Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction August 2017

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF NATIONAL PAVEMENT EXPO

Here’s Why to Chalk Striping Layout

MAINTENANCE & RECONSTRUCTION AUGUST 2017

NPE 2018

Preview New Sales, Marketing, Crew Sessions How to Alter Sealer Mix Design to IMPROVE JOB PERFORMANCE

Why You Need a

“SUMMER PREVENT DEFENSE”

Removal and Restriping 75 MILES OF 4-INCH LINES For PERFORMANCE

IMPROVEMENT PLANS,

Timing Is Everything

Which “BELLS AND WHISTLES” Do You Need on Your Next Pickup Sweep Masters Grows on “WANT TO”

› › › www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Pavement Awards Deadline Nov. 1!

How Manufacturers Are Improving Screeds Exclusive Paving Widens Alaska Road Micro-Surfacing Solves Bridge Deck Schedule 7/31/17 11:23 AM

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What’s Inside

August/September 2017

FEATURES 18

How Road Widening Wins an Award

Alaska’s Exclusive Paving upgrades chip sealed road and adds shoulders for recreational use.

39 Understanding

Sealcoating Mix Designs What you add — and how you add it — can impact the quality and longevity of your sealcoating work.

22 How to Speed Up a

Micro-surfacing Job

Contractor turns to high-tech emulsifier to complete Brooklyn Bridge job.

44 75 Miles

of 4-inch Lines

24 How Screeds

Improve Paving Performance

Manufacturers are improving screed components for a better quality asphalt mat.

18

How Asphalt Associates turned a cold call into a monster removal and restripe job at Mall of America.

47 Contractors’ Choice:

24

Pickup Trucks

Choose pickup trucks to maximize bottom line.

ON THE COVER Rivers Construction Group Ltd., Jessup, MD, uses a Vögele Super 700-3i to place the

44

final surface in 4-ft.-wide utility cut in Bethesda, MD. Photo courtesy Wirtgen America Inc.

Vol. 32, No. 5 August/September 2017

Published and copyrighted 2017 by AC Business Media Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

PAVEMENT

Subscription policy: Individual subscriptions are available without charge in the U.S. only to pavement maintenance contractors, producers and government employees involved in paving or pavement maintenance; dealers, and distributors of pavement maintenance equipment or materials; and others with similar business activities. Complete the subscription form at www. forconstructionpros.com or use your company letterhead giving all the information requested. Publisher reserves the right to reject nonqualified subscribers. One year subscriptions for nonqualified individuals: $35.00 U.S.A., $60.00 Canada and Mexico, and $85.00 all other countries (payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank). Single copies available (prepaid only) $10.00 each (U.S., Canada & Mexico), $15.00 each (International). Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction (ISSN 1098-5875), is published eight times per year: January, February, March/April, May, June/July, August/ September, October/November, December by AC Business Media Inc., 201 N. Main St., Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI and additional entry offices.

POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Pavement, PO Box 3605, Northbrook, IL 60065-3605. Printed in the USA. Canada Post PM40612608. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.

PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE & RECONSTRUCTION is proudly supported by these associations:

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What’s Inside August/September 2017 DEPARTMENTS 6

Editorial

8

Hot Mix

Pavement Awards Add 3 New Categories

The Latest News in the Industry

12 Just In

Select New Products and Upgrades 14 NPE Buzz

NPE 2018 to Focus on Sales, Employees

28 Pavement Profit Center 51

58

64

Classified Ads

58 On The Job

What’s the Best Way to Layout a Parking Lot for Striping?

60 Your Business Matters

Timing Is Everything When Setting Up a Performance Improvement Plan

8

61 NAPSA Report

How to Add Services Complementery to Power Sweeping 61 WSA Update

Sweeping: Leading in Defense of Clean Water 62 PCTC Dispatch

You Can Tell the Government About Burdensome Regs

63

63 Technology Update

Keeping Asphalt Cool 64 Contractor Snapshot

Sweep Masters Built on “Want To” in Mississippi and Louisiana 65 Index 66 Tailgate Talk

You Need a “Summer Prevent Defense”

Get fast, relevant product information in the Buyers Guide at

ForConstructionPros.com 4 August/September 2017 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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THE KEY TO SUCCESS WITH POROUS PAVEMENT IS

TO KEEP THE PORES AND JOINTS OPEN. Before

After

Maintenance: Routine surface debris removal and Restoration: Deep cleaning to restore infiltration on plugged surfaces Cleaning the pavement with just the nozzle on the Elgin Whirlwind, a high-powered, pure vacuum sweeper a few times a year does the trick. It has been tested and used in this application for over a decade with impactful results.

To learn more visit www.elginsweeper and request the Maintenance and Restoration of Porous Pavement Surfaces white paper or contact your Elgin Dealer today.

RENTALS AVAILABLE

Note: Porous pavement varies depending on your local climate, so talk to a specialist in your area.

ElginŠ2016 ForConstructionPros.com/10072859

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Editorial Allan Heydorn, Editor

Pavement Awards Add 3 New Categories THIS YEAR Pavement has added three new awards to honor contractors making an impact in the industry.

“Best Marketing Video Award” will be presented to a contractor that has developed a video to promote its company, services and generate leads. All industry-related videos are eligible, including custom-designed efforts, drone videos, before-andafter videos, animation, and on-the-job videos.

“Best of the Web Award” will recognize a contractor that relies on an innovative,

engaging, easy-to-use, standalone company website (not a social media site) to promote its company and services to potential customers.

“Cutting-edge Sweeper Award” recognizes that sweeping is not just about picking up dirt and debris.

This award recognizes sweeping companies who are leading the industry in technology implementation, compliance and more.

Deadline for entries for these and the other nine Pavement Awards is Nov. 1 – so start thinking about your

entries. Odds are you have either already completed or will soon start the job that can have you recognized in the industry. So take a look back at the jobs you completed this season. Which ones turned out especially well?

Which ones had unusual or difficult challenges you and your team had to overcome?

Which ones are you most proud of? Those are the jobs the Pavement Awards are designed to recognize.

And if you haven’t completed a job that you think fits those criteria, take a look

ahead at what’s in your pipeline – then ask yourself the same types of questions.

Entries must be made online at ForConstructionPros.com/PavementAwards.

All that’s required is a brief description of the job and its challenges, including why the job should be recognized.

Then upload two high-resolution photos – and your done!

ForConstructionPros.com/12290433

6 August/September 2017 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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ForConstructionPros.com/10075523

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Hot Mix

Deere to Buy Wirtgen Deere has announced plans to acquire the Wirtgen Group, a leading global supplier of road construction equipment. Deere plans to maintain the Wirtgen Group’s existing brands, management, manufacturing footprint, employees and distribution network. The combined business is expected to benefit from sharing best practices in distribution, manufacturing and technology as well as in scale and efficiency of operations.

“The acquisition of the Wirtgen Group aligns with our long-term strategy to expand in both of John Deere’s global growth businesses of agriculture and construction,” said Samuel R. Allen, Deere & Company chairman and chief executive officer. “Wirtgen’s superb reputation, strong customer relationships and demonstrated financial performance are attractive as we expand the reach of John Deere construction equipment to more customers, markets, and geographies.”

Headquartered in Germany, the Wirtgen Group has five premium brands across the entire road construction sector spanning milling, processing, mixing, paving, compaction and rehabilitation. Wirtgen’s highly complementary product portfolio enhances Deere’s existing construction equipment offering and establishes Deere as an industry leader in global road construction. The Wirtgen Group has a global footprint with approximately 8,000 employees and sells products in more than 100 countries through a large network of company-owned and independent dealers.

“This transaction enhances our global distribution options in construction equipment and enhances our capabilities in emerging markets,” said Max Guinn, President of Deere’s Worldwide Construction & Forestry Division. “Spending on road construction and transportation projects has grown at a faster rate than the overall construction industry and tends to be less cyclical. There is recognition globally that infrastructure improvements must be a priority and roads and highways are among the most critical in need of repair and replacement.”

The companies said they expect to close on the transaction in the first quarter of Deere’s 2018 fiscal year.

Sweeper Summit Set for San Antonio

Cascade Asphalt Joins STAR

1-800-SWEEPER Nationwide Service Alliance will hold its sixth annual Sweeper Summit 2017, a three-day conference and workshop, Nov. 8-10 at the Hilton Palacio Del Rio in San Antonio, TX. The Palacio Del Rio is in the Hilton Pavilion, an historic building located along San Antonio’s Riverwalk.

This year’s theme, “More than a Number,” will feature guest speaker Antarctic Mike, a noted sales, leadership, motivational speaker and endurance athlete.

In addition, Sweeper Summit 2017 will focus on benchmarking, best practice presentations by 1-800-SWEEPER partners, roundtable discussions related to the current state of the power sweeping industry and informal sharing and networking. For details visit www.sweepersummit.com or contact Carolyn Bell, CBell@1800SWEEPER.com; phone: 419-464-0130.

STAR Inc., Columbus, OH, has added Cascade Asphalt Sealing Co., Tacoma, WA, as a STAR Technology Licensing Partner, according to Girish Dubey, STAR Inc. president.

Established in 1976 by Ron Jensen, Cascade Asphalt Sealing manufactures pavement sealers and a broad range of pavement maintenance products, which it markets under the brand name Armorseal. Cascade Asphalt distributes its products throughout Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Alaska, and British Columbia (Canada).

“The technical partnership between STAR and Cascade will enable the companies to serve the entire contagious United States and their international affiliates,” Dubey said.

For details visit www.starseal.com or www.armorseal.com.

Kansas City 5th Graders Design Wrap for Elgin Sweeper During a recent event held at New Stanley Elementary school in Kansas City, KS, fifth-grade students Nicolas “Alex” Rincon, Diego Heraldez Dessens and Julian Bush were recognized as the winners of a contest for the design of an environmentally themed wrap for an Elgin Pelican street sweeper purchased by the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/ Kansas City. Sixty entries for the contest, which was sponsored by Key Equipment & Supply Company, an Elgin Sweeper dealer serving the municipal and contractor market in Kansas, Missouri and Illinois since 1962. The newly wrapped Pelican sweeper bearing the winning design and the slogans “YOUR Small Steps WILL Save the Environment,” and “Throw YOUR Trash Away The CORRECT Way!” was unveiled to the school’s entire student body.

“We were amazed by the creativity and originality of the designs the students submitted. It really made the judging difficult,” said Jeff Miles, vice president Key Equipment & Supply Company. “But the artwork and messaging of the winning design really stand out.”

To kick off the contest in midApril, Miles spent time with the students at New Stanley Elementary, teaching them about the importance of street sweeping in preventing pollution and helping the environment. He also showed the students photos of the Pelican sweeper and explained important details on how their designs would be applied to the machine.

8 August/September 2017 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Engineered Innovation for the Material Transfer Vehicle Market • • • • • •

Designed around clean-out to simplify daily maintenance and increase component life Variable speed conveyors reduce wear Hydraulic conveyor chain tensioner automatically sets and maintains proper chain tension Automated tire spray down decreases tack build-up with programmable spray coverage Storage hopper management system notifies crew of material level in the storage hopper Cat® dealer sales, service and support

Visit weilerproducts.com or the paving specialist at your Cat® dealer for more information.

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Engineered Innovation.

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Hot Mix

Rose Paving Opens Canadian Headquarters

Sweeper Roundup to Feature Education, Rodeo

Rose Paving, Bridgeview, IL, recently opened its official Canadian headquarters in Sarnia, Ontario. The Canadian division is led by Jon Hillebrandt, director of operations, who brings 10 years of experience to the market, as well as veteran salesperson Andrew Merrick, director of sales.

“For years, we have performed topquality work in Canada. Now, with the new headquarters, we can finally bring Rose Paving’s quality service and expertise to this market in an official and widespread capacity,” Hillebrandt said. “Perhaps most of all, we’re excited to develop new collaborative relationships, because that’s what our company and our work is built on.”

Rose Paving also has business units in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and Tampa.

The World Sweeping Association (WSA) Sweeper Roundup, which will be held Sept. 15-17 in Kansas City, MO, will feature four educational seminars put on by people who average more than 30 years of sweeping industry experience, according to Ranger Kidwell-Ross, WSA executive director.

Also, a Sweeper Roundtable will allow contractors to ask questions of WSA’s Contractor Advisory Board members, sweeper manufacturers and leading industry suppliers.

On Saturday afternoon, Sept. 16, events will be held at Gail’s Harley Davidson, one of the largest H-D dealers in America. Sweepers by Elgin, Global, NiteHawk, Ravo and Schwarze will be on display and available for demonstrations. Kidwell-Ross said the Schwarze Vortex model will be used in a “zany Sweeper Rodeo” designed to test the driving skills of attending contractors. Prizes will be awarded in a variety of areas.

The evening of Sept. 16 the venue will switch to Holsman’s Stables, a 200-acre horse ranch, with a barbecue cookout, hay rides and live music. The night’s entertainment will also include an appearance by ‘The Sweeper Band,’ made up of sweeping industry musicians, who will perform several sweeping-themed songs based upon familiar tunes from the past.

Proceeds from the Sweeper Roundup benefit WSA’s Memorial Scholarship Fund. Cost for contractors is $99; hotel rooms are $100/night. For more information and to register visit www.WorldSweepingPros.org/roundup/ or contact the WSA office at 866-635-2205.

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10 August/September 2017 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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mastic one C R AC K S TO W I D E TO S E A L? TO S M A L L F O R R E PAV I N G?

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Just In

Get fast, relevant product information in the Buyers Guide at ForConstructionPros.com 1

1

2

SnowEx V-Maxx G2 Hopper Spreaders

2

3

TrynEx International The SnowEx electric-powered V-Maxx G2 hopper spreader features updated controls and enhanced material spreading features for large ice control applications. The V-Maxx G2 lineup is designed for use with full-size pickups, flatbed, or dump-bed trucks.

•• Dual variable-speed control; digital, self-diagnosing unit for independent adjustment of spinner and auger speeds •• Button control of standard vibrator and optional accessories •• 8 V-box models available ranging from 1.5- to 6-cu.-yd. capacities

Pro Crack Cleaner Little Wonder The Pro Crack Cleaner gives contractors a fast and easy way to clean cracks and crevices in asphalt and concrete. A dual belt drive delivers optimal power and grip, enhancing the unit’s speed, minimizing slippage, increasing belt longevity and reducing maintenance.

•• 4 wheels eliminate need for a curb wheel while enhancing balance, stability and steering •• 9-inch wire wheel brush of twisted spring steel for durability and longevity •• Adjust depth to 4 inches, modify belt tension, brush engagement from hand controls.

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3 Ravel Check Asphalt Rejuvenator UNIQUE Paving Materials Ravel Check is an asphalt based emulsion with penetrating oils and asphalt resins designed with LOCK THE ROCK technology to rejuvenate, preserve and restore asphalt based pavements.

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Donʼt miss the first independent conference for power sweeping contractors ever held in America!

• Educational Sessions • Equipment Demos • Sweeper Rodeo • Roundtable Discussion • Network Night BBQ With 'The Sweeper Band'

The 2017 Sweeper Roundup is organized by the World Sweeping Association with sponsorship from the following:

For complete info go to: www.WorldSweepingPros.org/roundup/ ForConstructionPros.com/10873874

12 August/September 2017 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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NEW

!

TRUST LEEBOY AS DEPENDABLE AS YOUR DAY IS LONG You work hard—and for all the right reasons: pride, quality, reputation, prosperity. You expect your equipment to work as hard as you do, to be every bit as tough, productive and reliable as you are. You can afford nothing less.

We are LeeBoy. The name behind the world’s most dependable and productive commercial asphalt paving equipment. Because we understand what drives you and we deliver.

Productive, reliable equipment that generates increased revenue and profitability Equipment that’s easy to maintain and refuses to take a sick day Global support that’s driven by integrity and a passion for your success www.LeeBoy.com ForConstructionPros.com/10075155

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NPE Buzz

NPE 2018 Conference to Focus on Sales, Employees

27 of 29 management topics will be new when NPE visits Cleveland AS IT HAS in the past, the 2018 National Pavement Expo will divide its 54 conference sessions almost evenly between management and technical sessions.

The 2018 event, to be held Feb. 7-10 at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, will offer 25 technical sessions (including 11 new topics) and 29 management sessions (27 new topics).

Sales an Annual Focus Among NPE’s most-popular sessions are its sales-focused topics, and the 2018 conference program will again address a broad variety of sales issues.

“It’s no secret that sales and marketing drive every pavement maintenance business, so the NPE conference has always put an emphasis on that part of the operation,” said Allan Heydorn, conference manager. “The NPE sessions that address those topics have always been among the best-attended and

best-reviewed sesContractors look to find a seat before the start sions we offer, and of one of NPE 2017's we expect the 2018 standing room-only offerings to be every educational sessions. bit as successful.”

In addition to two new 3-hour workshops, “How a Questionbased Sales Process Will Get You More Work,” presented by Guy Gruenberg, Grow Consulting; and “How to Structure Sales Compensation to Motivate Salespeople – and Generate High-profit Sales”

by Jeff Stokes, Next Level Contractor System, the NPE conference will offer these new sales and marketing topics: Repeat Sales: The Secret to Longterm Success — Guy Gruenberg, Grow Consulting The more repeat business you have, the less money you’ll spend on advertising, marketing, and “cold calls,” and the greater your profits, long-term success, and business security. In this new session, Guy Gruenberg will take you through techniques and approaches that could “re-add” 30%-50% to your annual revenues. You’ll cover pre-planning that includes “post-work” opportunities,

insuring that you really do quality work… the first time, updating your customers throughout your construction process, how to network each sale into multiple sales opportunities. Plus learn how to leave your customer jealous of having you work for anyone else! This session is for owners and sales professionals who want to build a pavement maintenance “annuity” for future security!

How to Secure Sales with National and Regional Accounts — Jeff Stokes, Next Level Contractor System and Bryan Hess, Asphalt Associates Any contractor who has tried selling services for multiple locations of a national or regional account finds out fast that the game is played differently at this level. The sale is more complex. The requirements are more stringent. Some clients prefer a single national provider, others prefer a regional approach using either single-source or multiple suppliers. In this new session you’ll learn that two things are certain in this market: First, opportunities abound and second, clients expect and demand a pavement maintenance contractor who can deliver on his promise. You’ll learn from experts with firsthand experience with national accounts why these chains desire a national or regional service strategy, how to gain access to the right people in key accounts, how to develop the sales and operational systems -- and capacity -required for you to serve these accounts, and the real long-term value of these accounts to your business. You’ll leave with a better understanding of this potentially lucrative market and take home tips that will enable you to compete in it.

Marketing Pavement Maintenance Services in a Digital Age — Jeff Stokes, Next Level Contractor System and Brandon Stanton, 405 Media Group

14 August/September 2017 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Free NPE Sessions for WSA Members Members of the World Sweeping Association (WSA) are eligible to attend three 90-minute National Pavement Expo sessions for free as part of their WSA membership benefits. WSA members must register for NPE and can then select the following sessions:

Sales and marketing are merging with the advent of our digital and digital age.

Today’s consumer, using technology to search, analyze and ultimately confirm which contractors are best qualified for their project. In this fast-changing and competitive environment the role of marketing must continue to be one of developing your brand and brand promises that show your differentiation and capacity. In this session, you will learn the key components to successful marketing, the role of the Internet in connection with buying habits, the importance of differentiating your business from your competition, and how to integrate marketing and sales for a cohesive brand and message. You’ll leave this session with steps you can take to make sure you are marketing your services to today’s residential and commercial customer.

How to Stop “Selling Price”… and What You Should Sell Instead — Brad Humphrey, Pinnacle Development Group "They only take the lowest bid, right?"

Wrong! As professionals selling services and products, we cannot give in to this mind-set or we'll continue to get "scraps" and at lower prices than ever. Commodity selling is not for the real pavement maintenance pro and this session will show you why that’s true and how you can change the sales conversation. You’ll learn that you’re not your competition’s mirror image (so quit selling like you are!). You’ll learn how to move customer’s “apples” to your “oranges,” how to develop, leverage and market your Unique Selling Proposition, and you’ll be able to identify “pools of customers” so you can determine who you are selling to that you shouldn’t be. Plus, you’ll learn the 10 reasons you don’t have to sell price alone!

Boost your profits and grow faster by selling what you have to offer!

How to Make Facebook, YouTube and Other Social Media Work for You — Marvin Joles III, Wis-Coat

“Trumped Up” Terminations – A Labor and Employment Year in Review, and What to Expect for 2018 — Martin B. Heller, Freeman Mathis & Gary LLP Labor is the backbone of every pavement maintenance contractor – and labor law is undergoing a transformation under the Donald Trump presidency. In this session, presented by the chair of his firm’s wage and hour section, you’ll learn the significant impact the current administration has had on labor and employment law. You’ll review key cases and regulatory changes from 2017 – and learn how they will impact your operation – in the areas of wage and hour law under the Fair Labor Standards Act; harassment and discrimination law under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. How to Secure Sales with National and Regional Accounts — Jeff Stokes, Next Level Contractor System and Bryan Hess, Asphalt Associates Any contractor who has tried selling services for multiple locations of a national or regional account finds out fast that the game is played differently at this level. The sale is more complex. The requirements are more stringent. Some clients prefer a single national provider, others prefer a regional approach using either single-source or multiple suppliers. In this new session you’ll learn that two things are certain in this market: First, opportunities abound and second, clients expect and demand a pavement maintenance contractor who can deliver on his promise. You’ll learn from experts with firsthand experience with national accounts why these chains desire a national or regional service strategy, how to gain access to the right people in key accounts, how to develop the sales and operational systems – and capacity – required for you to serve these accounts, and the real long-term value of these accounts to your business.

“Fire Up” Your Attitude and Communications Skills! — Guy Gruenberg, Grow Consulting Believe it or not, Attitude and Communication go hand in hand, and in this new session Guy Gruenberg will tie both together to help you “fire up” for the 2018 season. In this robust class – perfect for a Saturday morning – you’ll learn how to develop and maintain the motivation and inspiration you need every day to get great results with prospects, clients and team members. Then you’ll learn the subtleties of communication. In our fast-paced, hectic business environment it’s essential to make sure you’re sending the right message, so you’ll learn about the subdued and hidden communication signals you “send” that can impact your results.

There are so many social media outlets out there – and they can mean free marketing! But how can you use them effectively to drive sales? And how can you do it easily? In this session, a pavement maintenance contractor who has a social media success story to tell will show you how to make social media an essential part of your marketing and sales efforts. You’ll learn how to implement Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram, including specific steps to make each medium effective for you. You’ll learn how to make various social media work together to

compound their impact. Plus you’ll learn shortcuts that can make using these options even easier for you. We’re living in an age dominated by social media – don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to make it work for your business!

Employee Management Considering that one of the major concerns facing contractors is hiring, retaining and use of employees, it’s no surprise that a number of the 2018 NPE sessions address employee management. Among the sessions focusing on this critical issue are:

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NPE Buzz Free NPE Sessions for NAPSA Members The Pillar and the Pyramid of Leadership: How to Create Phenomenal Performance Environments — Giselle Chapman, Chapman Business Solutions The goal of great leadership is to create phenomenal performance environments, and this unique session, by an NPE leadership powerhouse, will help you construct the leadership pyramid that can be the basis of your company’s success. You’ll learn the 3 pillars essential to creating phenomenal performance environments, and you’ll learn how those pillars create a foundation for higher levels of organizational and team health.

Plus, you’ll learn how the pillars – Love, Respect and Genshai (never treating others, or yourself, in a way that makes them feel small) – allow teams and entire organizations to build trust, authenticity, connections and confidence. You’ll take home insights that will enable you to achieve the goal of quality leadership: maximizing the potential of everyone on your team and in your company!

5 Secrets of Effective Teamwork – For Contractors — Brad Humphrey, Pinnacle Development Group When it comes to getting the best out of your crews why mess around experimenting? Let this workshop “cut to the chase” and provide you with the five “jewels” of great construction crew teamwork. You’ll learn the difference between “good” and “great” construction crews and what the “great” ones look like, and you’ll learn the 5 secrets of effective teamwork – Familiarity, Laser Focus, C&C, “ESP” Communication, and “Foxhole” Conversions – and how to incorporate them into your operation.

Plus take home tips on developing crew metrics for a team scorecard.

Come learn what it takes to create that “championship” crew and move them to a “dynasty” for years of profitable performance.

“Trumped Up” Terminations – A Labor and Employment Year in Review, and What to Expect for 2018 — Martin B. Heller, Freeman Mathis & Gary LLP Labor is the backbone of every pavement maintenance contractor – and labor law is undergoing a transformation under the Donald Trump

Members of the North American Power Sweeping Association (NAPSA) are eligible to attend three 90-minute National Pavement Expo sessions for free as part of their NAPSA membership benefits. NAPSA members must register for NPE and can then select the following sessions: Risk Management and Error Recovery Tools to Protect Your Company — Joshua G. Ferguson, Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP All contractors at some point are involved in some type of litigation. There are, however, steps you can take to manage your risk to deter litigation, recover from mistakes, and to better defend your company should litigation occur. In this session you’ll learn from a litigation and general counsel attorney the processes and procedures you can put in place to protect your company before an event occurs, and efforts to recover from errors after they occur. You’ll be introduced to essential documents for your company, from bidding to performing to billing and collections. In addition you’ll learn procedures contractors should follow at each stage of the process. Plus learn the impact a company safety program and training efforts can have on your operation and your defense.

Succession Planning Success: How to Develop Your Strategy! — Dan Kunos, Ameriprise Financial Services and Andrew O’Brien, Securian Financial Services Eventually every business will get sold or transferred, and this new session by two succession planning specialists will help you get your business ready – and explain why you have to start now! You’ll learn how experts determine the value of a business, how to value yours, and steps you can take to make your business more transferrable or sellable. You’ll learn the advantages and disadvantages of the options for sale or transfer – family members, insiders/management, or a third-party strategic/financial buyer. You’ll discuss what you will need to retire comfortably, how that can affect how you dispose of your business and how, after the sale, to incorporate the sale into your personal financial plan.

Sweeper Maintenance for Reliability & Performance — Costas Cordonis, Schwarze Industries Routine maintenance is as simple as oil and filter changes as well as cleaning and checking fluid levels, but preventive maintenance goes above and beyond day-today tasks. In this session you’ll learn that preventive maintenance is a systematic inspection of equipment components where potential problems can be detected and corrected before any failures can occur. You’ll learn preventive maintenance practices including adjustments, repairs, worn part replacements, and partial or complete assembly overhauls. Routine and preventive maintenance proactively helps to keep your equipment up and running, preventing any unplanned downtime and expensive costs from unanticipated equipment failures. Plus, key recommendations of operational and adjustment tips to improve your sweeper’s performance -- and your bottom line.

In addition, NAPSA members receive a discount on two 3-hour workshops. 2018 “Best Practices” for Contract Sweepers ($85 for NAPSA members) and Navigate & Differentiate to Accelerate Your Business in 2018! ($90 for NAPSA members), presented by Gerry O’Brion, What Big Brands Know.

presidency. In this session, presented by the chair of his firm’s wage and hour section, you’ll learn the significant impact the current administration has had on labor and employment law. You’ll review key cases and regulatory changes from 2017 – and learn how they will impact your operation -- in the areas of wage and hour law under the Fair Labor

Standards Act; harassment and discrimination law under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. For details and to register visit www.nationalpavementexpo.com.

16 August/September 2017 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Paving

Allan Heydorn, Editor

How Road Widening Wins an Alaska’s Exclusive Paving upgrades chip sealed road and adds shoulders for recreational use SOMETIMES IT’S THE paving that creates the challenge for contractors, but oftentimes it’s the location – and the accompanying vehicle and pedestrian traffic – that can make a straightforward job difficult.

That was the case when Exclusive Paving, North Pole, AK, won the bid to upgrade and widen 3-mile-long Goldhill Road, a pavement that had been reconstructed and chip sealed in 1976 and that today gathers pedestrian and auto traffic from numerous roads in a residential community. The job went so well that Exclusive Paving, Fairbanks, was recognized with a Quality in Construction Award by the National Asphalt Pavement Association.

In business for 30 years as a general contractor, Exclusive Paving primarily produces hot mix asphalt, ready mix concrete, and aggregate, according to Jeff Galterio, general manager. The contractor, a division of Colaska, a subsidiary of Colas U.S., employs 100 people when going “full bore,” as Galterio says, generating at least 50% of its sales annually from paving. He says the contractor does some commercial work but work for cities, the state of Alaska and military bases is what keeps the company busy.

The challenge of Goldhill Road was a challenge many communities face.

When the road was constructed the population density was lighter, but as density increased in the residential area the road became much more heavily travelled. In addition, as more people moved to the area, jogging, bicycling and walking became more common, with

Award To minimize the impact on drivers, crews didn’t start work until after residents went to work. And once work was underway Exclusive Paving used its pilot cars to get people through the work site as quickly and safely as possible.

Goldhill Road receiving much of this recreational traffic. Unfortunately, the road was narrow and ditches on each side meant recreational enthusiasts had to battle with traffic. So safety became a major concern.

“The road before this job was fairly narrow, just two drive lanes and no shoulder,” Galterio says. “It went through a primarily residential area with a lot of streets extending off of it which generated a lot of bicyclists and joggers and walkers on the route with little room for them.”

So there was a push from the community to make the road more pedestrian and bike friendly. And because there were ditches and limited right-ofway along the road there wasn’t enough room to construct a separate bike path.

Added Space for Added Width Galterio says the entire route was fairly narrow, so Exclusive Paving started the job doing a fair amount of clearing brush and cutting down some trees

“We were able to minimize the impact of change orders and traffic control on the schedule, which was very important because the job was running into the end of our season,” Jeff Galterio says. “We were running up against the end of the paving and striping window at the end of the season.”

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Excavation of an intersection revealed discontinuous permafrost, which required a redesign by the DOT and a change order. Jeff Galterio says the area was excavated 6 ft. to the top of permafrost and built back up with 8 in. of expanded polystyrene foam, three layers of woven geotextile, and non-frost susceptible gravel material.

to open up space to add 4 ft. of paved shoulder on each side of the road.

He says the existing subbase was constructed primarily of mine tailings which contained rock chunks as large 10-12in. The chip seal surface was ground in place, and crews excavated damaged areas, removing asphalt patches up to 1 ft. deep and areas with the large stone, then filled in the excavated areas.

“After the road was ground in place, we used dozers to cut and build the embankments and graders to establish the designed subgrade profile,” he says.

Exclusive Paving anticipated that the widening of the roadway could be completed by balancing the existing subgrade in place to meet the new roadway profile, but they later determined they needed additional material trucked in to balance the cuts and fills to achieve the additional width. Galterio says the company used two crews and coordinated with Alaska DOT to allow continuous traffic flow while maintaining even lanes of travel at the end of each shift.

Then Exclusive Paving brought in 6 in. of subbase.

“The new 6-in. subbase was pretty loose and there was a lot of traffic on that road even when we were doing the reconstruction,” Galterio says.

“The original road was cut with dozers and we used the extra material as fill along the side,” Jeff Galterio says.

“We weren’t happy with how the new specified sub base was holding up to traffic and it certainly was not going to provide an adequate paving surface, so we talked with the state. They agreed that placing a 2 in. layer of D-1 on top of the subbase would go a long way to strengthening the road structure, making it safer for drivers passing through the work zone, and providing a much more stable base for the paving.”

Using Warm Mix Asphalt Exclusive Paving has relied on warm mix asphalt for more than 10 years. Jeff Galterio says warm mix is produced at lower mix temperatures, which reduced fuel consumption and emissions at the asphalt plant, and because the crews find it easier to work with in the field.

Mixing temperatures for this job were in the 315-330°F range and actual mix temperatures were around 260°F. “The only time we won’t use it is at the very beginning and very end of the season when temperatures are freezing at night when we have to worry about water in the lines freezing,” Galterio says.

The use of warm mix, combined with use of recycled asphalt pavement in the job, are part of the reason the project was honored by NAPA.

Use of the D-1 asphalt treated base created some delays as it required a change order, and work had to be reconfigured so that at the end of each shift the looser subbase was capped with D-1 and ready to accept traffic so drivers wouldn’t get stuck the next morning.

When it came time to pave the 11-ft.wide road with 4-ft. shoulders on each side Exclusive Paving paved one lane in one direction from start to finish, then turned around and paved the same distance in the other direction, completing the paving with only one seam down the middle. The same process was used for both the asphalt treated base and the 2-in. top course.

Controlling Traffic “The toughest thing about the job was dealing with a lot of traffic, with everybody going to work in the morning and everybody coming home in the early evening,” he says.

To minimize the impact on drivers, crews didn’t start work until after residents went to work. And once work was underway Exclusive Paving used its pilot cars to get people through the work site as quickly and safely as possible.

“This is a challenge that comes with just about any project but the density of the residential population and the fact that there wasn’t another route made the traffic control and safety of the pedestrians especially important,” Galterio says.

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Paving

Because ditches were filled to enable road widening, Exclusive Paving installed drainage along both sides of the 3-mile stretch.

Intersection Improvement

When it came time to pave the 11-ft.-wide road with 4-ft. shoulders on each side Exclusive Paving paved one lane in one direction from start to finish, then turned around and paved the same distance in the other direction, completing the paving with only one seam down the middle.

In addition to widening Goldhill Road to accommodate bikers and joggers more safely, the award-winning project also called for a realignment to increase the sight distance at a major intersection at the end of the roadway.

Excavation in this area revealed discontinuous permafrost which required a redesign by the DOT and a substantial change order.

Jeff Galterio says the new alignment was excavated 6 ft. to the top of permafrost and built back up with 8 in. of expanded polystyrene foam, three layers of woven geotextile, and non-frost susceptible gravel material.

“We brought in a separate crew to do the work once the change order was approved so the change didn’t delay the project,” Galterio says. “Otherwise it would have added as much as two weeks to the job.”

The 1-in. chip seal pavement was ground in place and asphalt patches were removed up to 1 ft. deep.

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20 August/September 2017 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Surface Treatments

Because of a limited overnight window to complete a microsurfacing project on the Brooklyn Bridge, the contractor used an emulsifier to enable them to meet the job challenges.

How to Speed Up a

Micro-surfacing Job Contractor turns to high-tech emulsifier to complete Brooklyn Bridge project SO, HERE’S THE challenge: A microsurfacing contractor and emulsion producer was tasked with repaving the high-profile, heavily trafficked Brooklyn Bridge deck over the course of six nights during cool weather conditions, with limited paving hours and a heavy application required.

The project presented the following unique challenges:

Limited Paving Hours Work could not begin until 10:00 p.m. with approximately two hours of prep work (to cover expansion joints and drain inlets) required each night before resurfacing could begin. All covers had to be removed and traffic markings installed before re-opening to traffic by 5:30 a.m.

Nighttime and Cool Paving Conditions Micro-surfacing had to be done at night in high humidity and cool temperatures.

Ambient temperatures were in the low to mid 60s °F with a relative humidity of greater than 80%. Bridge deck surface

temperatures were cool, in the upper 50s to low 60s.

Cooler, more humid conditions are typically more challenging because it generally takes longer after micro-surfacing before the road can be re-opened to traffic. This is because at night and in cool conditions, the micro-surfacing needs more time to set, cure and develop sufficient strength before traffic can return to the road.

As a result, the contractor must stop paving much sooner than normal, sometimes up to a few hours in advance of opening the road to traffic, further limiting available micro-surfacing hours.

This leads to slower production rates and reduced operational efficiency.

Double Application The Brooklyn Bridge application was a double lift, with each lift consisting of 28 lbs. of mix per square yard for a total of 56 lbs. per square yard. A tack coat was applied to the concrete bridge deck substrate that had exposed rebar prior to the micro-surfacing paving.

Use of tack coat and a heavy

micro-surfacing application traditionally requires more time after paving before the road can be opened to traffic.

A thicker application takes longer to set, cure and develop strength, slowing production and operational efficiency.

Traffic Volume The Brooklyn Bridge is 3,500 feet long and 30 feet wide, with three lanes of travel in each direction and an Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) count of approximately 150,000 cars.

Micro-surfacing done at night and in cool conditions can sometimes be more susceptible to early traffic damage and loss of stone. An AADT of 150,000 cars is very high, so the micro-surfacing must cure and develop significant strength before traffic return otherwise excess damage could occur, in which case the contractor would have to remove the application and re-do the paving at their own expense.

The Solution After reviewing the project goals and challenges, the contractor and emulsion

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New York City's Brooklyn Bridge handles more than 150,000 vehicles a day so it couldn't be shut down for more than six nights.

producer turned to Road Science, which simulated expected field paving conditions in its laboratory and measured key performance characteristics of the micro-surfacing using different emulsifier chemistries.

A preservation project on the Road Science determined Brooklyn Bridge that a specific emulsifier took the concrete (ArrTekk® 1295) would enable bridge deck down the contractor to meet the job to rebar prior to challenges and complete it on micro-surfacing. time under the restrictive time and weather conditions. The emulsifier is designed to lengthen the microsurfacing life cycle by up to 30% and improve mix consistency and lay-down characteristics, enabling better workmanship and aesthetics.

It also would enable the contractor to open the bridge to traffic quicker, allowing the contractor to pave faster and increase production rates. After reviewing options, the contractor chose ArrTekk 1295 to formulate the emulsion and complete the micro-surfacing mix design.

Did it Work?

In a word, yes. The micro-surfacing mix design, relying on the special emulsifier chemistry, enabled the contractor to meet the tight project schedule because it provided: • A quicker set time – less than 7 minutes for a 40%+ faster rate • A 50% reduction in additional water added to the mix to achieve proper mix consistency • Stronger cohesive strength build allowing for earlier pneumatic rolling of material under cool ambient and surface temperatures – 20 minutes after placement until pneumatic rolling vs. 45-60 minutes typically required • The contractor exceeding the anticipated project schedule by allowing for more paving time within the short lane-closure timeframes, and sufficient curing to facilitate placement of pavement markings and on-time traffic return • Project completion within 4½ nights vs. the 6 nights allotted.

ArrTekk 1295 can also be used in microsurfacing applications including those over asphalt pavements and in crack relief interlayer applications.

Information for this article was provided by ArrMaz’s Road Science division, which develops higher-performing asphalt chemicals, binders, and preventive maintenance and recycling technologies; www.roadscience.net.

Use of the emulsifier enabled the contractor to open the Brooklyn Bridge to traffic by 5:30 each morning and to finish the job in the less-than-expected six nights.

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Screeds

Jessica Stoikes , Associate Editor

How Screeds Improve Paving Performance Manufacturers are improving screed components for a better quality asphalt mat

WHILE THE PAVER and rollers are essential to asphalt paving operations, the screed is crucial for both the quality and density of an asphalt road. With this in mind, owners should choose a screed that not only matches their paving program but also includes new features that improve the entire life cycle of the pavement.

“Improvements in both pavers and screeds have led to increases in quality in the Superpave era of performance-graded asphalt pavements, and screeds with pre-compaction are part of it,” Laikram "Nars" Narsingh, manager, commercial support and development with Vögele

says. “The quality of today’s asphalt surface is much smoother, with an overall improvement in surface texture consistency and joint quality. Also, the deterioration of the surface now takes much longer, due to improved paving processes such as reduced mass and temperature segregation and higher joint density.”

The Screed & Pre-Compaction Upgrades in screed technology help crews achieve the highest pre-compaction right behind the paver where it matters most – when temperatures are at their highest.

Pre-compaction can be defined as the density achieved only by the screed, prior to rolling. The initial turnover and seating of the aggregate in the mix by the screed structurally places the material and provides initial smoothness. During this process, air is driven out of the mix to initiate the process of achieving density.

Manufacturers pay attention to the balance of the paver and screed weight.

Screed Selection At-A-Glance When looking at a screed, there are several elements that contractors can choose to help create a smooth mat right out of the gate. According to Tom Travers, sales and marketing manager with Carlson Paving, a screed must: • Maintain a uniform head of material and deliver continuous material flow to eliminate cold mix from building up in dead areas • Offer ease of extension and retraction without lift and fall of the grade you’re trying to maintain • Provide the footprint and weight to restrict settling when stopped or changing speeds Also pay attention to the track record, life-cycle costs, manufacturer training and support and ease of adjustments to the screed to ensure you make the choice that will work best for your applications and crews, Travers says.

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“As material flows under the screed, air is squeezed out of the mixture as density changes to what we call ‘off the screed density’,” says John Mooney, paver product manager at Volvo Construction Equipment. “The weight of the screed and vibratory excitement of the material will produce roughly 85% or better material density right off the screed. The rollers will then provide another 5% to 12% reduction in air voids.”

So it’s important to maximize precompaction with the paver and screed to achieve greater density in the finished mat – which results in a longer-lasting pavement. Maximizing pre-compaction also reduces the number of required rolling passes needed, which leads to reduced wear and tear on the rollers, lower operating costs and increased production throughout the job.

“In general, more than one adjustment is typically needed to increase pre-compaction,” says Jon Anderson, global sales consultant at Caterpillar Inc. “It is usually a combination of settings and/or configurations. Increasing screed weight, increasing amplitude (stroke) of the tamper bar, or decreasing paving speed are all inputs; however these need to be adjusted per the job parameters, always making sure to keep mat quality acceptable.”

Paving Speed Matters Generally there are three compaction components available on paver screeds: 1. Vibratory-only Screed 2. Vibratory and Tamper Bar (single & dual) Screed 3. Vibratory, Tamper and Pressure Bar Screed “The selection of the type of pre-compaction element varies based on material being laid down, thickness, quality/density specification requirements and type of job being done such as mainline paving, airports, container terminals etc.,” says Vijayakumar Palanisamy, product marketing manager for Dynapac.

In the United States, many contractors use vibratory-only screeds for their

Heavy Hitters As John Anderson with Caterpillar says, increasing the weight along with adding new elements to the screed is important to increasing overall mat compaction. While the North American market generally uses a vibratory-only screed to pave fast and thin, the use of these heavier compaction and high-compaction screeds is increasing. These screeds are generally used for thicker mats at a slower paving rate.

“This technology is making a comeback in North America mainly because of globalization of the paving industry,” Laikram Narsingh with Vögele says.

Heavier and more rigid-compaction and high-compaction screeds allow contractors to pave wider to eliminate joints and increase in-place density to improve smoothness and surface texture.

“Vibratory screeds generally achieve 75% to 85% density behind the screed, whereas compaction screeds will achieve approximately 85% to 92% and high-compaction screeds could get as high as 96%,” Narsingh explains. “High compaction also can reduce the number of lifts, where applicable, to reduce cost and construction time.”

A rigid screed maintains screed adjustment to ensure consistent in-place density across the width of the mat. But compacting screeds can provide higher in-place density, adds Narsingh, thereby reducing roll down and improving smoothness.

“Smoothness and density relative-to-screed are functions of screed weight, rigidity and its ability to increase in-place density,” Narsingh says. “A heavier screed will also perform better with stiffer mixes that are becoming more popular.”

Screeds with pre-compaction are part of the reason there’s been an increase in job quality of performance-graded asphalt pavements.

paving needs as they are equipped to pave at higher speeds and in the lift thickness required by most DOTs. “The vibratory-only screed operates at zero to 3,000 vibrations per minute,” says Tom Travers, sales and marketing manager with Carlson Paving. “On the slow side, you can pave 35 fpm and up to 60 fpm with a vibratory only screed.”

Vibratory-only screeds have an eccentric shaft acting on screed plates at right angles to the direction of paving causing the "V" screed to vibrate. The heavier the eccentric weight, the more effective the vibration system will be.

The compactive force of the vibratory-only screed is generated by offset

weights as they spin around the central shaft and applied to the hot mix as it passes under the screed.

Some screeds also have tamper bars that strike off the hot mix as it passes under the screed to provide more initial density. However, adding a tamper requires the paving speed to drastically slow down so that the tamper bar has enough time to tuck the material under the screed.

The addition of a pressure bar gives additional weight on top of the screed plate providing further pre-compaction, but will also impact paving speed and cannot be used on thinner lifts.

“A pressure bar compacts the mat after the screed trailing edge,” Anderson says. “It helps add some additional compaction before the asphalt compactor. Dual tamper bar screeds will also help increase pre-compaction over single tamper bar screed, however increasing screed weight in conjunction with the second tamper bar is key to increasing overall compaction.” (see Heavy Hitters sidebar) “The dynamic effort is determined by the use of any one pre-compaction element [vibration, tampers and pressure bars],” Palanisamy says. “Manufacturers pay close attention to the balance of the paver and screed weight to ensure

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Screeds

Where’s the Extension?

While fixed screeds were highly prevalent 20 years ago, front- and rear-mounted extendable screeds have become the preferred choice of today’s contractors. Their hydraulic extensions offer greater versatility compared to the bolt-on extensions required to adjust width on fixed models.

Generally front-extending screeds have the mix in front of the main screed and in front of the extension. This makes it easier for the paver to manage material from start to finish of each pass. Generally with front-extending screeds, less unprocessed material has to be hand worked after each pass by the ground crew. This also insures that the surface or mat left behind has the best chance of being put down by the screed. This type of screed works well when many short passes are needed often.

The front-extending screeds also allow the extensions to be moved in and out easily as paving width changes. This change in width is accomplished as hot mix asphalt remains in front of the extension and main screed and is free to flow as the extensions widths are changed.

Traditionally, rear-mounted screeds have been preferred when wide width paving is needed. The traditional heavier design allows the build out to 26 feet and offers the ability to manage more material on the outermost end of the extensions.

“Both front- and rear-extending screeds will deliver a smooth and well-profiled mat. Paving crews have individual preferences as each screed requires a very skilled operator,” says Mooney. “I will argue that a front- extending screed is easier to control when unloading and provides less work for the ground crew during jobs that require many stops and starts, changes in widths and while paving around obstacles.

Rear-mounted extensions give that extra width advantage but require more work to clean up in smaller jobs. On a larger pull where it may be only a couple of starts, stops make little difference.”

Rear-extending screeds require the operator to reduce the head of material to prevent trapping mix in the extension area when reducing paving width and retracting the extension. Conversely, the head of material must be increased in front of the main screed when extending the screed for wider paving.

Adding a tamper bar to vibratory screeds improves initial compaction but slows the paving process.

aggregate segregation are all critical in creating a high quality and long-lasting asphalt mat. Other screed elements can help in achieving those.

Achieving the Smooth Ride proper paving results. When the screed weight cannot be increased any further, technologies like the tamper and pressure bars help to further increase the pre-compaction effort. The analogy is similar to having static roller versus vibratory roller.”

While pre-compaction is important, asphalt contractors should always remember that smoothness, texture, mat profile and minimizing

Though the principle of the free-floating screed has remained unchanged since inception, screed mat quality has improved for a number of reasons.

Electric Heat. At the start of a paving shift, the screed is much colder than the mix being laid. To keep the asphalt from sticking to the screed, it must be heated.

“Prior to its introduction, nearly all screeds in North America utilized fossil fuel burners to heat the screed plates,”

Travers says. “The The weight and vibration of the usage of fossil fuel screed will produce heat, while cheap and about 85% or more readily available, had density right off the serious draw backs screed. including uneven heat that lead to warping of screed plates, smoke and fumes, and constant maintenance. By the mid-1990s electric heat began to be introduced, utilizing electric heating elements in direct contact with the upper surface of the screed plate.”

The heating elements are placed above the screed plate to help heat the screed uniformly without hot spots.

“The benefit to new heating elements integrated in screeds today means longer life cycle and more even heating,” Travers says. “New elements reduce maintenance in the long run, lowering the cost per operating hour of the screed platform.”

Head of Material Control. The head of material is the depth of material being evenly spread in front of the screed by the auger. Controlling this is the most important factor in laying a smooth mat.

“The road building industry recognizes that the leading cause of future road surface failures can be directed back to poor head of material control,” Mooney explains. “In best practices, industry professionals all teach that the amount of material in front of the screed and extension must remain constant to deliver the best longlasting mat.”

Material deflector plates and strategically positioned auger flights allow for better material consistency in front of the screed. Non-contact auger sensors and potentiometers (instead of flow gates) controlling material delivery to the augers -- coupled with digital display of the material height – give operators more control.

Paving Speed. Nonstop paving at a uniform forward speed results in the highest quality and smoothest pavements and should be the goal of every paving crew.

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“Quick starts and stops will take the screed out of balance causing it to rise and fall,” Narsingh says. “If you increase the forward speed, the screed will drop, and if you slow down, a pile of material will appear in front of the screed and will pile up, causing the screed to climb.”

This can be eliminated by a hydraulic system that automatically holds the screed in the paving height when the paver stops to wait for asphalt delivery.

“This hydraulic lock keeps the screed from sinking in the mix due to its weight,” Mooney says. “Then when paving speed is returned, the lock or hold position must release over a short distance to prevent mat marking. This feature is very important on all pavers that expect to achieve IRI requirements for smoothness.”

Pre-compaction is important but smoothness, texture, mat profile and minimizing aggregate segregation are all critical in creating a highquality, lonmg-lasting asphalt mat.

new developments in screed design have been geared toward the service side. These include design changes that reduce the hours needed for preventative maintenance for the platforms, thereby lowering the cost per operating hour.

“Ease of operation has dramatically improved with recent technology,” Narsingh says. “This reduces operator tiredness, allowing him or her to

Crew Comfort & Maintenance

perform more efficiently during long work days typical of the paving industry.”

“The screed is also a major source of noise, Palanisamy adds. “Having properly sound insulated screeds is of high importance to the operators and the environment. Furthermore, a low screed design helps the operators to have a good view on the amount of material in front of the screed and helps ensuring a good paving results.”

Screeds have become easier to operate, which reduces operator fatigue.

While screeds have evolved over the past couple of decades, most of the

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Sealcoating

Understanding Sealcoating Mix Designs Girish C. Dubey

What you add – and how you add it – can impact the quality and longevity of your sealcoating work MOST PAVEMENT SEALERS are commonly supplied as concentrates (undiluted), which must be mixed with water, silica sand/ aggregate, and additives for proper application consistency and desired performance properties, according to the manufacturer’s recommended mix designs. Mix designs denote the engineered composition where the ingredients in the sealcoating system are combined, prior to application in the number of coats per specifications.

This article will discuss the intricacies in mix designs, the function of the components and why the components must be mixed in proper proportions.

(Make sure to read and understand the product literature, Safety Data Sheet and Detailed Application Specifications, before starting any job.)

Dry Film Thickness vs. Wet Film Thickness Most pavement sealers are an intimate dispersion of a binder (refined tar, asphalt or a special resin), clays, fillers, emulsifiers, and specialty chemicals, in water. Sealer selected for a project must meet all applicable specifications and standards (such as ASTM, FAA, commercial etc.). The sealer shall be uniform in consistency, smooth, and free of debris and foreign objects. If the sealer is ready to use (not concentrate), make sure you know the percentage of water already added to it. This is important so you can deduct that amount of water from the additional water that you may have to add for a specific mix design.

The sealer’s performance is dictated by the thickness of the cured film deposited on the pavement. At this point it is important to understand the

calculation of wet (WFT) and dry film thickness (DFT) of sealcoating film at the recommended application rates.

Generally the application rates are specified as “gallons per square yard” of the concentrated sealer as well as the final mixture (according to the mix designs). The rate expressed for concentrated sealer is done strictly for the calculation of the sealer quantity required for a project. For application, the application rate is denoted for the mixture is to be used.

To calculate the film thickness, we have to first determine the coverage rate in terms of sq. ft./gal. To do that we need to know that 1,604 sq. ft. of pavement are covered by 1 gal. of coating in 1 mil thickness. If the film thickness is 4 mils, the area covered will be 1,604 ÷ 4, or roughly 400 sq. ft./gal. Conversely, if you divide 1,604 by the square foot coverage rate you will get the film thickness in mils (1,604 ÷ 400 = 4 mils).

But if the coverage rate is specified in gal./sq. yd., you need to convert it into sq. ft./gal. To convert, divide 1 by the number of gallons per square yard, then multiply the answer by 9 (the number of feet in a square yard) to reach the number of square feet per gallon.

So, the wet film thickness is calculated from the application rate of the mixture by dividing it into 1 and multiplying by 9 to convert the result into “square feet per gallon.” The resulting number divided into 1,604 yields the wet film thickness (WFT).

To determine the dry film thickness (DFT), multiply the WFT with the “solids by volume content of the mix design,” which for this example is 38.6% (or .386 for calculation purposes).

Example: To determine the wet film thickness at 0.25 gal./sq. yd. application rate, divide 0.25 into 1 and multiply with 9 to get coverage in sq. feet per gallon: (1÷ 0.25) x 9= 36 Then divide 1,604 by 36 to get the WFT: 1604 ÷ 36 = 44.55 mils thick when the sealer film is wet.

To calculate the DFT, multiply 44.55 by the solids by volume content of the mix 38.6% (@ an average recommended dilution of 25%) = 17.2 mils.

DFT = 44.55 x .386 = 17.19 (round up to 17.2) mils thick

Adding Water to the Mix In sealcoating mix designs, the water is the largest component. Water imparts the proper flow and leveling characteristics, thus allowing the coating to spread evenly and coat the pavement uniformly. The water used in the mix shall be; • Clean, potable (drinkable), and low in hardness and iron. Hard water and water with high iron content may produce uneven cure and also streaky appearance.

• Free of suspended solids and metal contaminants, which may interfere with cure and uniform appearance.

• Between 7-8 pH. Low pH water may thicken the mix. Conversely high pH may have a thinning effect.

Note: Well water must be tested. Test data on water can be obtained from the city water treatment department.

What if not enough water is added to the mix? The mix will be too heavy (i.e. viscous and high in solids). It will not spread uniformly and may deposit a heavy, uneven film. It may result in: • Costly mix, wasted material • Potential tracking under hot ambient conditions

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Sealcoating • Uneven appearance, ridges and brush and squeegee marks. With spray application the sealer may have fine dimpled “orange peel” type of appearance.

What if an excessive amount of water is added to the mix? The mix will result in a thin cured sealer film that will wear out prematurely, resulting in inferior performance. Also, sealer won't cover aggregates properly and will have a tendency to flow into the valleys of the profile.

Again, the sealcoating’s performance is profoundly affected by the solids content of the mixture. For every 5% additional water, the solids content declines by about 4% — and so does the Dry Film Thickness. Also, it is important to know that the sealer performance declines rapidly with excessive dilution.

Adding Sand, Aggregate or Boiler Slag Sand, aggregate or boiler slag is commonly added to the sealer at a rate of 2-4 lbs./gal. of concentrated sealer. The cutoff point is about 5-6 lbs. Adding sand/ aggregate/slag to sealer: • Improves pavement appearance: Uniform textured surface, reduced sun glare, streak-free appearance • Hides minor surface defects and fills hairline cracks • Improves traction. Be cautious in making claims about the skid resistance of the sealer; it is generally not recommend for inclined surfaces.

Refined Tar Sealer & Asphalt Emulsion Mix Designs The following proportions serve as a guideline for some common mix designs.

Please follow the recommendations detailed in the manufacturer’s literature.

Sealcoating (Gals.)

Water (Gals.)

Sand (Lb.)

Additive (Gals.)

SEALCOATING (No sand)

100

25-30

-

-

SEALCOATING + ADDITIVE(No sand)

100

30-40

-

2-4

SEALCOATING (with sand)

100

30-40

200-400

-

SEALCOATING+ ADDITIVE (with sand)

100

40-50

300-600

3-5

Components

• Improves wear ability of the sealer.

What if no or very little sand/aggregate/slag is added? The above benefits are not realized.

What if an excessive amount is added? Adding more than 5-6 lbs./gal. of sealer concentrate may result in the sealer film being too tough and brittle to flex with the pavement. Such films may run into bonding issues and peel off from the pavement. This limit of 5-6 lb. is placed because the sealer film progressively becomes tougher and less flexible with increasing amounts of sand/aggregate, at the cost of the adhesive properties of the sealer film. The tensile and adhesive strengths are competing properties, which need to be kept in balance. Sand, though an inert filler, does absorb some binder from the sealcoating. When too much sand/aggregate is used it absorbs enough binder that can weaken the film – as the binder it absorbs should otherwise be available for bonding to the pavement and keeping the fillers and other components tightly bound in the film.

General Recommendations for Quantities of Water, Sand & Additives For mix design calculations, the quantity of the sealer is always considered at 100 base points and the quantities of other ingredients are expressed as a percentage of the sealer base, for example: • Water dilution at 30% means, adding 30 gal. of water into 100 gal. of concentrated sealer. Some contractors make the mistake of thinking 30% dilution as 30 gal. of water and 70 gal. of sealer.

• Sand at 3 lb. per gal. of sealer means adding 300 lb. of sand to 100 gal. of concentrated sealer.

• Additive at 2% on the sealer volume means adding 2 gal. of additive to 100 gal. of concentrated sealer. If pre-dilution is recommended, mix 2 gal. of water into 2 gal. of additive and add that 4 gal. of the mixture into the sealer. Remember to deduct the amount of water used for pre-dilution from the water of dilution.

Note: Do not use recycled sand from steel sand blasting, or foundry.

Additional Sand Insights Sand must be quartz, angular, clean, washed and free of contaminants, metals, clay, trash. It should be of fineness 50-75 mesh AFS. • It is recommended that you purchase bagged sand/aggregate/slag. This insures that the sand is dry and it is measured in units that can be used in developing your mix design.

• Boiler slag (often marketed as Black Beauty) can be used in mix designs but many sealer producers prefer silica sand. Silica sand has surface absorptivity, so it becomes an integral part of the coating. Boiler slag has a very hard surface that does not absorb the binder so doesn't become a part of the coating as well. Also, producers of sand have more precise control of particle size compared to boiler slag.

Larger particles of boiler slag can be knocked off from the cured coating, causing premature wear.

• Silica sand is generally less expensive than boiler slag.

• Sand in sealcoatings improves surface traction. Sealer without sand may become slippery when wet and cause cars and people to slip and slide. Property owners and contractors have faced lawsuits where injuries are claimed from falling on sealcoated surfaces.

• Don't sealcoat steeply inclined surfaces. Never claim that sealcoatings with sand will stop slipperiness. Seek sealer producers' advice on such matters.

How and Why to Use Additives There are a myriad of additives available to sealcoaters. In fact, most work done in the last 25-30 years in the sealcoating

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WITH YOU FROM THE GROUND UP The work may be under your feet, but you’re looking ahead—to the next challenge and the next deadline. We’re right there with you. You can count on our equipment to handle every task on your site, on our dealers to keep it running efficiently, and on our real-world training to help you master the latest techniques and technologies. Get the tools to tackle whatever challenges come your way. Visit our online resource center for mobile apps, calculators, application guides and more. Resources supporting you from the ground up—that’s what we’re built to deliver.

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Sealcoating

industry can be attributed to additives.

The additives are primarily based on: Rubber/Polymers Latices: Acrylonitrile/Butadiene (AB) additives have been used since the late 1960s as a part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) specifications. They have been the workhorses of the sealcoating industry. Additives based on Acrylonitrile/Butadiene: • Meet FAA specifications • Improve toughness, flexibility and durability of the sealer • Increase sand/aggregate/slag suspension and skid resistance • Improve gasoline, oil and chemical resistance • Improve color uniformity • Improve drying time, especially under unfavorable weather conditions Over the years additives based on 100% acrylics, poly/vinyl acrylic, nitrile, styrene butadiene etc. have been developed and used in sealcoatings.

Non-Polymer Additives: Non-polymer additives are more recent introductions. They contain specialty chemicals, surfactants and pH-adjusting chemicals.

They have a limited performance record and the only aspect of their property that can be seen in sealcoating is their thickening effect, which is a very common property of most additives.

It is imperative to follow manufacturer’s instructions for selecting additives for a specific purpose, and their blending procedure, into the batch.

Pre-mix the additive with an equal volume of water, prior to adding it into the mixing tank. This reduces the “shocking” effect. For pre-dilution it is a good practice to add water into the latex additive, not vice-versa, in order to avoid latex destabilization in the additive.

• Do not use additives with premiumgrade sealers, which already have builtin rubbers and specialty chemicals.

• Do not mix various additives together, even from the same manufacture. Seek their permission if you intend to use several additives in the same mix.

• Crucial: Do not use additives from a supplier different than your sealer supplier. This may cause destabilization of the mix, meaning a severe gelling (thickening, destabilization) problem

Mix Designs at Various Dilution Rates

Film Thickness (in mils)

SAMPLE

% Water

SOLIDS BY VOL

Wet (WFT*)

Dry (DFT**)

1

20%

40.03

44.56

17.83

2

25%

38.61

44.56

17.20

3

30%

37.28

44.56

16.61

4

35%

36.05

44.56

16.06

5

40%

34.89

44.56

15.55

6

45%

33.81

44.56

15.06

7

50%

32.79

44.56

14.61

8

55%

31.83

44.56

14.18

9

60%

30.92

44.56

13.78

10

65%

30.07

44.56

13.40

11

70%

29.26

44.56

13.04

12

75%

28.49

44.56

12.70

*WFT=WET FILM Thickness; **DFT=Dry Film Thickness

Effect of Increasing Dilution on Dry Film Thickness with Sand/Aggregate 50

40

30

20

10

0

40.03

38.61

37.28

36.05

34.89

33.81

WET FILM THICKNESS

due to reactions between the additives.

• General purpose additives can be used in most refined tar-based sealer (RTS), because of the similarity in composition of various brands of RTS. • Important: You cannot take the same liberty with asphalt emulsion-based (AE) sealers because there are various types of AE sealers on the market.

These AE sealers are made in different ways using various types of chemicals, fillers and specialty chemicals. There are two main types of AE products, one commonly is made using preemulsified asphalt, called soap emulsions: tack coat SS-1-H (negatively

32.79

31.83

30.92

30.07

29.26

28.49

DRY FILM THICKNESS

charged particles, anionic), and CSS1-H, (positively charged particles, cationic). Let your additive supplier know that your sealer is made with SS-1-H, CSS-1-H or is clay stabilized. A negatively (anionic) charged additive may destabilize a sealer that made with positively (cationic) chemicals.

Girish C. Dubey is president of STAR Inc., Columbus, OH, which produces sealcoating products and also licenses sealer manufacturing technology (www.starseal.com).

He will present "Take Your Sealcoating to the Next Level" at the 2018 National Pavement Expo, Feb. 7-10 in Cleveland.

42 August/September 2017 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Striping

Allan Heydorn, Editor

Striping 75 Miles of 4-inch Lines The Mall of America allowed Asphalt Associates in from 10 p.m. when the mall closed to 8 a.m. when it opened. “But traffic usually forced us out by 6 a.m.,” Bill Halbach says. “It was still enough time for us to hit our scheduled production.”

projects in the past and he realized that after meeting with Bill we could handle this job. Knowing Bill had the knowledge and experience of doing a lot of Big Box store jobs gave him the confidence that we could do the job.”

The Numbers on the Job

How Asphalt Associates turned a cold call into a monster removal and restripe job at Mall of America ASPHALT ASSOCIATES HAD never done work for Mall of America in Minneapolis, so when Brian Hess walked into the mall office in 2015 on a cold call, to ask who handles their striping issues, he didn’t know what to expect. After all, Asphalt Associates, Roberts, WI, had been doing its own striping for only five years.

“We added striping five years ago when we hired Bill Halbach as our operations manager and tasked him with setting up a striping division,” Hess says. “We wanted to do our own striping to deliver better and to provide a more consistent customer experience and time line. It’s more efficient to stripe right behind the paving crew and from a scheduling standpoint.”

Hess, Asphalt Associates sales

manager, says his cold call at Mall of America generated an introductory meeting followed by a second meeting.

He says he asked what challenges the mall anticipated getting the job done.

“They said the biggest challenges they expected were the same challenges they face working with any contractor: a lack of communication, poor response times, and making sure contractors do the things they say they’re going to do,” Hess says. “So my sales presentation and entire approach addressed those issues. I presented him with solutions and strategies to take care of those concerns.”

Hess walked the site on his own and again with the decision-maker, and he also brought along Halbach and the three of them walked the site.

“After we had the job we asked him ‘why us?’ and he said no one was on site multiple times like I was. He also liked that I brought Bill with us so he could get to know the person who was actually going to run the job,” Hess says.

“Bill’s completed plenty of large striping

The Mall of America job was extensive, and when Hess walked it he soon learned how extensive it was. The 368,000-sq.-ft. property has two 7-story parking garages, one on each side of the mall. Asphalt Associates worked on floors one through six in each garage.

The job included restriping: • 18,000 parking stalls • Double yellow lines through all the garage “speed ramps” that connect each of the seven floors • Double yellow centerlines and white dashed lane lines on the 3-lane, 1-mile ring road • Turn arrows and Stop bars • 450 No Parking stencils • 207 handicap stencils • Electric charging stations (green paint) • 1-1/2 miles of red Fire Lane curbing • Yellow curbing In all, Hess says, the contractor put down more than 75 miles of 4-inch lines.

In addition, the job required removal of “sticker” turn arrows on the ring road and removal of all the painted crosswalks inside and outside the garages.

“The sticker arrows were in bad shape,” Halbach says. “Snow plows tore them up and they got torn up from drivers turning on them in warm weather.”

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“The striping on the crosswalks was 24 years old and a lot of paint had built up,” Bill Halbach says.

“They wanted all the striping to look new once we were done so it had to be removed.”

He says that using a propane torch and an ice scraper the arrows peeled right up.

Crosswalks inside steer people to elevators and stairwells. Each measures 8 ft. wide x 250 ft. long, with cross-hatched stripes every 3 ft. (a total of 1,500 lineal feet of marking for each crosswalk). Hess says there are three crosswalks per floor for a total of 36 crosswalks – or 60,000 lineal feet of removal.

Outside crosswalks were 3 ft. x 5 ft. solid blocks of paint. All that paint had to be removed and new layouts created for traditional crosswalks with cross hatching. Halbach says the outside crosswalks were removed to enable pedestrians to step on pavement as opposed to stepping on paint and also to make the entire painting project uniform.

“I gave him every stall count, linear count, stall and stencil count per floor,” Hess says. “He was surprised at that because no one had ever given that to them, but it helped create a transparent and trusting relationship.”

Hess also assured mall management

that there would be no communication issues. Asphalt Associates presented the plan, and Halbach updated the plan daily, sending an email to mall management.

“The night before we started I let them know where we were going to be working and what we would be doing. The next morning and each morning during the job I emailed a status update letting them know if we completed 100% or 90% of the plan or whatever it was and outlining what we would be doing the next night.”

Tackling the Job After spending three days walking the site, measuring lines and counting stencils, Hess spent two days developing the plan for the job. He scheduled the job

The Importance of Cleaning Up Brian Hess says Mall of America employs more than 500 people just to keep the facility clean, and the parking garages are no exception. “We had to make sure the parking garage was left in the same condition it was before we started work,” Brian Hess says.

So each morning before crews left the site the used backpack blowers to blow any dust from hand rails, elevator doors, walkways, steps, and even garbage cans. “The whole idea was that people who came to the mall wouldn’t be able to tell there was any work done that night,” says Bill Halbach.

for a five-person crew working on one floor of the garage each night.

Three people were charged with marking removal and two people were striping. Stalls were being striped while markings were removed, and as soon as scarifying was done and the crosswalks were laid out those were striped too.

Other than the grinding and sweeping to remove crosswalk markings and debris, no surface preparation was required.

Because this was a parking garage, with low ceilings, Asphalt Associates couldn’t take any of their large trucks into either structure. So they staged the equipment, paint and tools outside the ramps in surface lots and relied on a Bobcat Toolcat to haul everything up and down the ramps. The Toolcat was outfitted with a box broom to sweep the pavement after grinding was done.

Even though Asphalt Associates had been striping for five years they’d never done marking removal – but Halbach had. So the contractor bought three pieces of equipment just for this job: a Graco 390 GrindLazer and two 8-inch Echo walk-behind scarifiers. Each piece of equipment was supported by a Graco LineDriver, which Halbach says made their one-floor-a-night schedule possible.

One of the first steps Asphalt Associates took was restriping the double yellow lines on all the speed ramps. The crew completed that on all six floors in one night so they wouldn’t Communication was key so Asphalt Associates kept the Mall of America up to date on the job status. Each morning Halbach sent out a report for the crew and emailed the mall an update what the crew did on which floor that night and what they were scheduled to do the next night.

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Striping have to work around wet paint to get to the staging area and so they wouldn’t have to change colors.

Though more expensive and not part of the Mall of American specifications, Asphalt Associates opted for chlorinated rubber paint throughout the job. “It wasn’t part of their standard but it offers much greater efficiency for our crew,” Hess says. “It’s a little more expensive but we can make that up in production.”

Once all the floors inside the garages were done Asphalt Associates switched gears and did the outside roadway.

One of the first steps Asphalt Associates took was restriping the double yellow lines on all the speed ramps. The crew completed that on all six floors in one night so they wouldn’t have to work around wet paint to get to the staging area and so they wouldn’t have to change colors.

and then adjusted again on a second pass or a third when necessary.

“Dust is an issue when you’re grinding and we swept it up as we went,” Halbach says. “We tried a vacuum system the first night but while that was great for dust control it wouldn’t pick up the paint chips so it wasn’t that helpful.”

He says the hardest part of removal was that the pavement wasn’t perfectly flat. “There are expansion joints throughout and in some cases the caulk pushed above the surface. If the caulk was below the surface far enough we could scarify right over it.”

But if they couldn’t scarify over it they used a hammer drill with a spade bit to chisel the old paint off. “We also did that in some places where we couldn’t get the Echos in,” he says. “We had to be cautious because we didn’t want to profile or damage the concrete, but it all worked well.

“Once we took the paint off the pavement was fine, ready to stripe,” Halbach says. “We treated the crosswalks like a new layout. We double checked the measurements and snapped chalk lines and put the paint right down where the crosswalks were.”

Striping Removal

Developing Standards for Mall of America Striping

A major part of the job was removal of crosswalks that Hess says had 24 years of accumulated paint and was more than ¼-in. thick in some areas. Asphalt Associates’ willingness to remove the markings was one reason they got the job.

“Mall of America wanted one contractor do it all,” Halbach says.

“Some would do removal but not striping and some would do striping but not removal. Mall of America wanted one contractor to do it all.”

Halbach says crews used the GrindLazer on the outlines of the crosswalks and the 8-inch Echo machines on areas that were difficult to reach. They removed markings gradually by making one pass in each direction and sweeping in between each pass.

“You get better removal by doing passes in opposite directions,” Halbach says.

“Instead of trying to grind it all off at once we set the dials for a thinner grind

Hess says that one of Asphalt Associates’ goals was to develop pavement marking standards for the mall. “There were inconsistencies throughout the striping, and that was one of the things we told them we wanted to fix,” Hess says.

“Our slogan is ‘Dedicated to Details,’ and we told them we would make the striping match the standards of the property. It’s an elite location and there’s nothing in that mall that’s not perfect. So we not only striped the property but we created standards for them that didn’t exist before.”

The No Parking stencils, for example, were different throughout the facility.

So Asphalt Associates asked Sherwin Williams to mix a special grey paint to match the concrete. Then they painted grey over the No Parking stencils and then went back the next night and put new No Parking stencils in place so they all matched.

Asphalt Associates’ Hess to Team with Jeff Stokes at NPE 2018 Brian Hess, sales manager at Asphalt Associates who sold the Mall of America striping job, will team with Jeff Stokes, Next Level Contractor System, to present a new sales session at National Pavement Expo, Feb. 7-10 in Cleveland. The session, “How to Secure Sales with National and Regional Accounts,” will discuss how the sales effort at the national and regional levels is more complex and has different requirements from local sales efforts.

According to the session description, “You’ll learn from experts with firsthand experience with national accounts why these chains desire a national or regional service strategy, how to gain access to the right people in key accounts, how to develop the sales and operational systems – and capacity – required for you to serve these accounts, and the real long-term value of these accounts to your business.”

For details and to register visit www. nationalpavementexpo.com.

Turn arrows in the garages were in even worse shape. Asphalt Associates couldn’t just restripe over existing arrows because they were all different and didn’t match any standard stencils.

So they took an average of all the stencil measurements, created their own arrow stencil, then placed it on the existing arrows and striped them so they all now look the same. They did the same for Stop bars and arrows on the ring road.

“By doing that we create a relationship that is different. We wanted to go the extra mile to create the standard for their striping that they really want, like the standard Mall of America has in other areas,” Hess says. “Now everything matches and they have a clear plan moving forward how to do their striping.

“It’s a great feeling when you set out to do something of this magnitude and your team executes it as planned and to the customers satisfaction because unless you’ve done this property you’ve never striped anything this big unless you’ve done an airport,” Hess says.

46 August/September 2017 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Curt Bennink

Contractors ’ Choice: Pickup Trucks

Choose Pickup Trucks to Maximize Bottom Line How to determine when all the bells and whistles of “loaded” pickups don’t apply.

WHILE FULLY LOADED full-size pickups with comfort options such as massaging, heated seats and heated steering wheels continue to consistently top the sales charts, there is another option for your business fleet needs. Manufacturers still offer fleet-oriented work trucks complete with steel wheels and more spartan interiors. Supplied minus the latest comfort amenities, these “work truck specials” offer all the performance at a substantial price discount. And in some cases, options such as vinyl floor mats and seats actually make the trucks easier to live with on muddy and dusty jobsites.

Whether you opt for the premium trim level pickups, work truck specials or any trim level in between, you should understand how your choices can impact ownership costs.

Chevrolet advises customers individually to decide if a work truck trim or up-level trim better suits their unique needs. There are many variables that lead to trim level decisions.

“We actually segment our customers into three groups: retail customers who are buying one at a time for their personal use, small businesses and fleet companies,” says Dave Sowers, head of marketing, Ram Commercial. “The fleet companies are the most well-informed, most researched purchasers of the three because they are spending a lot of money. They are buying multiple vehicles and they are watching their bottom line. We see them matching up or job rating the vehicle.” They are selecting the most appropriate tool for the job.

“If you look across the commercial vehicle segments — light-duty pickup, heavy-duty pickup, commercial vans and chassis cabs — there are a lot of purchases from that small business and fleet side that are getting down-sized or right-sized to the capability that they need,” says Sowers. “The trucks and vans have gotten more capable over time and that has allowed some customers to step down in classes and still get

Ram Trucks brands its commercial offering the Tradesman, and it is available in 1500 through 3500 pickups.

the capability that they need from their truck.

“At the same time, the powertrains have evolved,” he continues. “It used to be in the light-duty space you would buy a regular cab truck with a V8 engine and it probably had a four-speed transmission. It had poor fuel economy but it had enough capability to get the job done. Now, with modern V6s and eight-speed transmissions, customers are able to make a purchase decision on a V6 that allows them to get the job done in a much more efficient way.”

Ram Tradesman Targets Capability Ram Trucks brands its commercial offering the Tradesman, and it is available in 1500 through 3500 pickups. “We launched the Tradesman to make it easy

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Contractors ’ Choice: Pickup Trucks for that commercial and fleet customer to be able to order a well-equipped vehicle that would be capable for them to meet their needs from a business perspective, and then would have a low cost of ownership and ultimately reasonable resale value if they replace their vehicles over time,” says Sowers. “We try to make sure the content we are putting on adds value to the end-use customer. That’s what holds value when it goes through auction.”

Ram Trucks brands its commercial offering the Tradesman, and it is available in 1500 through 3500 pickups. The Tradesman 1500 comes with a choice of two powerplants: a 3.6-liter V6 with 305 hp and 269 lbs.-ft. of torque, or a 5.7liter V8. The 2WD regular cab, equipped with a 3.6-liter V6, boasts a starting MSRP of $26,395. Add the capability of 4WD and the MSRP starts at $30,995.

“On the light-duty pickup, we wanted to make sure it was functional, so we made the Class 4 receiver hitch and spray-in bedliner standard for the Tradesman package,” notes Sowers.“The 5.7-liter is still the most popular engine, but we are seeing a growing number of fleets that are adopting the V6 powertrain because of the capability that the Manufacturers offer fleet-oriented work trucks complete with steel wheels and more spartan interiors for cost-conscious fleet owners.

The Ford XL (pictured) and XLT series at roughly an equal rate and combined they represent over 90% of all F-150 fleet sales.

powertrain delivers and the operating efficiency and fuel economy that we get out of it. With the V6 powertrain, we get our maximum trailer weight capability of 7,600 lbs. The maximum payload that we have with the V6 is 1,880 lbs. So that is a very capable powertrain, and in a 4x2 configuration, it gets 25 mpg on the highway.”

The 2017 Tradesman 2500 is available with a standard 5.7-liter V8, optional 6.4liter V8 with 410 hp or optional 6.7-liter I6 Cummins Turbo Diesel engine that offers 800 lbs.-ft. of torque. There is also an option for a 5.7-liter V8 CNG engine.

The 2WD regular cab with 5.7-liter V8 has a starting MSRP of $32,145. Add 4WD capability and the starting MSRP moves to $34,945. Performance is maintained with the same electronic eightspeed transmission used in all other Ram pickups, as well as the use of an engine oil cooler and auxiliary transmission oil cooler. Trailer tow with four-pin connector wiring is also standard.

While these trucks may not offer all the bells and whistles, that doesn’t mean they’re stripped of all convenience features. The Tradesman still offers the RamBox Cargo Management System in the side rails that delivers more storage options without sacrificing the functionality of the bed. With the available AllSecure Central Locking System, access is as easy as a push of a button. And with lighted, drainable storage, it’s perfect for tools, gear or beverages. This system also includes a cargo bed extender/divider, cargo bed rails with four adjustable tie-down cleats and cargo box lighting.

In addition, a factory-installed bedliner protects the bed.

Interiors feature the Uconnect Multimedia Sound System with six speakers, audio input for mobile devices, media hub and remote USB hub. The instrumentation includes an instrument cluster with 3.5-in. digital cluster display screen.

Ford XL and XLT Lead Commercial Sales Ford’s work truck trim level is the XL. “Fleet customers are opting for XL and XLT series at roughly an equal rate, and combined they represent over 90% of all F-150 fleet sales,” says Sam Schembari, vehicle communications, Ford Motor Company. Recently, a new trim level was added between the XL and XLT. “The STX appearance package was introduced in the 2017 model year to offer a value message and to attract new customers. This package has been very successful in the retail business.”

The 2017 Ford XL 150 starts at an MSRP of $26,730 with 2WD and the

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SAVE THE February 7-10 DATE Cleveland, OH National Pavement Expo brings vendors and contractors together who make their living from asphalt and concrete paving, sealcoating, striping, sweeping, crack repair, pavement repair, and snow removal to network with other paving professionals, attend industry workshops, and learn new ideas at our leadership boot camp.

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Contractors ’ Choice: Pickup Trucks

standard 3.5-liter V6 engine with flexfuel capability. You can opt up for a 3.5liter V6 EcoBoost High Output engine, 5.0-liter V8, 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine or 2.7-liter V6 EcoBoost engine.

Yet, purchase price is only part of the value equation. “Of course, residual values are important to fleets that are looking to resale their vehicles. But we find that total cost of ownership, which includes residual value, plays a big piece of a fleet truck buying decision,” says Schembari. Certain options have a big impact on resale value. “We have found that values are higher for 4x4 systems.”

“Of course, residual values are important to fleets that are looking to resale their vehicles. But we find that total cost of ownership, which includes residual value, plays a big piece of a fleet truck buying decision,” says Ford's Schembari.

Even though the XL is a base trim level, that doesn’t mean it’s a stripped truck. “F-150’s XL series offers a number of standard features including a Select-

Shift automatic transmission with a Progressive Range Select, 4.2-in. center-stack screen, Curve Control, Hill Start Assist and AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control,” says Schembari. “There are a number of popular packages available on the XL series including XL Chrome Appearance, XL Sport Appearance and FX4 OffRoad, in addition to many free-standing options like step bars, tailgate step and BoxLink cargo management system.”

On the Super Duty side, the XL is a very popular option. “The target market for the XL is the commercial sector or any segment where the truck is a tool to get the job done,” says John Rieger, Super Duty brand marketing manager, Ford, adding, “The XL represents about

40% of the Super Duty volume, making it one of the highest selling trim levels.

“XL offers customers a fully capable work truck at a competitive starting price point,” he continues. “We also offer optional class-exclusive features like the Ultimate Trailer Tow Camera System (360° camera), trailer reverse guidance, SYNC 3, Upfitter Interface Module, Blind Spot Information System with Trailer Tow and Smart Trailer Tow connect.”

The Ford F-250 XL starts at $32,535, the F-350 XL starts at $33,705 and the F-450 starts at $53,945. The F-250 and F-350 come standard with a 6.2-liter SOHC Flex Fuel V8 engine mated to a TorqShift heavy-duty six-speed transmission. You can also upgrade to the 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 Turbo Diesel engine. The F-450 is equipped with the 6.7-liter diesel regardless of trim level.

The Super Duty pickups are also available with the STX package. “We saw an opportunity in the $40K to $50K price band, and we developed the STX to specifically take advantage of this opportuThe Nissan Titan Single nity,” says Rieger.

Cab trucks have 8-ft.

“Commercial fleet pickup beds on a boxed customers opt for ladder-frame chassis, and are designed as the XL trim, with an entry point in the some customcommercial fleet/work ers opting for the truck markets.

XLT depending upon needs and job requirements.

Some trucks may see dual use in small business operations. The STX trim level in particular provides a better looking truck while still maintaining a durable, cost-effective work truck. The STX is the truck for a customer that wants the XL interior but a little more exterior appearance. The XLT is for customers that may require more features to help them get the job done, such as voice-activated navigation and power folding and power telescoping trailer tow mirrors.”

Chevrolet WT Focuses on Commercial Truck Value The WT is Chevrolet’s basic work truck platform. “The WT is the most popular trim on Silverados sold to commercial

customers,” says Daniel Tigges, commercial product and sales support manager at GM Fleet and Commercial. “The Chevrolet Silverado WT is the value trim level available on all models. It provides the capability, safety, durability and reliability customers are looking for without the extra appearance and convenience features that add to the price. This trim level is very popular with many customers, but especially with commercial fleets including construction firms. In the commercial fleet market, it outsells each of our more up-level trims.

“Options on the Work Truck tend to be functional and productivity related: locking differential, rear camera, Bluetooth, AT or MT tires, trailering package, etc.,” he notes. “Some of these features are standard on up-level trims (rear camera, Bluetooth, etc.) but many remain optional even on up-level trucks. We work with our customers individually to decide if a Work Truck trim or up-level trim better suits their unique needs. There are many variables that lead them to trim level decisions.”

When making a decision, you need to understand all of the costs involved.

“Commercial fleets look at the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) when evaluating vehicles, and resale value can be a part of the TCO equation,” says Tigges. “Its impact on TCO depends on each fleet’s usage and business model. For example, fleets with quicker vehicle turnover place more importance on resale value.”

Chevrolet offers its 1500 WT trim level on all three cab styles and configurations. It offers a starting MSRP of $27,380 with the standard box, regular cab and 2WD with the 4.3-liter EcoTec3 V6 engine. The 4WD option bumps the MSRP up to $28,880. There are also

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Chevrolet advises customers individually to decide if a work truck trim or up-level trim better suits their unique needs.

There are many variables that lead to trim level decisions.

more user friendly and capable,” says Tigges. “These include the standard rear bumper CornerStep, available OnStar, available power driver’s seat, available Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac MT tires and more.”

Nissan Broadens Commercial Pickup Offering regular cab long box, double cab standard box and crew cab short box options that each add to the MSRP. “On the Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD, all powertrains are available with the WT trim,” says Tigges.

“On the Silverado 1500, the 4.3L V6 and the 5.3L V8 are available but the 6.2L V8 is not.

“The Silverado WT provides great value while offering standard and optional features that make the truck

Nissan offers its Titan and Titan XD pickups in King Cab, Crew Cab and Single Cab configurations. The new single-cab trucks with 8-ft. pickup beds on a boxed ladder-frame chassis are designed as an entry point in the commercial fleet/work truck markets. Nissan will introduce them with a choice of 5.6L gasoline Endurance V8 (390 hp and 394 lbs.-ft. of torque) or a Cummins 5.0L V8 turbo diesel (310 hp and 555 lbs.-ft. of torque). A V6 engine is expected later.

Diesel-equipped models feature an Aisin six-speed automatic transmission, and

V8 gasoline-engine versions will use a seven-speed automatic transmission.

The Nissan Titan Single Cab trucks have 8-ft. pickup beds on a boxed ladderframe chassis, and are designed as an entry point in the commercial fleet/work truck markets.

The Single Cab tops the line’s towing capacity at 12,640 lbs. with Cummins diesel power.

Along with a choice of 4x4 and 4x2 drive configurations, two entry-grade trim levels, S and SV, will be available for Titan XD and Titan Single Cabs.

Titan and Titan XD King cabs will be offered in 4×4 and 4×2 configurations and S, SV and PRO-4X grade levels.

The King Cab offers six-person seating, wide-opening rear doors and an available “rear seat delete” option that presents a flat rear floor to expand secure in-cab storage space.

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On The Job

Robert Liles

What’s the Best Way to Layout a Parking Lot? Stripers ask, “Do I really have to snap every line?”

STRIPING CONTRACTORS NEW to the business often wonder if there is any way they can do good work without snapping chalk lines. After all, they say, snapping chalk lines is a pain in the neck and takes too much time.

My first reaction is to say that snapping chalk lines is easy and quick!

But that's not what they want to hear.

Snapping lines really is easy if you know what you are doing, but I will get to that in a moment. First, let’s look at the alternatives to snapping lines: Freehand painting. I had a veteran striper tell me that he could paint

straight lines without any guides. He said, "Just aim the machine like you would aim a gun." He would make a mark at the beginning and end of each line, point the striper, and take off.

It did save a lot of time for him, but the results were not good enough for me.

I could drive by a lot and a quick glance told me that it was one he painted. None of the lines were perfectly straight, and there were always a few "banana lines" where he rolled over a pebble or just made a mistake in his lineup. Maybe those lines were good enough for him and his customers, but I couldn't sleep if

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mine looked like that.

String lines. I know a striper that uses nails or weights to hold a tight string. He works alone, driving concrete nails into the asphalt pavement and tying string lines to the nails to make his layout. When he gets through, there is string all over the parking lot.

He says it's faster than chalk lines, but I tried it on a few jobs, and it's not. Also, since he paints his line next to the string, you can see the mark left by the string in the overspray from his striper.

String and spray paint. This is how the long-line guys do it on highways.

Pull a string out tight and spray dots of paint with an upside-down spray can.

Then paint to the "shadow" left by the string.

This is a good way to do it; you do get a straight line to follow, but on short lines it takes a lot more time than a snap. Also the dots of paint left behind are unsightly because they remain on the pavement a long time.

You could use spray chalk instead of paint, but the chalk might keep the striping paint from sticking.

Two helpers and a rope. Not a bad way to do it. You make your layout marks at the beginning and end of each stripe and have two helpers pull the string tight over the marks.

This can be an especially good method when you are doing a big parking lot with multiple rows of parking that line up with each other.

Pull the rope tight and paint all the way from one side to the other. But it does take longer than snapping chalk lines on single or double rows. Also, on windy days the string can move around and make you paint crooked lines.

AutoLayout. The instructions for my Graco AutoLayout show that you can use the machine to make layout marks at the beginning, middle, and

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end of the painted line, then aim the striper so that you paint a straight line.

The AutoLayout technology lets you do this quickly, and it measures and marks quite accurately. But every now and then a rough spot or loose pebble will cause the machine to get off track and you won't know you’ve gone off line until it's too late.

So, you really should snap a chalk line for every line you paint. Not what you wanted to hear, is it? Well, maybe

Liles to Cover Parking Lot Layout & Striping Basics at NPE 2018 An annual speaker at National Pavement Expo and moderator of NPE’s popular Stripers Roundtable, Robert Liles will again present “Parking Lot Layout & Striping Basics” at NPE 2018, Feb. 7-10 in Cleveland. Liles, who has presented this and other sessions since 2000, teaches that “laying out parking lots for striping follows a series of steps that need to be taken in the right order,” and his 90-minute session works through the process step by step. Among the topics covered will be how to read specs and blueprints, what it means to “square up” a lot, the importance of a base line and how to find or establish one, how to create a perpendicular line and what you can do with it, and how to create the various types of angled spaces.

“Paint and equipment basics will also be covered, plus you’ll learn what every striper needs to have in his truck to get every job done.”

For details and to register visit www. nationalpavementexpo.com.

you are just making snapping a chalk line harder than it really is. With a little practice, it gets faster and easier.

You don't snap it like a carpenter, pulling up in the middle and letting go -- that only works on flat boards and short distances. Snap the chalk line like a striper -- hold it tight on one end, then whip the other end with a flick of the wrist. With just a little practice you can snap quickly, straight, and mark over high spots and low spots (not like the carpenter method that only hits the high spots).

Then, after you get the lines snapped, step back and look at the layout. This might be the biggest advantage of snapping chalk lines – you get a chance to see if you have made any mistakes in the layout before you begin putting paint down. The chalk lines show where the paint is going and lets you see if you made a mark in the wrong place or if you got something out of square. It's a lot easier to fix if you spot it before you paint.

I have been doing this for 25 years, and I am a lazy guy. I don't like to do more than it takes to get the job done.

I'm also a busy guy and like to get done as quickly as possible. I have tried all these methods and more. I have practiced them until I got the hang of it, and then timed the work. I snap all my lines, because that the quickest and easiest way to a good job.

An annual speaker at National Pavement Expo (NPE) and moderator of the NPE free Stripers Roundtable, Robert Liles is owner of Robert Liles Parking Lot Service, Tyler, TX, and a member of the Pavement Advisory Board since 2002. He also runs the industry’s most-visited striping website, www.parkinglotplanet.com.

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Your Business Matters

David Whitlock

Timing Is Everything Know when to set-up a Performance Improvement Plan when an employee is not performing at expected levels THE OTHER DAY I got a call from an old friend Bill. He runs a small business with about 40 employees. Bill is a good guy who generally knows what he can and cannot do lawfully, but he sometimes calls me to make sure he’s right.

Bill told me he has a long time employee named Mark that Bill is thinking about letting go. According to Bill Mark is no longer able to do the work. I began asking Bill the usual questions.

“What is Mark’s race?”“He’s white.”

That pretty much eliminates any sort of race or color discrimination claim. Let’s see about the rest of Title VII. “Do you have any females that do what Mark does?” “No. He’s a field laborer in my concrete business.” That takes care of sex discrimination.

“Do you know Mark’s religion?”

“No, I don’t. I know he doesn’t go to my church.”

“But, that isn’t a factor here, is it Bill?”

“No.” Okay, that eliminates religious discrimination.

“Do you know Mark’s national origin?” “I assume he’s American.”

Then there is no national origin discrimination either. That clears any Title VII issues. Let’s look at other possible issues.

“Is Mark disabled in any way?” “Not really. He’s just much slower than he used to be.” “Bill, do you perceive that this is due to a disability of any kind?”

“No, I think it is just age, but he just isn’t getting the work done.”

Well if he does not claim a disability and you don’t perceive him as disabled, he doesn’t have an Americans with Disabilities Act claim.

“How old is Mark?” “I think he’s about 45 years old.”

Then he is covered by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. This is probably the greatest risk for the

concrete contractor as the workforce gradually ages.

“Have you documented Mark’s inability to do the job?”

“Not really. My crew leaders tell me that he’s just not cutting it.

And on a couple of recent jobs we incurred overtime expenses that were caused by Mark’s slow performance – at least that’s what the crew leaders tell me.”

“Does Mark have a problem with any particular crew leader?” “No, all of the crew leaders think that Mark is the slowest worker and each tries to avoid having Mark on his crew.”

“Have you had any discussions with Mark about his performance problems?”

“No, I am just trying to be proactive and look out for my business.”

Okay, we have a white Caucasian American who is over 40 with no apparent disabilities or religious affiliation and whose performance failings have not really been documented. I recommended that Bill not fire Mark yet. Instead, I suggested that Bill put Mark on a “Performance Improvement Plan” with a defined goal and deadlines that they jointly discussed and agreed upon. This gives Bill the chance to document Mark’s problems and may lead Mark to the conclusion that he can no longer do the work.

Mark presents a situation that more and more concrete contractors will face as their work force ages. Although some workers will get injured, you would like to minimize this. Still more workers will just slow down. As the business owner, you have to decide how much is enough and where to draw the line. In doing so, it is vital that you be consistent and fair.

If possible, when you use a performance improvement plan, set realistic, attainable, measurable goals and deadlines. Consider reducing these to a written document so the worker

can sign and keep a copy. Follow-up is critical in these circumstances. If the worker is permitted to “skip” a deadline, you will lose the ability to effectively discipline and/or manage the worker’s performance.

Documentation is also critical. As workers slow down, you need to have some objective measurement of the decline in performance. Otherwise, you are open to liability for (usually) age discrimination. Essentially, the worker claims that you are eliminating workers over 40 years of age in favor of younger, stronger workers. If you cannot demonstrate the worker’s decline in performance, the risk of losing a lawsuit is much higher. Absent an objective measurement, it is your word against your worker’s word, and juries are likely to believe that especially in the concrete industry, employers prefer younger, stronger workers in every case.

Using a formal plan can also lead the worker to quitting voluntarily, which virtually ensures that there will be no lawsuit. Of course, you need to have an honest, candid discussion with the worker as you set the plan terms.

David C. Whitlock has over 25 years experience in business immigration, compliance, employment counseling and training. Whitlock can be reached at (404) 626-7011 or at davidcwhitlock@gmail.com.

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NAPSA

Complementary Services to Sweeping North American Power Sweeping Association’s members are focused on power sweeping, but most have complimentary services that can fulfill many customer needs and expand company value.

While some services simply don’t make sense for this industry to offer, there are some services that do. At the 2017 “Best Practices” session at NPE, industry professionals shared their ideas and lessons learned.

Scott Duscher, managing member of Agua Trucks Holdings LLC in Phoenix, AZ, offers insights from that discussion. He says the consensus was that the best choices for complementary services “dovetailed with existing services or didn’t require the purchase of large, expensive equipment.”

TOP 5 COMPLEMENTARY SERVICES The top five ideas for complementary services that yield the best profit for the least financial outlay are: Parking lot striping and pressure washing require minimal training and do not require significant investment in additional equipment.

Porter services can be offered as a less-expensive alternative than hiring a large truck and crew.

One or two employees and a pickup truck can be assigned the task of emptying trash cans or handpicking trash from small areas.

Bulk haul-off makes life easier for the client, who doesn’t have to call a separate vendor to haul away a discarded sofa or refrigerator—and enables your crew to earn a few more dollars.

Patching and sealcoating go into maintaining the surfaces your company is paid to clean.

ADDED SERVICE FAILURES Adding complementary services can be a costly venture if not thoroughly considered. Duscher shared the most frequently cited services causing problems: Landscaping focuses on a different niche of clientele and requires a specialized skill set, meaning that the vendor must either hire new staff or invest in considerable training for existing staff, not to mention the additional outlay for equipment and inventory.

Snow removal carries liability issues regarding slip-and-fall accidents, although in some areas it’s perfectly viable to maintain cold season operation and employment. It requires the preseason purchase and stockpiling of inventory (e.g., salt, brine, etc.) that may go unused if winter weather doesn’t cooperate.

Pothole repair suffers from impermanence and cannot be warranted as a permanent fix.

Duscher advised contractors to be creative when adding complementary services, noting that added services should fit the locale because the expense of equipment, inventory, and training must be recouped. The smartest choices use existing staff with little or minimal additional training and make dual use of existing equipment. www.powersweeping.org; (888) 757-0130

WSA

Sweeping: Leading in the Defense of Clean Water As part of my job I scour the Internet for items of interest to the power sweeping community. Too often, I find quotes on the order of “from the highest official to the lowly street sweeper.” No doubt some of that comes from the famous Martin Luther King Jr. quote that paraphrases to doing the best job possible even if you’re a street sweeper.

The fact of the 21st century is that those who perform the duty of power sweeping are at the absolute forefront of removing the parking lot and roadway pollutants fouling the water supplies in so many of the communities in America and around the world.

In a 2000 study of best management practices conducted by Caltrans, the cost per pound of removing total suspended solids (TSS) was $10 to $60 ($14 to $83 in 2015 dollars), and that was before the cost of purchasing real estate for necessary settling ponds, grassy swales, etc. By contrast, street sweepers reduce TSS for as little as $3 per pound for air sweepers and $14 per pound for broom sweepers. In addition, unlike a solution such as a retention pond, sweepers also remove a large quantity of larger debris.

Parking area sweeping contractors, because they remove debris large and small from commercial properties, further assist greatly in this process by removing pollutants before either a) street sweepers get to it, or b) it can run off into streams and waterways.

So, if you are a sweeping contractor, make sure both you and your team understand the value of what you are providing toward keeping the water in our streams, lakes and ocean cleaner than it would be otherwise.

Position your company and the valuable service it performs as the environmental leader it is and don’t accept any of that ‘lowly street sweeper’ malarkey.

Education is a key to understanding just how valuable a service you are providing, whether by sweeping the pavement in the U.S. or in Timbuktu. Take the time to educate your customers and prospects about the value in sweeping. You’ll find they will better understand – and thus pay more for – the services you offer.

WSA contributor Ranger Kidwell-Ross has been providing information to the power sweeping industry since 1988. He is editor of WorldSweeper.com, an information resource for power sweeping, as well as founder and executive director of the World Sweeping Association. For more information about WSA visit www.WorldSweepingPros.org or contact Kidwell-Ross at director@ worldsweepingpros.org.

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Januar y 2017 • PAVE MEN

T • www.F orCons

prep and plan ning

tructionPros.c om/Pavemen t

920-542-1245 dsingsime@acbusinessmedia.com

Most people working in the private sector have experienced the expansion of government through excessive regulations covering business activities at increasingly intrusive levels. Regardless of political viewpoint, most agree that reform is sorely needed. Right now, federal agencies are actively seeking out and targeting regulations that excessively and unduly burden businesses like yours. Their intent is to evaluate identified regulations for possible reform or even repeal.

Responding to requests for input and information is one way that the public can communicate concerns to the government in the hope that something will be done to address the problem. You also have the opportunity to participate in this important effort. Any individual and any organization can submit comments. Unfortunately, members of the general public do not often weigh in, whereas environmental activist organizations successfully urge their members to submit comments.

For this reason, EPA’s Regulatory Reform Task Force received almost half a million comments – including PCTC’s – on its request for input about which regulations should be evaluated for potential repeal, replacement, or modification. Most of the half million did not provide examples of regulations needing change, but were from individuals urging EPA not to change anything about any environmental regulation.

In contrast, only 176 comments (including PCTC’s) were received by the Dept. of Commerce in response to its request for information about regulations that should be scrutinized for potential impacts on

manufacturing industries in the US. Sealcoat businesses should be interested in immediately submitting comments to two federal agencies: the Dept. of Interior and the Small Business Administration (SBA). The Dept. of Interior is looking for input about each of its Bureaus, one of which is the USGS. Interior’s request for comments can be accessed at https://www.regulations.gov/ document?D=DOI-2017-0003-0001.

The SBA is involved in the government-wide regulatory reform effort through its Office of Advocacy, which describes its mission as being the voice of small business within the federal government. The Office of Advocacy is holding a series of Roundtables around the country to hear directly from businesses.

Roundtables have already happened in Louisiana, Idaho and Cincinnati and Cleveland, OH. To sign up to attend a Roundtable in person, go to https://www.sba.gov/ advocacy/regulatory-reform. That website also includes a form to fill out to tell SBA about regulatory burdens that are a drag on your business.

Who knows if the interest in regulatory reform will ever be as high again as it is now. For this reason, PCTC urges everyone in the pavement maintenance business to participate by letting the government know about your concerns.

For more about PCTC visit www.pavementcouncil.org.

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By Jessica Stoikes, Associate Editor

Technology

Keeping Asphalt COOL Researchers are working to reduce the heat island effect hot pavements can create for cities PAVEMENTS TYPICALLY make up 30% to 45% of the land area in major cities and are known to contribute to the urban heat island (UHI) effect since they have high levels of thermal storage and a low reflection of solar radiation.

Conventional paving materials can reach peak summertime temperatures of 120°– 150° F, transferring excess heat to the air above causing the areas to feel much hotter than normal.

Due to the large area covered by pavements in urban areas, they are an important element to consider in reducing the heat island effect.

Cool pavements can be created with existing paving technologies (such as asphalt and concrete) as well as with newer approaches such as the use of coatings or grass paving. To help address the growing demand for guidance on pavement choices, the Transportation Research Board has formed a subcommittee on Paving Materials and the Urban Climate.

The subcommittee's scope includes modeling, design practices, testing, standards development, and planning and policy considerations.

Finding pavements that are as affordable and as durable as asphalt, however, has proven difficult.

Don’t Paint it Black Scientists say dark colors like asphalt have been known to absorb over 90% of the sun’s radiation, storing it there for hours, even overnight.

Los Angeles is currently testing a new pavement called CoolSeal, a light gray material that is designed to reduce pavement temperatures, which skyrocket during Southern California’s brutal summer heat waves.

Los Angeles Street Services is working with asphalt coating maker GuardTop LLC to test the cool pavement, which was installed two years ago at the Balboa Sports Complex parking lot.

Due to the pavement having a lighter color surface than traditional street coatings, the lot’s average summer temperature dropped by about 20° F after CoolSeal was applied, according to the company.

The Jordan Avenue project, which is in one of Los Angeles’ warmest neighborhoods, is the first application of the pavement on a public road in California.

It’s just one part of 14 pavement tests to be completed by the end of June in other council districts.

City officials said the coating could cost about $40,000 per mile and last up to seven years before reapplication is needed.

Cooler Ingredients Other lighter alternatives like concrete can lower ambient temperatures in cities. The materials in concrete and

the manufacturing involved, however, typically make it more expensive than asphalt — and paving an asphalt road is not cheap in the first place.

In 2014, the Florida Department of Transportation estimated that repaving just one mile of a four-lane urban roadway costs the state $2,413,168. The same year, the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department estimated that paving a mile of one-lane road in asphalt costs $700,000, while the same stretch paved in concrete would cost $1,000,000.

Rather than abandoning asphalt — which is an unlikely proposition in many places — researchers think cities can integrate paler crushed rocks into the asphalt pavement. With black tar as a binding agent, this won’t achieve the reflective nature of the CoolSeal.

Even if lighter pavements did become durable and affordable, some experts say it wouldn’t necessarily make a big difference in city temperatures. The amount of greenery and natural spaces in cities are also influential

Workers apply a cool pavement coating to a street Saturday May 20, 2017 in Canoga Park. The coating is designed to reduce temperatures on the the surface of streets during Southern California heat waves.

factors as they absorb less solar heat and shade pavements from the sun which has a cooling effect.

This is why cities are also looking in to more grass paving, which is essentially a structure which provides load bearing strength while protecting vegetation root systems from deadly compaction, while decreasing heat island effect. High void spaces within the entire cross-section also enable excellent root development and storage capacity for rainfall from storm events.

However, due to the cost of these alternatives, city planners may end up sticking with traditional asphalt for many years to come, even if it is hot to the touch. When some cities can’t afford to keep their streets paved as it is, it’s difficult to argue with anything as affordable and reliable as asphalt.

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Contractor Snapshot

Allan Heydorn, Editor

Sweep Masters Built on “WANT TO” Business grows as focus on quality, follow-through enhance reputation DON ODOM, vice president of Sweep Masters, with locations in Gulfport, MS, and Theodore, AL, started the company in 1996 in Biloxi, MS. In 2003, Cheryl Monroe started in the office answering phones, preparing invoices and doing other general office work – basically learning the business from the inside, out. But she’d never operated a sweeper.

Then one night Odom called her in the middle of the night.

“His whole crew had quit on him at the same time and he needed my help,” Monroe says.

“That night is when I learned to drive a sweeper.”

In 2015, Monroe became CEO/president as Odom began his transition to retirement (and to enable the company to do work as a woman-owned business). Today they have transformed Sweep Masters into a larger and more diverse sweeping business that provides complete sweeping service throughout the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the Mobile, AL, area.

They have five employees and run five trucks (an Elgin Broom Badger mechanical unit and four Schwarze Gale Force vacuum units) and today generate 60% of their business from the 80 parking lots they sweep weekly (most five nights a week). Another 30% of their work is construction site sweeping and the remaining 10% is street sweeping, primarily for the city of Biloxi, MS. Both Monroe and Odom still get in the cab – Monroe as needed (she ends up behind

the wheel pretty much every week and also trains new hires) and Odom on specialty sweeping jobs, such as the Alabama Airbus manufacturing facility that requires special clearance to access the property.

No Sales Staff But one thing they don’t do is solicit new business.

“We’ve been around so long and have such a good reputation that people call us,” she says. “I think we’d have more work than we could handle if we actually solicited it. We give every job and every customer 100%, so the result is we get a lot of very good word-of-mouth advertising and a lot of repeat business.”

But that doesn’t mean they don’t pursue sales.

“If you tell people what you’re going to do and you follow through, what else is there?”

On calls to new clients Monroe visits the prospect in one of Sweep Masters sweeping trucks.

The oldest sweeper we have is a 2013 model and we take good care of them and keep them clean so showing up to a new client in a truck like that really makes an impact. It shows them we’re serious,” she says. “Then “I make a pass on their lot to

show them what we do and what they can expect and I’d say that Cheryl M 95% of the time onro Sweep M e has helped tran asters when we do sform diverse sw into a larger, mo re eeping co that we get the mpany. job.

“When they see us around town or when we show up on let’s face it, we’re picking a job they see newer trucks, our up trash and dirt for a living.” guys are in uniforms, they see In addition they have a us blowing off the sidewalks, bonus structure for safety and getting the edges and gutters. It also offer productivity bonuses. makes an impact.”

The most recent example is a three-week airport sweeping Encouraging job. Because of Sweep Masters’ “Want to” other regular work, taking the She says taking care of employairport job meant employees ees is an essential component of were going to have to work providing the quality service that seven days a week for at least generates word of mouth to three weeks. So Monroe says bring in other customers. they got the employees togeth“It’s your ‘want to’,” she er, laid out the job and schedsays, when asked how she and ule, and told them they each Odom get their employees to would receive an extra week’s buy-in to their approach. “You pay for doing it if they stuck it have to want to do everything out and they reached their goal. the right way. It’s easy to not “It made sense because their give 100% one day, so you have effort enabled us to take on that to want to give it.” specialty job,” she says. “But Monroe says that to encourwe let them know right up front age “want to” in their employwhat was going to be involved ees they talk with them a lot and what they would get for about what the company doing it. expects and why they expect it, “We are very focused on and how meeting those expecquality,” Monroe says. “I want tations affect each worker. They to do it right the first time. If also offer unexpected incentives I tell you we’re going to be when they’re warranted. there at midnight on Tuesday “If a client calls up and says that’s what happens and we do we did a good job we might give exactly what we say we’re going that operator a little ‘happy’ for to do. If you tell people what it -- maybe a gift card or someyou’re going to do and you folthing like that,” Monroe says. low through with it, what else is “We try to make it fun because there?”

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PAVEMENT Published by AC Business Media Inc.

Index Advertiser Index

PAGE

Air-tow Trailers

59

B & E Seal Coat Products Inc.

30

Boyd Equipment

34

Carlson Paving Products Inc.

67

Caterpillar

41

Cimline Pavement Maintenance Group

10

Crafco Inc.

11, 43

Deery Pavement Preservation Products

27

Elgin

5

EZ-Liner

32

Gem Seal Pavement Products

2

GuardTop

29

Hi-Lite

30

Hitek

28

Keystone Engineering

28

Keystone Plastics Inc.

36

K-M International

17

LaserLine Mfg. Inc.

36

LeeBoy

13

Maintenance Inc.

30

M-B Companies Inc.

34

MRL Equipment Company Inc.

31

National Pavement Expo

49

Neyra

38

N. I. Wilson Mfg. Co. Inc.

62

Pavement Maintenance Supply

Outsert

Pavement Maintenance Supply Warehouse Inc.

32

Powerhouse Paving

6

Quik Pave Products Inc.

20

REPRINTS Denise Singsime at (800) 538-5544 ext. 1245 dsingsime@ACBusinessMedia.com.

Reelcraft

58

RoadScience

37

SealMaster

68

LIST RENTAL Elizabeth Jackson, Account Executive, Merit Direct LLC, Phone: (847) 492-1350 ext. 18 • Fax: (847) 492-0085 • ejackson@meritdirect.com

Seal-Rite

21

Spaulding Mfg. Inc.

32

Stripes & Stops Co. Inc.

28

Unique Paving Materials Corp.

35

Waterblasting Technologies

33

Weiler

9

Wirtgen America Inc.

7

World Sweeping Association

12

201 N. Main Street | Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 800.538-5544 • www.ACBusinessMedia.com www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement Editorial Office: Allan Heydorn, 2339 Stratford, Westchester, IL 60154 (708) 531-1612 | Fax: (708) 531-1613 | aheydorn@ACBusinessMedia.com PUBLICATION STAFF: Publisher: Amy Schwandt Editor/Conference Manager: Allan Heydorn Associate Editor: Jessica Stoikes Art Director: April Van Etten Ad Production Manager: Patti Brown Sr. Audience Development Manager: Wendy Chady Audience Development Manager: Angela Kelty ADVERTISING SALES: (800) 538-5544 Kris Flitcroft, Tom Lutzke, Jill Draeger, Eric Servais, Sean Dunphy, Amy Schwandt, Erica Finger, Denise Singsime FORCONSTRUCTIONPROS.COM WEBSITE: Digital Operations Manager: Nick Raether Digital Sales Manager: Monique Terrazas Editor: Larry Stewart Managing Editor: Kimberly Hegeman CHANGE OF ADDRESS & SUBSCRIPTIONS PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257, Phone: (877) 201-3915 Fax: (800) 543-5055 • circ.pavement@omeda.com

AC BUSINESS MEDIA INC.: Chairman: Anil Narang President and CEO: Carl Wistreich Editorial Director: Greg Udelhofen ADVISORY BOARD: ACI Asphalt Contractors Inc., Maple Grove, MN: Jim Bebo Asphalt Contractors Inc., Union Grove, WI: Robert Kordus Asphalt Restoration Technology Systems, Orlando, FL: Connie Lorenz Capitol Sweeping Service, South Windsor, CT: Thomas Kuhns Clean Sweep Inc., Chattanooga, TN, Pete Phillips Custom Maintenance Services, Shippensburg, PA: Michael Nawa Eosso Brothers Paving; Hazlet, NJ: Tom Eosso Parking Lot Maintenance, Lake St. Louis, MO, Todd Bruening Petra Paving, Hampstead, NH: Chris Tammany Pioneer Paving, Albuquerque, NM: Don Rooney Robert Liles Parking Lot Service, Tyler, TX: Robert Liles Roberts Traffic, Hollywood, FL: Lisa Birchfield Roccie’s Asphalt Paving, Stamford, CT: Vincent Engongoro Rose Paving Co., Bridgeview, IL: Alan J. Rose Show Striping Inc. (SSI), Wisconsin Dells, WI: Amber Showalter T&N Asphalt Services, Salt Lake City, UT: Nick Howell The Rabine Group, Schaumburg, IL: Gary Rabine Young Sealcoating Inc, Lynchburg, VA: Steve Young ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES: Pavement Coatings Technology Council: Anne LeHuray, Executive Director

Get fast, relevant product information in the Buyers Guide at

ForConstructionPros.com

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Tailgate Talk

|

Brad Humphrey

You Need a “Summer Prevent Defense” AH, THE HARSH realities of mid-summer. For most contractors, June, July, and August represent heavy working months. The same months, for many parts of the country, represent summer heat, which means summer mistakes made because guys not thinking, planning, and executing as sharply as they were in the spring.

Many of these mistakes are due to mental exhaustion that is tied to the physical toll that the summer heat can have on leaders and workers.

While we pray for good dry days to work, days with temperatures in the upper 90s and higher can bring many potential problems.

Tools are not loaded at the end of the day and never recovered, the extra component gets overlooked by those stocking the trucks and, of course, when another hour could have finished out the project, the foreman decides to call it a day. Yep, more costs incurred for the simplest reasons can happen during the hot summer months.

What is needed, and rarely executed, is a “summer prevent defense,” something that will delay the biggest mistakes from being made, maybe even preventing them altogether.

In the game of football, a “prevent defense” is usually applied by a winning team toward the end of the first half or second half of play.

Its purpose is to protect the winning team’s lead, to safeguard the field by spreading

out the defensive players to prevent the opposing team from throwing a long pass for a touchdown. It’s not the normal defense played at other times of the ballgame, but reserved for special moments.

The same theory is behind my introduction of the “Summer Prevent Defense.” Let me share a few ideas that contractors can use to prevent a total “melt-down” due to hot conditions that can try the patience and professionalism of our leaders, workers, and customers.

A “summer prevent defense,” can delay the biggest mistakes from being made, maybe even preventing them altogether.

• Call a field “time-out” once every two or three weeks.

Have the guys/gals come in early one day and have some cold watermelon, ice cream etc. back at the yard or office and just engage your people.

• Celebrate more wins, as they occur.

• When issues arise, don’t OVERREACT…just go to the parties involved; assess, fix, and re-teach.

• Slow down your pre-start to insure clarity, accuracy, planning and resources are

all available and executed.

Don’t allow any crew to begin their day without all the needed info, tools, equipment etc.

• Overemphasize hydrating.

Follow the safety rules “plus” when the heat is literally turned up; no second chances with heat exhaustion.

• Invest in some sun-protective helmet nets to keep sun off workers’ necks.

• Have the senior leaders, especially the “head” of the leadership team, make more appearances to sites, with guys in the morning, and afternoon as the guys are returning.

• Have senior leaders make site visits with greater frequency; make such visits educational but also giving encouragement.

• Spend more time with your front-line leaders (supervisors, superintendents, foremen, project managers) to insure they are prepared and ready for each new project and day. They too can tire and lose their way a little when the heat is turned up.

One or more of the above ideas may just do the trick for you but rest assured, keeping your teams engaged and at their performing best is no trick. It takes hard work but even the best contractors I know experience the “midsummer blues.”

While contractors never want to make playing “defense” their number one strategy, sometimes all

a company can do is to give their crews some extra support, distracting them so they stay project focused rather than focused on their hot bodies, sore muscles, and a feeling they need to stay home.

And one more thought.

This article isn’t about buying more ice-cream or being soft on your work crews. Construction isn’t easier in the fall or spring than the summer. It’s tough all the time…

BUT…the summer tends to incur more heat-related safety incidents, as well as small and often stupid decisions made by some of your best people. And always, equipment tends to break down during busy times.

Tempers, anger, and worse emotions can surface more easily during the summer months. Work hard to prevent as much of the mental nonsense that can develop when leaders and workers aren’t staying as sharp and sensitive to field issues… before they grow into fullfledged problems.

Here’s to improving your prevent defense!

Brad Humphrey is President of Pinnacle Development Group, consulting firm that specializes in the construction industry. See more of Brad’s advice for contractors by reading The Contractor’s Best Friend, also an AC Business Media service to the construction industry. For more information about Brad’s company, go to www.pinnacledg. com.

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