California Asphalt Magazine - 2024 Special Infrastructure Issue

McGuire and Hester performs Berth 34 on-call milling and paving at the Port of Oakland SPECIAL

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Paving the way toward prosperity

It is my distinct privilege to introduce this issue of CalAPA’s association magazine, California Asphalt. As a longtime active participant in CalAPA activities, and a proud member of the organization representing my company, McGuire & Hester, I’m particularly pleased that this issue will feature one of our signature construction projects at the Port of Oakland, and that many other CalAPA members are also playing important roles on the project. As you may know, the Port of Oakland, otherwise known as the Oakland Seaport, is a vital piece of California’s international trade and commerce infrastructure. The vast port facility at the heart of San Francisco Bay is more than 1,300 acres and includes four marine terminals, 25 ship-toshore cranes serviced by 14 shipping lines that move goods to California and around the nation from all around the world. The Port generates nearly 100,000 jobs in Northern California. As you will read elsewhere in this issue, our project, which includes asphalt paving, is intended to enhance the port’s infrastructure to continue to perform this vital function.

I have been a longtime member and supporter of the association, something I learned from my mentor and longtime employer, Skip Brown. Skip ran Delta Construction for many years, and served on numerous CalAPA boards and industry-agency specification improvement meetings that resulted in better and more reasonable standards for asphalt producers as well as asphalt paving contractors. He also taught a popular CalAPA class, “Quality Asphalt Paving.” In recent years Skip launched a consultancy, Asphalt Consulting Services, and last year helped me transition to a new role for me: asphalt trainer.

I’m also proud to be a new member of the CalAPA Board of Directors, which charts the course for the asphalt pavement industry in California and works diligently to fight for road funding, push back against bad regulations and otherwise protect our industry from harm. Everyone in this industry benefits from what CalAPA does, but to get the most benefit you must be an active member. I encourage you to participate in our many CalAPA events, and encourage others in our industry to do so as well. You will get back much more than you put in.

My mentor, Skip Brown, always "walked the walk” when it came to being a construction industry leader. In other words, he was often the first to step up to stand up for our industry, and gave back in numerous ways. I know I have big shoes to fill, but this industry has been good to me and I also want to give back as an active CalAPA member.

Pete Lambert Paving General Superintendent McGuire and Hester

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McGuire and Hester

Performs Berth 34 milling and paving for on-call maintenance contract at the Port of Oakland

By Brian Hoover / Photos provided by McGuire and Hester

The Port of Oakland has a rich history dating back to the 19th century when it served as a vital hub for trade and transportation in the San Francisco Bay Area. Originally established in 1927, the over 5,000-acre facility has since evolved into one of the busiest container ports in the United States, handling a diverse range of cargo including containers, automobiles, agricultural products, and bulk commodities.

The Port of Oakland is a critical hub for international trade, handling millions of tons of cargo each year, making it the fifth busiest container port in the United States. Additionally, the port facilitates the movement of over 900,000 vehicles annually, and 90% of all containerized cargo for Northern

California. With over 200 berths and 20 container cranes, the Port of Oakland is equipped to handle large vessels and efficiently transfer cargo.

Maintaining optimal pavement conditions within the port's infrastructure is essential for smooth operations and efficient logistics. The pavement conditions at the Port of Oakland are regularly monitored and managed to ensure safety, durability, and functionality. Given the heavy loads and constant traffic from trucks, cargo handling equipment, and other vehicles, the port's pavements undergo significant wear and tear over time. To address this, the Port of Oakland employs advanced pavement management strategies. These may include routine inspections, pavement testing,

maintenance interventions such as crack sealing and patching, as well as periodic rehabilitation and reconstruction projects as needed. By proactively managing pavement conditions, the Port of Oakland enhances operational efficiency, reduces maintenance costs, and promotes safety for all users within its facilities.

The Port of Oakland appointed Emilia Sánchez as its new director of engineering in October, 2023, after she originally joined the Port in February, 2023 as an engineering project manager. Sánchez is the first woman and first Latina to serve in this leadership position at the Port. “Pavement is one of our most heavily used and depended on assets. From landing planes at the airport to unloading containers at the seaport, the operations

Above: McGuire and Hester’s paving crew, traffic control crew and mechanic on the Berth 34 project at the Port of Oakland.

at the Port of Oakland heavily depend on the integrity of our pavement,” says Sánchez. “To make sure that we are able to keep on our preventative maintenance schedule, we manage a series on on-call pavement designers as well as on-call paving and grading contractors. This allows us to plan and execute quickly during our optimal paving season. Many of these projects support the Port’s overall goal of supporting the maritime sector, and protecting the resulting 30,000 jobs and more than 3-billion-dollar economic impact.”

Sánchez says that she has had a very positive experience working with McGuire and Hester on this and other on-call pavement maintenance projects. “McGuire and Hester assisted us with a 3” grind and pave project at Berth 34. The project took place during a not so dry weather season, but they were prepared! They coordinated well to make sure there was no

time lost and that we were back in operation without delay,” continues Sánchez.

According to Sánchez, maintenance contractors are chosen by the Port of Oakland based on their ability to perform work in both the maritime and aviation working environments. Contractors must be able to procure the necessary worker badging (TWIC/Federal Aviation Badging), insurance, and required performance and payment bonds. They must also be able to provide adequate crews who are capable of performing work under non-standard working hours due to the Port’s wide array of airplane and trucking operations, and can demonstrate the availability of performing emergency work within the response times specified in the contract documents.

Maintenance contracts for oncall work are periodically (every 2-3 years) advertised for bid on BidNet Direct; interested contractors can register with the purchasing

department to receive notifications when the bid solicitations are issued. All bidders are required to possess a valid California contractor's license, normally Class A. Bidders are required to submit a complete bid package, which includes among other documents, a bid bond and a bid form containing the contractor's proposed markup on direct labor costs for force account work. Each such contract runs for an initial year, and can be renewed twice on an annual basis by agreement of the Port and contractor, for a total contract period of three years.

Kyle Carone is the division manager for the grading and paving segment of McGuire and Hester’s overall portfolio, and has worked with the port for many years. “McGuire and Hester has worked with the Port of Oakland in some capacity for nearly as far back as the their founding. We have established good faith and trust during this longstanding

Above: McGuire and Hester’s Cat 1055F paves 45 feet a minute on the Berth 34 project at the Port of Oakland.

Right: McGuire and Hester’s Cat CB10 roller compacting on the Berth 34 project.

partnership, through consistent quality performance,” says Carone. “We work within very tight tolerances at the port made possible by our amazing paving crews and technology. We recently completed the Berth 34 milling and paving project after winning the on-call maintenance contract bid. Our work was completed within a three-day work window from March 21 to March 26.”

Peter Lambert is the general paving superintendent for McGuire and Hester and was responsible for overseeing all of the work on the Berth 34 project. “Berth 34 is comprised of a four-square-acre area that the Port of Oakland agreed to rent to Hyundai USA, a company that is among the top automotive importers in the United States, with hundreds of vehicles coming into our ports every year.

Hyundai was looking for nice smooth pavement to store their many cars that come off of their inbound ships,” says Lambert. “Our contract called for the milling and paving of the entire 180,000 square foot section. This 4-acre mill-and-fill operation was being performed in order to reconstruct pavement that had been damaged by container landing gear that created holes in the surface of the pavement over the years. We subcontracted the 3-inch milling work to Pavement Recycling Systems (PRS), which was followed by the sweeping, which was subcontracted to Plus Sweeping (a part of the Anrak Corporation) out of Sacramento.”

After PRS removed a 3-inch section of existing asphalt pavement and the sweeping was complete, an emulsified asphalt

SS-1 tack coat was applied by Pacific Northwest Oil, followed by 3-inches of hot mix asphalt by a 12-person McGuire and Hester crew. “The Port Authority project manager assigned to our job initially told us that we would be putting down around 500 tons of hot mix asphalt. Then the decision was made to change that to 3,400 tons of asphalt, which we were more than happy to accept and perform,” continues Lambert. “The asphalt was provided by Gallagher & Burke (in association with Desilva Gates Materials) and was placed in one single lift utilizing a Topcon P-32 2D paving system. The asphalt compaction was administered at between 92 to 97% Rice and averaged 95% Rice. When all of the paving and compaction was completed, the entire 4-acre

[ Continued on page 12 ]

Left: McGuire and Hester’s Cat 1055F paving machine equipped with Cedarapids material transfer vehicle ensuring the best flow of material.

Above: Cat CB334E vibratory smooth drum roller working on joint compaction.

Above: Trucks lining up to supply material to the asphalt paver.

[ Continued from page 10 ]

section was striped per Hyundai USA’s specifications.”

According to Lambert, McGuire and Hester had two pavers on site, both Cat 1055F machines with one serving as a backup or standby. The Cat paver was supported by a Cedarapids pickup machine, and the compaction was completed utilizing a Cat CB-10, CB-7 and a Cat CB-334 rubber-tire/steel drum combination roller. “The equipment we use every day is purchased from California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA) members like Peterson Cat and Herrmann Equipment. It is also interesting to note that everyone on this Berth 34 milling and paving project were also CalAPA members,” says Lambert. “I am very proud to sit on the Contractor’s Board at CalAPA, serving other contractors who may need help on a project or advice on how to handle various technical or administrative issues. I do this both by phone and in person, and even though many of the people I help are competitors, we all work

together within our niche industry to make sure it all gets done right and advances asphalt construction’s reputation. I am also proud to now be an official CalAPA instructor and trainer, teaching the Quality Paving class.”

Grading Division Manager, Kyle Carone, points out that it was Lambert who brought McGuire and Hester into the CalAPA fold. “We have been a CalAPA member for just over five years now. Being a member of CalAPA means that we are always kept up to date on the many changes that occur in our industry over the months and years. CalAPA also has lobbyists who fight to keep asphalt the No.1 choice here in California,” says Carone. “I have learned a lot from Pete Lambert and we are all very proud of the work he and his entire crew, including his son, Nick Lambert (Foreman) have done on projects like the Berth 34 project.”

“Together We Build Things Right.” This statement encompasses McGuire and Hester’s business philosophy as well as their values

and culture. McGuire and Hester were originally established by two Irish immigrants in 1926 who leaned on their knowledge and tireless work ethic to achieve the American dream. Through the many decades of service, McGuire and Hester have developed into a 100% employee-owned, full-service civil contractor, with a focus on paving, grading, underground, concrete, and landscape construction. For more information on McGuire and Hester, please visit www.mcguireandhester.com.

The Port of Oakland was established in 1927 as an independent department of the City of Oakland. The Port now serves as the trustee of Port lands and manages them on behalf of all Californians. For more information on the Port of Oakland, please visit www.portofoakland.com. CA

Brian Hoover is co-owner of Construction Marketing Services, LLC, and editor of CalContractor Magazine.

Left: One of the three Wirtgen 210 Fi milling machines that Pavement Recycling Systems had on site to perform the 3-inch milling.

Above: Plus Sweeping, a division of ANRAK, performed the sweeping maintenance on the project.

Left: Pacific Northwest Oil provided the tack coat for the project.

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Industry, agency and academia professionals converge on Ontario for CalAPA Spring Asphalt Conference

By Russell W. Snyder

Practical tools and information that can be used right way. Trends in asphalt design and construction. Eye-popping technology and new equipment. Memorable educational opportunities. The CalAPA Spring Asphalt Pavement Conference week of activities held in Ontario had all that and more, attracting hundreds of professionals to learn the very latest, network and have fun.

The annual event, held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Ontario, kicked off March 6 with an "Asphalt Pavement 101" class taught by former senior Caltrans materials engineer Roger Smith, attended by industry and agency personnel. The marketing for the class warns, “What you don’t know can cost you!” Class evaluations indicated

this was once again the case, with take-aways that will pay dividends for many years in the future.

Later in the evening of March 6, pre-conference festivities kicked off with a networking event at the nearby Topgolf sports and entertainment complex, providing rain-proof golf and fun.

The shots disappeared faster than you can say “Mulligan!” The indefatigable Women of Asphalt California Branch, meanwhile, sponsored an educational tour of a Pavement Recycling Systems (PRS) facility in Colton. The tour came on the heels of PRS hosting a joint Caltrans-industry liaison meeting at their Headquarters in Jurupa Valley on March 5, reinforcing the employee-owned company’s commitment to collaboration and the success of people in our industry.

Day 1 of the Spring Conference, on March 7, featured presentations by Caltrans Deputy District 8 Director Haissam Yahya, outlining department priorities and the construction program for the Inland Empire. Just prior to his talk, he connected with another conference presenter, Dr. Shadi Shaadeh of Cal State Long Beach, and proudly proclaimed that he was a CSULB alum. “I’m a 49er too,” he told Shaadeh, as they posed for photos.

Sean Devine, CEO of X-B-E, Inc., followed up with an eyepopping demonstration of the capabilities of the "Hey NAPA" AI-powered research tool, and other AI capabilities. At one point he ran a video of himself through a translator that converted his speech and facial expressions to Spanish as if he was fluent in the

Haissam Yahya, Deputy District Director, Caltrans District 8 gave an overview of various Caltrans initiatives that may impact the asphalt industry, including highway improvement and maintenance.

Buzz Powell, Ph.D., P.E., Technical Director, Asphalt Pavement Alliance, shared insights into how practical research and collaboration by industry, agencies, and academia are helping improve asphalt pavement infrastructure with asphalt material.

Sean Divine, CEO, XBE is the developer of the “Hey NAPA” AI-powered research tool. He gave a presentation on AI’s benefits and demonstrated real-world AI examples for the asphalt industry.

Dr. Shadi Saadeh, Ph.D., California State University Long Beach gave a presentation on the Caltransindustry Joint Training & Certification Program for construction materials technicians.

language (he isn't). At the end of the video he exclaimed, "That's bonkers, right?" He said as a communications tool, AI-powered technology can help "meet people where they are" to enhance learning and communications. The "Hey NAPA" tool, with strictly curated content linked to credible, original source material, is just one example of the many practical applications that are coming on line, he noted. During his talk, he braved good-natured exclamations of anguish from a noted association executive standing nearby who was worried about having his job taken over by a robot.

Erik Updyke, P.E., Program Manager for the SB1-funded City & County Pavement Improvement Center, walked attendees through the wealth of resources developed to help local agencies manage

Dr. John Harvey, Ph.D., P.E., Director of UCPRC gave a presentation on the latest research related to the performance of asphalt mixtures that contain RAP.

A technical panel discussion on in-place recycling technologies sponsored by the WofA CA branch was moderated by Cathrina Barros, chief of the Caltrans Office of Asphalt Pavements (left) and featured (seated left to right): Larry Hernandez with Caltrans, Dr. Dave Jones with the UCPRC and Marco Estrada with PRS.

their pavement assets, including many educational resources, model specifications and more. A detailed cover story on the CCPIC ran in a recent issue of CalAPA's association magazine, California Asphalt. Updyke is in the CalAPA “Hall of Fame” as an Honorary Member for his many years of work for the Los Angeles County Public Works Department and also on the “Green Book” local agency specification book.

Dr, Shadi Saadeh with Cal State Long Beach, program manager of the Joint Training & Certification Program for construction materials technicians, a joint effort between Caltrans, academia and the construction industry, discussed how the program has trained thousands of technicians since the program's inception in 2018, and summarized new enhancements

to the classes coming up this year. CalAPA in 2014 spearheaded the effort to create the JTCP, and has a seat on the JTCP Advisory Council as well as representation on the JTCP Technical Committee.

Innovation was a recurring theme of the conference, with presentations by Alex Richardson with HaulHub and Joseph Dongo of Caltrans on eTicketing technology, and Scott Dmytrow with Pavement ACES demonstrating pavement preservation tools that are benefitting by new technology. Sustainability was also prominently featured in presentations by Dan Staebell with Cargill, delving into Warm Mix Asphalt and best practices with regard to the use or rejuvenators in the use of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement. Chris Sparks with MacRebur provided an update on the use of reclaimed

It was another great turnout for the CalAPA Spring Asphalt Pavement Conference and Equipment Expo week of events, bringing together industry and agency personnel to gain insights on the latest developments in the world of asphalt at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Ontario.

plastic in asphalt pavement mixes. Amlan Mukherjee with WAP Sustainability, a noted national expert on Environmental Product Declarations, provided the latest information on this high-interest topic.

The Women of Asphalt California Branch once again dazzled with a presentation of the group's many workforce-elevating activities in the past year as outlined by Cathrina Barros, Chief of the Caltrans Office of Asphalt Pavements and co-chair of the Women of Asphalt California Branch. The WofA motto of “lead and inspire” was woven throughout her remarks and the many accomplishments of WofACA volunteers.

CalAPA 2024 Chairman Scott Metcalf announced at the conference that CalAPA was establishing a non-profit charitable foundation, in part, to support Women of Asphalt California Branch activities, and a special WofACA Branch raffle raised more than $700.

Day 2 of the conference featured presentations from Buzz Powell, recently named technical director of the CalAPA-supported Asphalt Pavement Alliance, drawing from his many years of managing the test track at the National Center for Asphalt Technology at Auburn University. Dr. John Harvey, Director of the University of California Pavement Research Center (UCPRC) joined Updyke for informative presentations targeting pavement performance, as well as the latest research on the use of RAP and Rubberized Hot Mix Asphalt.

The Women of Asphalt California Branch demonstrated their technical chops by moderating an expert panel discussion on recycling asphalt in-place, utilizing various techniques. Barros moderated the panel discussion, which

[ Continued on page 20 ]

Tim Saenz, RMA Companies (facing) with Andrew Onoja of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, Nigeria, and Jay Burnham, RMA Companies.

The CalAPA Spring Conference exhibit hall was in full swing during the breaks.

Outdoor exhibitor, Quinn Cat, had a cornhole game opportunity to win prizes at the CalAPA Spring Asphalt Pavement Conference.

[ Continued from page 18 ]

also featured Larry Hernandez with Caltrans, Dr. Dave Jones with the UCPRC and Marco Estrada with PRS. Presentations delivered at the conference are available on-line via the CalAPA SlideShare page.

During breaks in the presentations, attendees meandered out to the parking lot to get a close-up look at the latest asphalt paving equipment on display thanks to the generous support of CalAPA members NixonEgli and local Quinn CAT Caterpillar dealers.

The Spring Conference would not be possible without the generous support of the event sponsors and exhibitors. The reception sponsor was Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, and the Lanyard Sponsor was Pavement Recycling Systems. Sponsors of the Spring Conference included G3 Quality, Knife River Construction, R.J. Noble Co. and Valero. The event exhibitors were All States Materials Group, Arkema, Crafco, D&H Equipment, Humboldt Equipment, Ingevity, InstroTek Inc., Maxwell Products, Nixon-Egli Equipment Co., Quinn CAT, the Reed Family Companies, the RMA Companies, Structure Groups, WRAPP and the Women of Asphalt California Branch, which also sponsored a 1970s-themed dance contest at the hotel nightclub featuring flamboyant costumes and even more flamboyant dance moves.

[ Continued on page 22 ]

CalAPA Member, Pavement Recycling Systems (PRS), hosted a tour of its Colton facility on March 6, 2024 in conjunction with the CalAPA Spring Conference week of events in Ontario.

to

Lisa Perkio, PRS; Jessica Tolentino, PRS; Cathrina Barros, Caltrans (Women of Asphalt California Branch Co-Chair); Kelsy Yunker, PRS; Sydney Johnson, Earth Systems; Monica Zaring, GuardTop; Suzanne Morgan, Structure Groups; Mimi Le, MCK Services (Women of Asphalt California Branch Co-Chair); Mary Mills, JRS; Lilian Alvarez, PRS; Jackie Henry, CalAPA; and Savannah Gibb, PRS (top).

Pictured, left

right:

Attendees were able to view the plant operations from the control booth at PRS’ reclaimed aggregates plant.

Justin Burke, PRS, educates the attendees on how PRS recycles asphalt millings into RAP and chip at the reclaimed aggregates plant.

[ Continued from page 20 ]

For information on sponsoring future conferences or other CalAPA events, contact Sophie You of CalAPA at (916) 791-5044. CA

Russell W. Snyder, CAE, is executive director of the California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA).

REFERENCES:

Snyder, R. (2023) “Pavement Rescue: The City-County Pavement Improvement Center expands offerings.” California Asphalt magazine, Journal of the California Asphalt Pavement Association, 2023 Public Works Issue, Vol, 27, Issue 6, Page 8-12. On-line edition here: https://issuu. com/calcontractor/docs/cam_ public_works_issue_2023_-_ issuu?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ

Snyder, R. (2023) “The ABCs of EPDs: Environmental Product Declarations seem to be popping up everywhere. Here’s what you need to know.” California Asphalt, Journal of the California Asphalt Pavement Association, Vol. 27, Issue 4, Page 8-14. Online edition is here: https://issuu. com/calcontractor/docs/cam_ environmental_issue_2023_-_ issuu?fr=sNzQwYjYzNDUxNDA

Snyder, R. (2019) “Accountability in action: The innovative Caltrans Joint Training & Certification Program for materials technicians sets the standard for quality, consistency.” California Asphalt magazine, Journal of the California Asphalt Pavement association, Vol. 23, Issue 2. Page 8-13. https://issuu.com/calcontractor/docs/ cam_quality_2019_issuu?e=6185870/6 9171471

The City & County Pavement Improvement Center website is here: http://www.ucprc.ucdavis.edu/ccpic/

The Caltrans-industry Joint Training & Certification Program website is here: https://cws.csulb.edu/colleges/coe/ jtcp-new/

The Women of Asphalt California Branch website is here: https://www. calapa.net/women-of-asphalt.html

Nick Batterson, Weiler Products (left), Tim Warady, Quinn Cat, Travis McClung, Caterpillar, Alex and Sarah Lopez, Cali Made Cold Planing. (Center) Cristina, Brooklyn and Matt Mendenhall, Quinn Cat.

Chris Barry, Beach Paving (left), Scott Salandi, Acrisure, Aaron Terry, Terra Pave, Robert Jarvis, Century Paving and Steve Cota, Acrisure.

Tyler Skender (left), David Darr, American Asphalt South, Tom Hicks, Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Tim Griffin, American Asphalt South and Scott Metcalf, Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions.

Nixon-Egli Equipment’s team members, Reed Nordberg (left), Gavin Singleton, Bobby Sanchez and Cameron Heckman.

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For CalAPA citizen lobbyists, Capitol engagement is a marathon, not a sprint

By Russell W. Snyder

When it comes to legislative engagement, CalAPA’s Legislative Committee Chairman, Steve Ward with Pavement Recycling Systems, likes to recite a famous quote that is well-known around state Capitol in Sacramento: “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.”

That, in a nutshell, is why the association expends so much money and effort in lobbying each year – to ensure that some of the worst ideas floated by people who know very little about the asphalt pavement industry are met with lucid arguments, unimpeachable expertise and credible research.

All of that and more was on display March 19-20 during the association’s annual “Fly-in” to the State Capitol where CalAPA members sought to educate lawmakers and others about issues of importance to the asphalt pavement industry in California.

The annual event is part of the association's long-term strategy to reinforce its reputation at the Capitol as the voice of the asphalt pavement industry and a trusted source of credible information for policy-makers. The “Fly-in” is just one component of many activities that take place during the year, some of which include coordinating with other like-minded groups to amplify important messaging, such as making sure there is adequate funding to maintain California’s vast network of roads and highways. Since CalAPA has been at this for many years, some have likened the effort to a marathon rather than a sprint.

And each year during the “Fly-in” a special emphasis is made to connect with newly elected lawmakers as they find their footing at the Capitol. Those meetings are often the initial contact that leads to other engagements throughout a legislator’s career in Sacramento.

The dire state of the state's General Fund finances was a topic of discussion in several of the meetings this year, as well as asphalt-specific issues, such as Environmental Product Declarations, air-quality rules that impact asphalt plant and fleet operations, and concerns about how funds are being utilized from Senate Bill 1, the $50 billion Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017 that was intended to address years of neglect of pavement repairs across the state.

Pavement rehabilitation or maintenance projects have been fewer than expected so far since SB1 raised fuel

Members of the CalAPA delegation pause outside the Capitol in between meetings.

They were participating in the CalAPA annual Sacramento Capitol “Fly-in” to meet with members of the Legislature and legislative staff to discuss asphalt-related issues.

Pictured, left to right: Gary Houston, Valero; Scott Metcalf, Ergon; Steve Ward, Pavement Recycling Systems; Scott Dmytrow, Pavement ACES and Jeff Sievers, CalAPA’s advocate.

taxes ostensibly for that purpose. The event began with a lunchtime briefing at the historic Sutter Club, a block from the Capitol, conducted by CalAPA's chief lobbyist, Jeff Sievers with Carpenter Garcia Sievers, LLC. Sievers gave an insider’s view of the current climate in the Legislature, issues that are attracting the most attention in Sacramento, and insight into the various legislators that were on the appointment schedule for the two-day event.

Following a busy day of meetings, the delegation returned to the Sutter Club for an elegant dinner with special invited guest, Assemblyman Juan Alanis, R-Modesto (22nd Assembly District), a freshman legislator and rising star in Sacramento.

discuss asphalt-related issues.

After a successful career in law enforcement, Alanis has taken the same approach of professionalism and integrity to Sacramento. He's a member of the powerful Assembly Budget Committee and the bipartisan "Problem Solvers Caucus."

More meetings were held on March 20, including with new Assembly Transportation Committee Chair Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City (11th District), who peppered the delegation with asphalt-specific questions and appeared satisfied with the answers.

A special post-event joint lunch was held with the CalAPA Board of Directors at the Sutter Club to brief board members on the lobbying effort and to review a lengthy list of follow-up actions.

As always is the case with these events, many impromptu encounters took place in the hallways during the Fly-in, including with California Transportation Commission Chairman Carl Guardino, and state Sen. Roger Niello, who was the keynote speaker in January at the CalAPA Annual Dinner held at another elegant venue, the Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles. Guardino spoke at a CalAPA Spring Asphalt Conference in 2013, and indicated he was happy to speak to CalAPA members again. That informal interaction resulted in him accepting CalAPA’s invitation to speak at the association’s “Summit at the Summit” Executive Leadership Forum, which will take place

June 11-13 in Lake Tahoe.

State Sen. Janet Nguyen, R-Huntington Beach, poses for a photo during a meeting with the CalAPA delegation during the annual CalAPA Sacramento Capitol “Fly-in” to meet with members of the Legislature and legislative staff to

Pictured, from left: Steve Ward with Pavement Recycling Systems; Mandy Monjaras with Valero; Gary Houston with Valero; Nguyen; Scott Metcalf with Ergon; and CalAPA’s advocate, Jeff Sievers with the Capitol lobbying firm of Carpenter Garcia Sievers.

Assemblyman Juan Alanis, R-Modesto, joins members of the CalAPA “Fly-in” delegation for an elegant dinner at the Sutter Club in downtown Sacramento.

Pictured, from left: Jeff Sievers, CalAPA’s Sacramento advocate; Assemblyman Alanis; Pete Lambert, McGuire & Hester; Scott Metcalf, Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions; Gary Houston, Valero; Mandy Monjaras, Valero; Steve Ward, Pavement Recycling Systems; and Scott Dmytrow, Pavement ACES consulting.

Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee (fourth from the left) meets with the CalAPA delegation during the annual CalAPA Sacramento Capitol “Fly-in." She peppered the group with many probing questions. Pictured, from left: Jeff Sievers with the Capitol lobbying firm of Carpenter Garcia Sievers; Steve Ward with Pavement Recycling Systems; Scott Metcalf with Ergon; Wilson; Mandy Monjaras with Valero; and Gary Houston with Valero.

Ward, who oversees government relations for PRS and is also a member of the CalAPA Board of Directors, is a veteran of several trips to Sacramento as well as Washington, D.C. In an interview he stressed the importance of sustained, and effective engagement to protect the interests of the industry.

“People get discouraged with politics, and they think they don’t make a difference,” Ward said. “But I firmly believe, when we talk to people, they hear what we say. For example, the other day I spent 45 minutes chatting with Assemblymember Laurie Davies, and she hears what we are saying.” Davies, a Republican from Southern California, was first elected in 2020 and potentially could serve in the Assembly until 2032, so developing that relationship for the long haul is essential.

“Are you going to change the world in one meeting? No,” Ward

says. “But I do think it makes a difference. CalAPA does a great job of holding their feet to the fire, of holding them accountable. We keep asking, ‘Where is the money going?’ You have to keep hammering people, and if they keep hearing it, it will sink in what is important to us. Even if people want to drive Electric Vehicles, you still have to have decent roads to drive them on.”

Sievers has been CalAPA’s primary lobbyist since 2013, and his firm was recently named by the Sacramento Business Journal as one of the top advocacy firms at the Capitol. He says he sees up close, all year long, the impact of the fly-ins in many subsequent interactions with lawmakers.

“It is never more impactful than when real people come share information with policymakers,” he said. “CalAPA’s members relate real-world knowledge and

experience about our critical infrastructure. Our consistent message is being understood by the Legislature and enhances our credibility with elected officials.”

Ward encouraged other members to participate in future Fly-ins or other CalAPA-coordinated engagements with elected officials to give members a first-hand look at direct democracy at work.

“If you don’t speak up,” he said, “no one is going to hear you.” CA

Russell W. Snyder, CAE, is executive director of the California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA).

REFERENCES:

Snyder, R. (2017) “The Big Fix: The Inside Story of the $52 billion transportation bill,” California Asphalt, Journal of the California Asphalt Pavement Association, Special 2017 Advocacy Issue, PP 8-28.

Assemblywoman Laurie Davis, R-Laguna Niguel (left) makes a point to the CalAPA delegation during the association’s annual “Fly-in” to the State Capitol in Sacramento on March 19-20, 2024. Pictured, from left: Davis, CalAPA advocate Jeff Sievers, and Steve Ward with Pavement Recycling Systems.

Members of the CalAPA delegation pose for a photo with Sen. Brian Dahle, R-Redding, at his legislative offices in Sacramento. The members participating in the CalAPA annual Sacramento Capitol “Fly-in” to meet with members of the Legislature and legislative staff to discuss asphalt-related issues. Pictured, from left: Gary Houston and Mandy Monjaras with Valero; CalAPA’s Sacramento advocate, Jeff Sievers; Dahle; Steve Ward with Pavement Recycling Systems; and Scott Metcalf with Ergon.

Assemblywoman Diane Papan, D-San Mateo (right) shares her passion for fixing roads during a meeting with the CalAPA delegation at the association's annual "Fly-in" to the State Capitol March 19-20, 2024 in Sacramento. CalAPA members pictured include Gary Houston with Valero (left) and Scott Metcalf with Ergon, CalAPA's 2024 chairman.

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