Patriotism in the Asphalt Industry
BY Sandy Lender
The Asphalt Pro staff encourages everyone to join the push for H.R. 8870 to become law, especially in such a monumental and celebratory year as this.
In honor of our nation’s 250th celebration, The Asphalt Pro is highlighting asphalt professionals who proudly display Old Glory. For our July front cover, we feature Milestone, a Heritage Construction + Materials company, which commissioned its Terre Haute, Indiana, plant last season. Management has affixed a flagpole atop the transfer conveyors for all to see the company’s patriotic spirit.
Brannan Sand and Gravel Company, LLC, located in Denver, Colorado, showcases its pride in America at the plant and the paving crews. They also help the industry at large by hosting representatives for tours of their facilities to discuss hot topics like road funding. And that was on the agenda when U.S. Congressman Gabe Evans, who represents the Colorado 8th Congressional district, toured the BSG Lipan Asphalt Facility on May 26, 2026. It’s refreshing to learn Congressman Evans provided his perspective on the need for sustainable funding for roads and highways during the visit as well. In the plant image above, from left, are Tom Peterson of CAPA, Jerry Joyeax of Cenovus Energy, Jon Joesten of BSG, Congressman Evans, Chris Marvel of BSG, Mitch Baldwin of NAPA and Mike Scardina of Cenovus Energy. Photo and information courtesy of CAPA; Paving crew photos courtesy of John Ball of Top Quality Paving & Training
Vice President and Terre Haute Area Manager Rob Rood stated: “Displaying the American flag at our facility is a visible reminder that what we do here connects to something bigger than the plant. Every ton we produce supports American infrastructure and the communities we live and work in.”
As seen on the July front cover, the team at Milestone, a Heritage Construction + Materials company, displays the American flag as a visible reminder that each company in our industry connects to something bigger than the plant. Photo courtesy of HC+M
The Astec Double Barrel pictured on the front cover began service in March 2025 and is a new facility for the company. The former CMI plant had been built in 1997 and making updates to some of the obsolete pieces of technology had become cumbersome and expensive.
Milestone Contractors in Indianapolis, Indiana, built this Astec plant from the ground up in 2016. You can read its history in the November 2017 and October 2024 editions in The Asphalt Pro archives. Photo courtesy of Astec Industries
By investing in the latest technology, Milestone has streamlined operations and reduced the man hours formerly required for repairs. The four 200-ton silos have now been upgraded to five 300-ton silos. An interesting facet of the new silos is their engineered design for faster loadout. The former silos had 24-inch door openings; the new ones have 36-inch door openings, and this change has allowed trucks to be loaded more quickly.
With a name like American Pavement Specialists, the contractor out of Danbury, Connecticut, had to make an appearance in our patriotic coverage. In the fall of 2020, APS completed the reclamation of an Amazon facility parking lot with 6,000 tons of HMA in eight days. You can read the history of the World War II aerospace building and the details of APS’ precision work in the July 2021 edition. Photos courtesy of APS
The site includes paved surfaces beneath stockpiles and a new quality control lab for testing asphalt products in-house. “We are positioned right on Interstate 70 with a lot of potential work in the next 10 years,” Rood stated. “With these upgrades, we have been proactive in preparing for the future.”
The Green Asphalt Co. in Long Island City, New York, built this plant in 2011 to accommodate up to 100% RAP, but the crew painted an American flag on the front silo to include their patriotic spirit. You can read about their beginnings on Long Island and the journey to assembling a high-RAP-capable facility in the October 2018 article in The Asphalt Pro archives. Photo courtesy of Green Asphalt
That future could include a new, robust highway bill, if our industry can keep momentum going. As of press time, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee had approved the bi-partisan BUILD America 250 Act by a vote of 62-2.
Peter Baker and Sons in Illinois takes good care of their equipment. For this project on Lewis Avenue in the summer of 2026, they added patriotism to their clean-cut image. Photo courtesy of John Ball of Top Quality Paving & Training
“The United States needs a surface transportation reauthorization bill that makes sustained, strategic investments in our nation’s infrastructure to strengthen global competitiveness, create jobs, support American manufacturing and exports, and improve safety for workers and communities,” ARTBA Chair Tony Fassino said. “The bipartisan BUILD America 250 Act reflects that commitment, and we look forward to the House moving this critical legislation forward.”
Back in 2018, management at N.B. West Contracting in Missouri knew some larger projects along the I-44 corridor were on the horizon. Three of their team members had attended the Astec Customer School in 2011 and brought back information that helped form the decision to purchase a new plant. You can read more about this acquisition and projects it facilitated in the October 2020 edition. Photo courtesy of N.B. West Contracting
The push for legislation doesn’t end with the committee. Industry advocates from members of the Transportation Construction Coalition to contractors in the field have been reaching out to their representatives to support H.R. 8870. The Asphalt Pro staff encourages everyone to join the push for this bill to become law, especially in such a monumental and celebratory year as this.
Mayo Construction Inc., headquartered in Cavalier, North Dakota, took on a set of three projects that amounted to one large mill-and-pave project for the state Department of Transportation (NDDOT), placing 166,818 tons of HMA from early August to late October 2022. The team completed 82 lane miles in 50 days of paving, garnering over $350,000 in bonuses. Read the full story in the July 2023 edition. Photo courtesy of Mayo Construction
The celebrating doesn’t end when the fireworks fade away this month. American exceptionalism is something to strive for every day and The Asphalt Pro is proud to highlight those asphalt professionals who display their hard work and American pride throughout the year.