CalContractor Magazine.
Above: 3D LiDAR imaging used to develop precise variable-depth milling designs, enhancing accuracy and surface performance.
Astec/Carlson
Diverse topics, perspectives aplenty at Asphalt Conference & Expo in Pomona ASSOCIATION NEWS
The California Asphalt Conference & Expo, held at a new venue in Pomona, boasted the most content-rich program in the event’s history, affording attendees plenty of educational options and an up-close look at the latest vehicles, equipment and technology transforming the industry.
The March 10-11 event at the sprawling events center at the Los Angeles County “Fairplex” venue brought industry, agency and academia together under one roof, and the concurrent sessions featured lively interactions between attendees on a host of topics, including technical, environmental and, as one presenter put it, “situational awareness” of a dynamic time for the industry.
A national perspective was provided by Mitch Baldwin, Director of Governmental Affairs for the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA), a CalAPA partner.
“This year is critical for our industry,” he said, noting that the federal surface transportation act funding is set to expire on Sept. 30. NAPA and other coalition partners are working to keep up the pressure on elected officials to take action on road funding before it is too late.
Another national perspective was offered up by Mark Buncher with the Asphalt Institute, or “the original A.I.”as it recently has come to be known. He outlined the institute’s research and deployment mission, noting, “Everything we do is rooted in quality.” He also highlighted some recent resources deployed by the Institute, including a report on asphalt supply nationwide and resources about odor management, all available on the newly refurbished Asphalt Institute website.
Mike Skinner, executive director of the CalAPA-supported Asphalt Pavement Alliance, kicked off Day 2 of the conference and spoke about innovations in pavements that are occurring in various states. He said
the industry is striving for “progress, not perfection” in deploying innovations. Recognizing the risk-averse nature of engineers, particularly in the public sector, he said it takes courage to implement a new specification or technology. “Surprises on bid day are not a good thing,” he said.
One promising new approach that is gathering momentum, Skinner said, is the use of a highly modified asphalt mixture on truckheavy interstates in Utah and elsewhere. Skinner will provide an update on that and other marketshare topics at the upcoming CalAPA “Summit at the Summit” Executive Leadership Forum to take place June 24-25 at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe in Incline Village, NV.
Training sessions attached to the Spring Conference in Pomona were filled to capacity, including “Asphalt Pavement 101,” taught by Roger Smith, a former Caltrans senior materials engineer, and a
New equipment and new vendors were featured at the event.
CalAPA ambassadors Jen Harris (left) and Jackie Henry welcomed conference attendees.
The first few arrivals at the Asphalt Conference in Pomona. It was the first year equipment was on display indoors at the annual CalAPA conference.
Mitch Baldwin, director of government relations for the National Asphalt Pavement Association (left) with Russell Snyder, CalAPA Executive Director.
Hadi Nabizadeh, P.E., Caltrans presented on Caltrans’ PWL implementation strategy, outlining the transition to statistical acceptance for asphalt pavement construction and the rationale behind it.
Roger Smith led CalAPA’s popular “Asphalt Pavement 101 – Part 3,” covering laydown, compaction, and testing within a comprehensive look at asphalt design, construction, and maintenance.
new offering, “Optimization of Your Pavement Investment,” taught by CalAPA member Scott Dmytrow with PavementACES, a consulting firm. He was assisted by firm coowner Cathrina Dmytrow, former chief of the Caltrans Office of Asphalt Pavements.
“I think it was great to have the opportunity to directly speak to so many people who work in local agencies and have some one-onone time and discuss their issues regarding pavement condition and maintenance strategies,” Cathrina Dmytrow said. “There is a real need for education regarding pavement management systems in general for local agencies, and the need to plan with limited budgets,” she said. “I was happy to have the opportunity to talk to the actual users and owners, the people who need the training that we were providing. We got some good questions, and it helped validate the need for this information.”
Mike Skinner, executive director of the CalAPA-supported Asphalt Pavement Alliance, provided a national overview of trends and spotlighted the successful HiMod asphalt projects on busy interstates in Utah.
Mark Buncher with the Asphalt Institute focused on the Institute’s research and educational mission during his remarks at the California Asphalt Conference & Expo held last week in Pomona.
Scott Metcalf of Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions spoke on maximizing performance through highly modified asphalt binders, highlighting how advanced binder technologies improve durability, flexibility, and overall pavement performance.
RAP in Asphalt Mixes Forum: Moderated by Brandon Milar, CalAPA (left) with Phil Reader, Reed Family Companies, Reimond Garcia, Caltrans and John Harvey of UCPRC, the panel explored increasing RAP use, sustainability benefits, and the latest research shaping California pavements.
In the world of technical training, presenters are always striving to provide insight and “take-aways” that attendees can put to use when they return to work, providing the “return on investment” for the time spent in a training class. One question on the CalAPA session evaluation form seeks to glean this intelligence when it asks, “What is the single most important thing you learned today?” Based on interactions with class attendees, trainers often know what is landing with trainees before it ever gets written on an evaluation form.
“Understanding the value of their entire pavement network, that is often an ‘aha’ moment for these agencies,” she said.
Other topics covered during the event included pavement preservation best practices, longitudinal joint construction, Balanced Mix Design strategies, recycling, and Percent Within Limits strategy and lessons learned, featuring Dr. Adam Hand with the University of Nevada, Reno and Hadi
Nabizadeh with Caltrans. Expert panel discussions featured Dr. John Harvey with the University of California Pavement Research Center, Scott Metcalf with Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Phil Reader with the Reed Family Companies and Reimond Garcia of Caltrans, moderated by CalAPA Technical Director Brandon Milar. Erik Updyke, formerly with the Los Angeles County Public Works Department and now attached to the UCPRC’s City & County Pavement Improvement Center (CCPIC), shared various resources created for the benefit of local agencies.
One of the conference attendees, Shoreh Boustany with NOVA Services, a technical consultant and new CalAPA member, said the conference experience was “the greatest thing that can happen to my career” and “I’m leaving here much smarter.” Her brief video testimonial, as well as others from the show, can be viewed on CalAPA’s YouTube channel.
Use of RAP in New Construction Panel: Michael Concannon and Marco Estrada, PRS, Matthew Conarroe of Western Emulsions and Brandon Milar, CalAPA moderator.
Baldwin, the NAPA Director of Governmental Relations, said he appreciated the opportunity to encourage members to become involved in advocacy, particularly as it relates to the federal surface transportation reauthorization bill.
“It was a pleasure making my first trip to California and briefing a great group of asphalt experts on how the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization impacts their bottom-line,” Baldwin said following the event. “From contractors and Original Equipment Manufacturers to State and Local DOT folks, the crowd was engaged and curious about the bill and what it means for them.”
Additional photos from the event are posted on CalAPA’s various social media feeds, including on CalAPA’s Facebook page.
Special thanks go out to the event sponsors Knife River Construction, Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions and Ingevity for making the conference possible.
Additional thanks also go out to the event exhibitors: All States Materials Group; American Pavement Systems, Inc.; Crafco, Inc. Preservation Products; D&H Equipment; G4 Technologies; Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions; InstroTek, Inc.; Ken Grody Ford; Nixon-Egli Equipment Co.; Scott Equipment; Solmax; the Western
Regional Association for Pavement Preservation (WRAPP); VSS Emultech; the Women of Asphalt California Branch; and the University of California Pavement Research Center (UCPRC) City & County Pavement Improvement Center (CCPIC).
One of the conference exhibitors was Patti Murray with Solmax, the largest geosynthetics manufacturer in the world whose products and solutions are used in civil and environmental applications, including asphalt pavements. Murray said she appreciated the opportunity to network with industry and agency professionals together at one location.
“It’s always a pleasure to meet with industry and agencies working together to build better infrastructure and better pavements, and to see how our company and the products that we offer can help these agencies improve their roads,” she said. “Hosting a booth at these conferences promotes the education and acceptance of our innovative products.”
She noted that she had “good conversations and good follow-up opportunities” from her time in Pomona. “It’s a great way to follow up with agencies throughout California. These shows are a great way to network and always
Scott (left) and Cathrina
with CalAPAmember PavementACES, a consulting firm, conducted a training session on network analysis and management designed to help local agencies optimize their pavement assets.
The latest in cutting-edge research and deployment was represented at the conference in the form of (from left) Adam Hand with UNR, John Harvey with the UCPRC and Erik Updyke with the City & County Pavement Improvement Center.
provide opportunities for follow up meetings and conversations.”
The Women of Asphalt California Branch volunteers also extended their thanks to those who made contributions to the organization via the California Asphalt Research & Education (CARE) Foundation, a workforce advancement charity established by CalAPA.
Cathrina Barros was doing double-duty at the conference, helping conduct a technical training session and also staffing the Women of Asphalt California Branch table.
“There were lots of questions about Women of Asphalt and what we’re about,” she said. “It was a great opportunity to make people aware of what WofA does, and what we try to do, promoting women in the asphalt industry.”
CalAPA will bring additional insight and networking opportunities to Northern California in June with its “Summit at the Summit” Executive Leadership Forum, to take place June 23-25 at Lake Tahoe. Registration for that event is now open and can be accessed via the CalAPA website: www.calapa.net. CA
Russell W. Snyder, CAE, is executive director of the California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA).
Dmytrow
Solmax was one of the vendors at the conference, pictured is Patti Murray, P.E.
Sarah Sisson All States Asphalt (left) and Kerry Hoover, Construction Marketing Services.
CalAPA members take the ‘fix our roads’ campaign to the state Capitol ASSOCIATION NEWS
By Russell W. Snyder
In a decades-long tradition that has become the must-attend event of the year, the asphalt industry in California came together once again in January for another memorable CalAPA Annual Meeting, Awards Dinner and Installation of Officers at the regal Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles.
An energetic delegation of CalAPA members carried the “fix the roads” message to the state Capitol in Sacramento to a largely receptive audience of elected officials and staff.
The association’s annual “Fly-In” to Sacramento reinforced the consistent message the association has been conveying for many years: protect dollars intended for road maintenance, and use those dollars for their intended purpose. Lawmakers were reminded that 95% of California roads are surfaced with asphalt, meaning there is no aspect of life in the Golden State that is not touched by the product that CalAPA members produce and place.
“When our industry shows up together, our voice carries further,”
CalAPA delegation at the State Capitol during the Sacramento Fly-in. Russell Snyder (left), CalAPA, Scott Fraser, Pavement Recycling Systems, Aimi Dutra, Dutra Materials/CRH, Scott Metcalf, Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Frank Costa, Martin Marietta, and Beverly Yu, Carpenter Garcia Sievers.
said Aimi Dutra with Dutra Materials, a CRH Company. She is the newly minted chair of the CalAPA Legislative Committee. “The CalAPA Fly-in was our opportunity to tell our story, highlight our impact, and reinforce why what we do matters. We showed up and delivered a unified message, fix our roads, protect the funding voters approved and keep moving California forward.”
Among those who were receptive to the CalAPA message was Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee. She continues to proudly display in her office the dented can presented to her at a previous CalAPA event as a reminder not to “kick the can down the road” on transportation funding. On display on a window sill in her office, she grabbed it for a group photo with the CalAPA group.
Similarly, Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, Vice Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, pulled out the asphalt road scarf presented to him earlier this year at the CalAPA Annual Dinner in Los Angeles to show he has not forgotten the asphalt industry message.
CalAPA members meet with Assemblyman Greg Wallis (left) during the association’s annual “Fly-in” to the state Capitol in Sacramento March 17-18, 2026.
This year’s CalAPA delegation included board leadership who are also veterans of citizen advocacy in Sacramento, including immediate past Chairman Scott Metcalf with Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions and another past chairman, Scott Fraser with Pavement Recycling Systems. Current CalAPA Chair Frank Costa with Martin Marietta, and new board member and officer Phil Reader with the Reed Family Companies, also represented the CalAPA board leadership. Participating in some events included John Reid with CRH, Peter Lambert with McGuire & Hester, and CalAPA Intern Coral Richardson, a graduate student majoring in political science at UC Davis who was getting an up-close look at advocacy in action.
“It’s often been said that if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,” said Metcalf, a regular “Fly-in” participant. “That is why we are
CalAPA members meet with Assemblyman Mike Fong during the association’s annual “Fly-in” to the state Capitol. Pictured, from left: Scott Metcalf with Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions; Frank Costa with Martin Marietta; Senator Mike Fong; and Scott Fraser with Pavement Recycling Systems. CalAPA’s many workforce development activities were highlighted in the meeting.
CalAPA members meet with Sen. Roger Niello, a previous CalAPA Annual Dinner keynote speaker. Pictured, from left to right: Scott Metcalf, Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions; Senator Niello; Aimi Dutra, Dutra Materials/CRH; Frank Costa, Martin Marietta; Scott Fraser, Pavement Recycling Systems, and CalAPA advocate Beverly Yu.
there, year after year, meeting with our elected representatives and their staff members.”
Metcalf said he was impressed with how many meetings the group crammed into the time allotted, but he noted that with more participants more people could have been reached.
“If you don’t like a bill that slips through the Legislature, a meeting you may have attended could have made the difference,” he said. “We look forward to seeing you in Sacramento next year.”
Added Scott Fraser with Pavement Recycling Systems, also a veteran of previous fly-ins and past chairman of the association: “The feedback from the Legislators is clear: Industry leaders and CalAPA members must make their voices be heard.”
Reader, with the Reed Family Companies, brought to the discussions technical expertise and
the perspective of working for a family-owned company.
“Though the time is limited that we get with the legislators,” Reader said. it’s imperative that our association capitalize on these opportunities to ensure we make our voices heard on important matters that keep our industry funded and keep projects being delivered.”
One specific example of an issue that came up during Capitol meetings was an 11th hour proposal by the Newsom Administration to divert more than $350 million annually from highway funds to support alternate fuels. CalAPA and many other organizations opposed the scheme.
In addition to the scheduled appointments March 17-18 with elected officials and staff, and a casual dinner with state Sen. Tim Grayson, the event included many impromptu encounters that are
The CalAPA delegation has an impromptu meeting with Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (center, gesturing) during the association’s annual “Fly-in” to the state Capitol in Sacramento.
typical of the Fly-ins and reinforce the truism that in-person engagements are the most effective tool in the advocacy toolbox.
Policy discussions in the meetings included why, after the passage of the landmark Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017, that California continues to rank 43rd nationally in pavement smoothness, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
CalAPA analysis of Caltrans data has shown pavement repair projects have not kept pace with SB1 funding.
Also part of the discussions: a long-term goal of replacing the current fuel tax model that is the backbone of transportation funding but which is under duress due to the proliferation of electric vehicles in California that only contribute a nominal amount to fixing roads.
CalAPA is part of a broad businesslabor-community coalition studying alternate methods of funding future road maintenance that is more fair and equitable to all users.
“Legislators must work diligently on a modification to existing the gas tax that encompasses all users of public roadways including those in alternative fueled vehicles, such as
The CalAPA delegation meets with Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry during the association’s annual “Fly-in.” Pictured, from left: Aimi Dutra with Dutra Materials/CRH; Scott Metcalf with Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions; Greg Reader with the Reed Family Companies; Frank Costa with Martin Marietta; Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry; Scott Fraser with Pavement Recycling Systems; Russell Snyder, executive director of CalAPA.
Electric Vehicles and those powered by CNG and Hydrogen,” Fraser said.
CalAPA’s “Fly-in” was coordinated by the association’s Capitol advocates, Carpenter Garcia Sievers, named this year by the Sacramento Business Journal as one of the top lobbying firms in Sacramento.
Jeff Sievers, Beverly Yu and Iridia Ayrapetyan shuttled participants from meeting to meeting ensure maximum exposure over the two-day event. The importance of consistency, focus and repetition were evident when, prior to the start of one meeting, a legislative staffer remarked dryly, “Here come the asphalt people again.”
During a lunchtime debrief with the CalAPA Board of Directors at the historic Sutter Club, the group was reminded that legislative advocacy is not an event, but an ongoing process. To that end, several follow-up engagements, including possible facility tours, came out of the Fly-in.
There was one more positive outcome that occurred post-Fly-in: CalAPA advocate Beverly Yu and her husband welcomed into the world Fielding IV, who arrived a couple of weeks early on March 20
at 9:38 p.m. The healthy baby boy weighed in at 6 pounds, 11 ounces and measured 19 ¾ inches.
The whole experience was illuminating for Richardson, the CalAPA intern, who hopes to pursue a career where detailed policy analysis is an essential skill.
“I was very impressed that our group got to meet with so many elected representatives, and they seemed interested in our message and very willing to help,” she said. “Getting to see advocacy in action was a new and invaluable experience for me as I begin my career.”
More photos from the association’s Sacramento Fly-in are posted on CalAPA’s various social media channels, including the CalAPA Facebook page. Additional information about CalAPA’s advocacy mission can be found on the association’s website here: https://www.calapa.net/ advocacy.html. CA
Russell W. Snyder, CAE, is executive director of the California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA).
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Industry leader Richard Dean Koleas honored at March 7 services in Arizona
Services were held March 7 in Tucson, Ariz., for Richard Dean Koleas, founder, inventor, entrepreneur, and respected leader in the asphalt emulsion industry. Koleas passed away on Feb. 18, 2026, in Laguna Niguel. He was 86.
Koleas was born on May 14, 1939, in Memphis, Tenn., and from a young age made his mark as a driven and innovative spirit. He pursued his education at the University of Arizona, Pima College, and Orange Coast College in Orange County. As a young man, he briefly served in the United States Navy before beginning a lifelong career in the asphalt industry defined by hard work, determination, and vision. He went on to found Western
Emulsions Inc. in 1977, building a company and reputation that would leave a lasting mark on the industry.
Koleas was a founding member of the Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturers Association (AEMA), served as president of the organization from 1985-86. He was honored with induction into the AEMA Hall of Fame, recognized by peers for his innovation, leadership, and contributions to the advancement of asphalt emulsion technology. He inspired many within the industry through both his entrepreneurial spirit and his willingness to mentor others.
He was a giving individual whose passion was his work, a pursuit he embraced fully
for much of his life. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ramah, and his son, Ronald. After the loss of Ramah, he faced many difficult years marked by personal struggle and reflection. In the final months of his life, he turned more fully toward his faith and found peace as his life’s journey drew to a close, inspiring many who stayed connected with him via social media.
His final season was made gentler through the devoted care and companionship of Maya Buckley, whose presence brought comfort, dignity, and kindness.
He is survived by his son, Robert Koleas; who followed him in a leadership position at Western Emulsions, Inc., his grandchildren, Katie Scott, Davis and Joey Allen; his greatgrandson, Hudson Scott; and his sister, Demarious Danovi. He was preceded in death by his sister, Sue Fields.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to YWCA Southern Arizona, 525 N Bonita Ave, Tucson, AZ 85745, in honor of Ramah’s lifelong compassion for women and families in need. CA
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