As pavement maintenance and preservation contractors dive into spring and summer work, a spattering of news items can help with decision-making in the field. We present a handful of updates you might have missed going into the hectic season.

LTAP Preservation Training

In partnership with the Florida Pavement Preservation Council, the Florida LTAP Center is hosting a five-part series to take attendees from the basics of asset management to advanced roadway reclamation. By the time this issue hits the streets, two sessions remain:

• Thin Overlay, In-Place Recycling, and Reclamation, to be held May 13
• Interactive Q&A Panel Discussion, to be held June 3

Visit here for information and free registration.

Commercial Capacity

The SUPER 800-5 P-tier paver from Vögele features a wide hopper for commercial contractors. During CONEXPO-CON/AGG, Vögele product experts explained their mini sized pavers are ideal for narrow jobs, but customers had requested a more versatile hopper. The wide, foldable wings accommodate loading from haul trucks as well as skid steers.

The SUPER 800-5 P-tier tracked paver is the first Mini Class representative of the Dash 5 generation. Vögele equipped the small paver with the ErgoBasic 5 operating concept. Users have an unrestricted view to the front thanks to the new, double-folding material hopper.

The tracked paver features a 74-horsepower engine, paving widths from 4 feet, 7 inches up to 11 feet, 6 inches, and depths up to 8 inches with a laydown rate of up to 330 tons per hour.

For more information, visit here.

The Vogele Super 800-5 P on display at CONEXPO-CON/AGG features a widened hopper to accommodate loading from haul trucks.

Rental Refresh from Cat

Cat Rentals℠ launched a brand refresh and updated digital tools during CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 for a more seamless experience for rental customers across the Cat® dealer network. The digital enhancements are designed to offer more streamlined communication with a dealer, and integration of telematics information to provide better visibility into machine data for enhanced rental fleet management.

Cat Rentals is now part of a connected experience ecosystem that integrates with cat.com and VisionLink™. The redesigned rental management experience will also integrate the new Cat AI Assistant later this year to further help customers easily navigate the rental process. Ultimately, Cat Rentals will help enable more rental opportunities and insights for customers, providing a smarter, consistent rental digital experience.

For more information, visit catrentals.com.

Making Tracks

CAMSO Construction launched an all-new line of turf-friendly compact track loader tracks plus a new excavator chain-on rubber pad line-up for mini-excavators from 3T-15T during CONEXPO-CON/AGG. For compact track loaders, CAMSO Construction has announced an all-new Superior Durability (SD) track. Touting in-built forged metal bars and endless joint technology, the new SD tracks also sport a double-sided self-cleaning stepped lug design.

For more information, visit parent company, RPG Group www.rpggroup.com

Both the brand new compact track loader rubber track plus the new excavator chain-on rubber pad line-up for mini-excavators, were displayed at the CAMSO Construction booth at CONEXPO-CON/AGG.

Penetrating Rejuvenation

Nature Coatings, Las Vegas, announced in March the launch of BioBlack AR™, an asphalt rejuvenator engineered to extend the duty cycle of pavement infrastructure. Designed for high-traffic environments—from municipal roadways to industrial logistics centers—BioBlack AR™ utilizes a proprietary penetrating formula that restores the flexibility of the asphalt binder. This performance-driven approach is proven to extend the service life of pavement by 30% and reduce aggregate raveling by over 50%, according to the manufacturer.

“Our focus with BioBlack AR™ was to solve the biggest headache in pavement management: the high cost of frequent repairs,” said Jane Palmer, CEO of Nature Coatings. “By meeting the rigorous FAA P-632 standards, we are providing a product that performs under the most demanding conditions, ensuring safety through high skid resistance and durability that slashes long-term maintenance costs by up to 85%.”

For more information, visit https://www.naturecoatingsinc.com/asphalt

A Sweeping Partnership

Holms Attachments, Hickory, North Carolina, and Energreen America, Aiken, South Carolina, announced in February a cooperation to provide U.S. dealers and end users with sweepers for the Energreen ILF self-propelled hydrostatic machines. The range of Energreen ILF self-propelled hydrostatic machines has been designed primarily for the

professional care of large outdoor spaces—such as cleaning roadsides. The Holms angle sweepers follow surface slopes and irregularities in every position thanks to their

unique, spring-loaded Self Adjusting Suspension system.

Alessandro Cazzin, CEO of Energreen America said, “We are happy to add the Holms product to our offering. The partnership supports our goal to be a complete supplier for the roadside maintenance customer.”

The Energreen ILF self-propelled hydrostatic machines now feature the Holms brush, which is supported by heavy-duty, long-travel springs.

Cracksealing Anniversary

Crafco, which produces, promotes and supplies specialized preservation products to the pavement, roofing, waterproofing and athletic surfacing industries, is celebrating a 50th anniversary this year. According to the company’s website, “Crafco delivers confidence through innovation, quality, and value since 1976.”

Throughout those 50 years, the company has taken on other entities as part of its growth. For example, in late 2010, Crafco purchased the then-second largest sealant and mastic material manufacturer in the United States, Deery American Corporation. In 2003, Crafco opened an equipment assembly and sealant distribution warehouse in Breclav, Czech Republic, which operates under the name Crafco OS in Europe. On Oct. 19, 2020, Crafco purchased the assets of Right/Pointe, LLC, located in DeKalb, Illinois, to enhance Crafco’s ability to better serve existing customers in the Midwestern United States.

Discover how RAP use lowers asphalt costs through material savings and rejuvenation

Editor’s Note: The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) recently released the 15th Annual Asphalt Pavement Industry Survey on Recycled Materials and Warm-Mix Asphalt Usage (IS-138) with results from the 2024 construction season showing over 96% of asphalt mix that’s reclaimed from old asphalt pavements is put back to use in new asphalt pavements, and the remaining 4% is used in other civil engineering applications. These stats and facts make Sripath Technologies’ information relevant for all sectors of the asphalt industry.

This article explores the financial incentives of incorporating reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) into asphalt mixtures and highlights how technologies like asphalt rejuvenators unlock even greater economic gains.

Sripath PGXpand® Used to Reduce Rutting in India

Quick Refresher: Why RAP Matters

RAP refers to asphalt material recovered from road surfaces that have been milled or demolished during maintenance or reconstruction. The material consists of high-quality aggregates coated with aged asphalt binder, which is an asset that can be reused in new pavement mixes. Rather than sending these valuable resources to landfills, RAP can be processed and blended back into hot-mix asphalt (HMA) or warm-mix asphalt (WMA) production, replacing portions of virgin aggregates and bitumen.

The growing push toward sustainability has elevated RAP’s importance. By reusing existing materials, producers can reduce dependence on newly quarried stone and petroleum-based binders while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions and landfill use. However, because the binder in RAP has aged and stiffened through oxidation, it does not always perform identically to virgin binder. That’s where asphalt rejuvenators (or recycling agents), which are additives designed to restore some of the original flexibility and performance of aged binders, are essential.

RAP offers:

• Direct material cost savings
• Lower transportation and logistics costs
• Reduced disposal and landfill costs

Add High-RAP to Your Production

Case Study: How ReLIXER® Enabled Cost Savings in High-RAP Mix

One of the most effective ways to unlock the economic benefits of RAP is with asphalt rejuvenators designed to restore balance to aged binder systems. A recent comparison between a conventional control mix and a high-RAP mix incorporating ReLIXER asphalt rejuvenator illustrated how rejuvenation can reduce overall mix costs while maintaining performance expectations.

In the control mix, RAP content was limited to approximately 15%, with the majority of the blend relying on virgin aggregate and virgin binder. Virgin binder alone accounted for roughly 5.5% of the total mix composition, contributing disproportionately to material costs. (This low-RAP, non-rejuvenated approach represents the traditional baseline for many producers but comes with higher exposure to raw material pricing risk.)

By contrast, the high-RAP mix incorporating ReLIXER increased RAP content to 40%, significantly displacing both virgin aggregate and virgin binder. In this formulation, virgin binder usage was reduced to approximately 3.8%, while ReLIXER was added at a very small dosage, about 0.1% of the total mix. Despite this minimal addition rate, the rejuvenator played a critical role in restoring workability and performance balance to the aged RAP binder, allowing higher recycled content without compromising mix design requirements.

Express Your RAP, RAS Content

From a cost perspective, the impact is clear. When indexed against the control mix (set at 1.00), the high-RAP mix with ReLIXER achieved a cost index of approximately 0.85, representing a meaningful reduction in overall material costs. These savings were driven primarily by reduced reliance on virgin binder and aggregate.

Importantly, the cost reduction was not achieved by sacrificing durability.

Rejuvenation enables producers to design high-RAP mixes that meet performance expectations while improving economic efficiency. Over time, this approach also supports longer-term value through improved resistance to premature cracking, better aging characteristics, and reduced maintenance demands, further extending the cost benefits beyond initial production.

In the evolving landscape of asphalt production, RAP stands out as a cost-effective and sustainable solution to rising material costs and environmental pressures.

RAP + Recycling & Rejuvenating Agents = Roadway Sustainability

By reducing reliance on virgin aggregates and bitumen, lowering transportation and disposal expenses, and delivering durable pavement performance, RAP helps producers and project owners stretch budgets further while meeting quality and sustainability goals. With proper mix design strategies including a rejuvenator to optimize performance, RAP use is more than a cost-saving tactic. It is a pathway toward smarter, greener infrastructure development and maintenance.

For more information, contact info@sripath.com

How and Why to Read the Safety Data Sheet for Additives, Chemicals

When it comes to asphalt, safety doesn’t begin on the job site; it begins on paper. More specifically, it starts with the Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Before an additive ever reaches a tank or blending system, the SDS provides critical details about the product’s chemical properties, handling and storage methods, emergency response measures, and potential hazards to workers and the environment.

Crews working with asphalt already operate in a high-risk setting, and the industry takes safety seriously when it comes to things like protecting workers from fast-moving traffic. However, the safety of the additives used needs to be given the same attention.

For example, fume-heavy conventional additives may deliver on performance but often come at a cost: watery eyes, breathing discomfort, unpleasant odors, more complex personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements, and the threat of environmental liability. There are alternative, non-hazardous additives that are designed to reduce or eliminate those dangers, but it’s still essential to review the SDS for on-the-job safety.

There are at least six sections of the safety data sheet you’ll want to be sure you review prior to bringing the material to the job site. Sections 2, 4, 7, 8, 14 and 16 offer vital information.

What is an SDS, and Why Does it Matter?

An SDS is a legally required document under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations that outlines important safety and environmental information. During the product selection phase, the SDS is the first opportunity for decision-makers to assess an additive’s safety profile. Reviewing each product’s SDS can help avoid risks and identify safer or non-hazardous options.

These side-by-side examples of portions of two U.S. SDSs demonstrate how these documents show the level of hazard associated with each product:

Understanding the nuances and knowing how to read and compare SDSs can mean the difference between a minor spill and a major incident—both employees and emergency response personnel need to know how to respond quickly and safely to workplace events. That’s why it’s so important to review the SDS before bringing the product on site, not just after something has gone wrong.

Comparing SDSs: Key Sections to Review

The SDS follows a standard 16-section format that lays out important safety information in detail. Always read the full SDS, as it’s the best way to get a complete picture of a product’s hazards and safety measures. However, the following sections are particularly important to review, especially when comparing products.

Section 2: Hazard Identification

Purpose: Provides information on known hazards through standardized hazard classification criteria.

What to Look Out For: Signal words (“danger” vs. “warning”), hazard pictograms, and listed classifications.

Why It Matters: These classifications affect everything from PPE requirements to transport, insurance, and community perception. Note how many hazard symbols there are, if any.

Section 4: First Aid Measures

Purpose: Explains symptoms of exposure and what immediate steps should be taken in different scenarios.

What to Look Out For: Nature of symptoms, whether professional medical treatment is required, and all possible routes of exposure, including inhalation, skin or eye contact, and accidental ingestion.

Why It Matters: Helps assess whether the product poses minor irritations or more serious health risks, and whether you’ll need special training or emergency equipment on hand.

Section 7: Handling and Storage

Purpose: Provides guidance on how to properly use and store the product, including a list of incompatible materials.

What to Look Out For: Special temperature requirements, hazardous combinations, or unique handling instructions.

Why It Matters: Simple handling and storage instructions reduce safety risks and minimize demands on PPE, logistics, and training. Complex hazards may increase these burdens.

Section 8: Exposure Controls/Personal Protection

Purpose: Lists established exposure limits and recommended PPE and engineering controls.

What to Look Out For: Whether standard PPE is sufficient or if specialized equipment is needed.

Why It Matters: Products that require minimal PPE reduce cost, simplify training, and reduce friction on the job site.

Section 14: Transport Information

Purpose: Details classification for shipping and whether the material is regulated in transit.

What to Look Out For: Department of Transportation or United Nations numbers, hazard class, and packaging instructions.

Why It Matters: If a product isn’t classified as hazardous for transport, logistics tend to be simpler, faster, and likely less expensive.

Section 16: Propriety Numerical Rating

Purpose: Provides quick reference to any additional information that doesn’t fit into other sections. For example, many suppliers will include the numeric scores from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and/or the Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS) on health, flammability, and reactivity in this section.

What to Look Out For: Higher NFPA and HMIS scores indicate more severe hazards, while lower scores indicate less hazards to be concerned about on the job site.

Why It Matters: These additional details can offer managers or Environment, Health and Safety teams an opportunity to review additional hazard information when available. While these scores are not required, they can be a quick reference tool to review information.

Lakeside Industries Shares a Winning Safety Strategy

Missing Data

While reviewing these key SDS sections is essential, it’s also important to be wary of missing or incomplete information. Sometimes you’ll come across phrases like “No data available” or “No specific data.” This doesn’t mean that the product is safe, but rather that the risks are not known or haven’t been evaluated. Also keep in mind that inclusion of any information in Sections 12-15 of an SDS is optional, although the information there must be truthful.

The SDS is intended to reflect the additive as sold and during some foreseeable handling and use conditions, but an SDS might not tell the full story, especially if the product could be used in unexpected ways. Additives can behave differently when used in more complex systems and SDSs can’t anticipate all use cases. A more detailed SDS often indicates better knowledge of the additive’s composition and hazards.

7 Habits of Highly Effective Safety Leadership

The Business Case for Comparing Additives

Understanding the safety nuances of products has real-world implications for your operations and your bottom line. Opting for non-hazardous, bio-based additives may offer real advantages.

Many teams will only look at an SDS when something goes wrong, but by then it’s too late to avoid harm. Reviewing the SDS before choosing a product or bringing it on site helps avoid surprises and supports better long-term outcomes. It’s also a good way to compare products side by side before making your selection.

Before choosing a product, ask for the SDS and compare not just the symbols, but also the level of detail and transparency. Cargill’s Anova® asphalt additives, for example, are backed by clear and comprehensive SDSs. For Cargill, nothing matters more than the safety and wellbeing of our people. To ensure a safe and healthy workplace, we continue building on foundational programs that have, over the past several years, contributed to significant improvements in our overall safety results.

We invite you to request one of our SDSs so you can review it and ask your current supplier for theirs to compare both documents side by side. Because when it comes to safety, the first place to look is still on the page.

Steve Haughton is the road construction business development manager for Cargill’s Asphalt Solutions team, focusing on bringing Cargill’s Anova Asphalt Solutions line of bio-based additives to asphalt mix producers, emulsion producers, refiners and paving contractors. He has 35 years’ experience in the petroleum and construction materials industries.

Collect, Evaluate Asphalt Plant Data Honestly

Breaking Down SDS Sections

Safety Data Sheets follow a consistent 16-section structure, which helps simplify the review and comparison process.

1. Identification: Product name, use, and supplier contact
2. Hazard Identification: Hazard classifications, signal words, pictograms, and warnings
3. Composition: Ingredients and concentration ranges
4. First Aid Measures: Exposure symptoms and emergency treatment
5. Firefighting Measures: Extinguishing methods and risks during fire
6. Accidental Release Measures: Spill response and containment guidance
7. Handling and Storage: Safe use and compatibility notes
8. Exposure Controls/PPE: Exposure limits and necessary protection
9. Physical and Chemical Properties: Flash point, appearance, odor, etc.
10. Stability and Reactivity: Conditions and substances to avoid
11. Toxicological Information: Health effects, exposure routes, and toxicity data
12. Ecological Information: Environmental risks and degradation
13. Disposal Considerations: Safe disposal practices
14. Transport Information: Shipping regulations and classifications
15. Regulatory Information: Relevant compliance data
16. Other Information: Preparation date, revisions, and other helpful details such as safety rating systems or handling guidance

FORTA’s new testing lab will handle asphalt and concrete fibers in Grand Rapids

FORTA LLC, Grand Rapids, Michigan, held the grand opening of its Grand Rapids Testing Lab on Sept. 11, 2025.

Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Peter Ferris, CEO of FORTA, highlighted the significance of the new lab: “Today marks a historic moment, not just for our company, but for the entire industry. This facility is the world’s first asphalt and concrete fiber lab, and it stands as proof of FORTA’s role as the world’s leading innovator in fiber reinforcement. From the very beginning, we’ve led the way in strengthening asphalt and concrete, and this lab allows us to continue setting new standards for the future.”

The Grand Rapids Testing Lab is ISO 17025 certified, ensuring the highest levels of quality, accuracy and reliability. The facility can run over a dozen separate ASTM, AASHTO and EN tests, providing a range of testing and validation capabilities. More than a testing center, the lab represents a promise that every result and every innovation is backed by rigorous science and integrity.

This investment underscores FORTA’s long-standing commitment to Reinforcement That Lasts™. With infrastructure playing such a critical role in communities across the globe, the lab’s work will focus on ensuring that roads, bridges and other critical facilities are safer, stronger and built to endure for decades.

Looking forward, the lab will serve as a hub for research and development, driving innovation in fiber reinforcement technology and bringing next-generation solutions to market. A spokesperson explained this emphasizes the company’s ability to test a wide range of products within its own portfolio. But engineers at FORTA aim to test new products and innovations within the industry as a whole.

“The Grand Rapids Lab is a testament to our commitment to excellence, to innovation, and to building a stronger, more resilient future—with FORTA leading the way,” Ferris added.

For more information, visit https://fortacorp.com/.

BMD with rubber-modified asphalt mitigates cracking and showcases sustainability

Pleasants Construction Inc., Clarksburg, Maryland, has taken asphalt paving to new heights with a pioneering balanced mix design (BMD) project featuring rubber-modified asphalt (RMA). This ambitious undertaking on a 10-mile stretch of MD 650 (New Hampshire Avenue) in Montgomery County showcases how innovative materials and forward-thinking collaboration can redefine pavement performance and sustainability.

Pleasants Construction, a family-owned leader in site development since 1964, has built a reputation for delivering turnkey site development solutions across the Washington Metropolitan area. With over 350 employees and a fleet of more than 300 vehicles, the company excels in earthwork, asphalt production, paving and more. Its commitment to quality and innovation is evident in its latest project, which leverages BMD and recycled tire rubber to enhance pavement durability.

Supersacks of SmartMIX preswelled rubber are lined up for use in the Maryland 650 project. All photos courtesy of Liberty Tire

Leading the charge is Craig Michael, Pleasants’ quality control (QC) manager. With over a decade of experience and certifications like MARTCP Level 2 and NCAT Advanced Mix Design, Michael’s expertise in asphalt testing and mix design has been instrumental to the company’s growth. Michael brings both technical prowess and a passion for pushing boundaries.

A Legacy of QC | Michael comes from a family with deep roots in asphalt testing and innovation. His grandfather, Larry Michael, was an early adopter of polymer-modified asphalt and stone matrix asphalt in Maryland. His father, Rick Michael, ran QC labs and then became the production manager and superintendent of the asphalt division, until he retired last year.

The team thought they had a big difference between the contractor and state lab, but the discrepancy in IDEAL-CT numbers turned out to be the sample aging during preparation. QC Manager Craig Michael shared, “It’s best to keep sample lots small, not make so many all at once.”

The MD 650 Project Under MDOT SHA’s Leadership

The MD 650 project, which began with milling on April 13, 2025, and overlay paving later that month, transformed a conventional Superpave overlay into a full-scale BMD pilot using RMA. Originally planned as a standard dense-graded mix, the project pivoted to incorporate rubber across the entire corridor, a bold decision driven by sustainability goals and performance potential.

This project is the first in Maryland to fully integrate BMD with a next-generation dry process for RMA. Unlike traditional methods, the dry process uses finely ground rubber powder dosed at 10% by weight of the binder. The rubber is added via a modified cellulose fiber blower through the reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) chute, or in the case of Pleasants’ plant, a port with a cam-lock fitting was installed by their plant personnel to provide a clean and secure location to handle powders and fibers.

Two rubber additives, SmartMIX from Liberty Tire and Elastiko from Asphalt Plus, were evaluated, paving the way for future Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) specifications.

The team at Pleasants Construction fine-tuned the rubber dosing process, running at 285 tons per hour and pushing 57 pounds of rubber per minute.

The mix design is equally innovative, featuring 35% high-quality RAP, a PG58-28 binder and 5.4% total asphalt content (3.7% virgin). A liquid antistrip additive enhances durability, while the rubber boosts cracking resistance, as evidenced by a significant jump in the indirect tensile asphalt cracking test (IDEAL-CT) cracking tolerance (CT) index from 93 to 226 with rubber inclusion. The Indirect Tensile Strength (IDT) remained stable at 222, confirming the mix’s balanced performance.

The project’s success owes much to MDOT SHA’s forward-thinking engineers. Asphalt Technology Division Chief Chandra Akisetty brought insights from his doctoral research at Clemson University, where he studied recycled tire rubber in asphalt. Drawing on dry process successes in states like Georgia and Virginia, Akisetty crafted a special provision for Maryland’s pilot. Asphalt Field Engineer Larry Riggleman leveraged his industry experience to champion BMD and rubber integration, while Area Engineer with Construction Mike Little saw the project as a low-risk opportunity to innovate, building on his decades of asphalt construction expertise.

This collaboration reflects MDOT SHA’s renewed commitment to innovation. “The SHA was a leader in asphalt innovation years ago, and we’re excited to reclaim that position,” Riggleman said. The project also aligns with Maryland’s sustainability goals, spurred by legislative discussions about using local tire rubber in asphalt, even though a mandate didn’t pass.

The team proved having loose mix on a tray ages the mix more than the mix kept in the carboard sample box, affecting the CT Index results.

Overcoming Challenges with Innovation

Implementing rubber-modified BMD wasn’t without hurdles. At Pleasants’ asphalt plant, the team fine-tuned the rubber dosing process, running at 285 tons per hour and pushing 57 pounds of rubber per minute. QC testing, conducted every 3,000 tons, revealed nuances in lab procedures.

For instance, oven burn-off tests required a 1.1% correction factor due to carbon black in the rubber, which behaves like fine aggregate. Compaction posed another challenge, as rubber mixes expanded post-extraction unless cooled under compression. However, the SmartMIX rubber is pre-swollen with extender oil to solve the swelling issues during compaction.

The team also discovered that prolonged oven heating during BMD specimen preparation skewed CT Index results, with later samples dropping significantly. This led to a best management practice of preparing only three samples at a time to minimize oven exposure.

The team thought they had a big difference between the contractor and state lab, but the discrepancy in IDEAL-CT numbers turned out to be the sample aging during preparation. QC Manager Craig Michael shared, “It’s best to keep sample lots small, not make so many all at once.”

“We don’t want to just meet BMD criteria—we aim to exceed them,” Michael said, emphasizing Pleasants’ commitment to quality.

Michael shared some best management practices learned through this experience. “With the high frequency of testing and volume of mix manufacturing both the contractor’s and the agency’s specimens, we noticed a drop off in the CT Index results based upon how the mix was reheated in the oven. The longer the mix was held in the oven awaiting sample preparation, the lower the CT Index results. Also, having loose mix on a tray ages the mix more than the mix kept in the carboard sample box, affecting the CT Index results.

MD 650 looks smooth and gorgeous with its new balanced mix design in place.

“At first, we thought we had a big difference between our lab and the state lab, but it turned out to be the sample aging during preparation,” Michael continued. “It’s best to keep sample lots small, not make so many all at once.”

Riggleman added, “At first, we thought we had a material problem or an equipment problem, pretty big swings in test results, but it turned out to be a handling and preparation issue. Craig kept us informed and figured it out.”

The SmartMIX rubber is pre-swollen with extender oil to solve swelling issues during compaction.

Michael offered the following fabrication details:

• Group A was prepared using fresh material straight from the plant. All five samples were completed in approximately 30 minutes.
• Afterward, we returned the material to the oven (uncovered) and allowed it to sit for about 30 minutes to give the molds time to reheat before beginning Group B, which also took around 30 minutes.
• Following Group B, the material was again placed back into the oven, and the molds were allowed to reheat before making Group C, which took about 30 minutes as well.

“While there may be other contributing factors to the downward trend in CT results, I believe the extended oven exposure—especially uncovered—is the primary cause. To prevent this in future, I recommend covering the material while it’s in the oven and minimizing the time in oven in general.”

IDEAL-CT Results | Graph courtesy of Liberty Tire and Pleasants Construction

A Roadmap for the Future

The MD 650 project is more than a one-off pilot. It’s a proof of concept for sustainable asphalt solutions, demonstrating a viable market for Maryland’s recycled tires. According to Little, “The stretch of highway turned into a nice test section to compare technologies, featuring multiple mix types over an old concrete base: gap-graded mixes with PG76-22 and fibers, rubber-modified BMD, and conventional dense-graded asphalt.”

MDOT SHA is already planning a follow-up project with research partners like the University of Maryland and the University of Illinois, focusing on life cycle cost analysis and higher rubber content in gap-graded mixes.

The Relationship Between EPDs, BMD, RAP & Plastic

For Pleasants Construction, the project underscores its role as an industry innovator. “The asphalt industry appreciates having options, not mandates,” Akisetty noted, praising contractors like Pleasants for embracing new technologies. As Maryland paves the way for greener, more durable roads, Pleasants Construction and MDOT SHA prove that innovation and collaboration can drive lasting change.

High-altitude preservation with soy-based RePlay restores binder to 1.25 inches

At 6,200 feet at the gateway to the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, the pavements in the Town of Jackson face the pendulum of 90-degree summers and intense UV, to subzero winters and freeze-thaw conditions.

“Traditional fog seals give us a couple of years of color, but not real structural help,” explained Senior Engineer Scott Mohror, P.E. “We needed a treatment that actually puts binder back into the asphalt pavement, not just on top.”

The town turned to BioSpan Technologies’ RePlay® Agricultural-Oil Seal & Preservation Agent.

“RePlay soaks in deeper to replenish lost oils, bond with aging binder, and lift binder content,” explained Lindsey Hermes, president and COO of BioSpan Technologies. “That rebuilt flexibility keeps roads in service years longer.”

RePlay checked three boxes for the town:

• Deep penetration. Lab work later confirmed movement to 1¼ inches.
• Faster cure time, which is essential during summer tourist season.
• Carbon-negative profile that advances Jackson’s Net-Zero 2030 plan.

And they discovered an added bonus. According to Mohror, “It smells like aromatherapy—citronella and orange instead of hot [asphalt].” This novelty even drew a curious black bear to one freshly treated block.

Bargen Inc. sprayed the RePlay Agricultural-Oil Seal at a rate of 0.020 gallons per square yard. The product is transparent, offering a stainless application that allows pavement markings to remain visible.

How Crews Applied RePlay

During an August 2024 window of clear weather, applicator Bargen Inc., Mountain Lake, Minnesota, treated five residential streets—Lodgepole Lane, Rancher Street, Flat Creek Drive, Bar-Y Road and Simpson Avenue.

The equipment Bargen used alternated between a flatbed carrying a 16-foot adjustable spray boom and a Toro compact utility vehicle (CUV) with an 11-foot boom. Both BioSpan spray systems are computer-controlled; the pump output is automatically calibrated to truck speed, with GPS used as a backup to prevent over- or under-application.

For the application rate, Bargen averaged 0.020 gallons per square yard (≈ 96.8 gallons per acre), which is Bargen’s standard “2-0” rate for pavements that already contain relatively high virgin-oil content. The crew used a hand sprayer to test strips at curb, crown and turn radii, which sometimes told them to adjust the rate or allow extra cure time on dense, high-traffic edges.

To prepare the surface, crews took care to sweep the pavement so that nothing stood in the way of RePlay achieving maximum penetration. Because it is a clear product, there were no staining worries. RePlay cures transparent, so Bargen didn’t have to worry about cleaning up a mess afterwards where the spray met the concrete curb; overspray isn’t visually objectionable once it dries.

Bargen’s crew normally sprays at about 38 psi but lessens the intensity along sensitive edges to prevent misting and overspray.

Core-Sample Results Confirm Rejuvenation

• Lodgepole Lane (PCI 77, 25+ years old): RePlay increased binder content by 5.47% ¼ inch from the surface and 5.69% at 1 ¼ inches depth, showing a positive effect on aging asphalt.
• Flat Creek Drive (PCI 58, 15+ years old): Binder content increased 4.75% at ¼ inch and 5.31% at 1 ¼ inches.
• Rancher Street (2-3 years old): Binder content grew 6.13% at ¼ inch and 6.19% at 1 inch, demonstrating the efficiency of RePlay on newer streets as well.

The overall project average was a +5.9% binder increase across the five streets. Viscosity testing showed lower stiffness, indicating renewed flexibility before winter freeze.

We learned from this to validate with cores. Deep-core binder testing created hard data that won Public Works approval for expansion.

We also learned that surface preparation is an important best practice. A backpack-blower and spot sweeping helped ensure maximum penetration.

It’s also best practice to dial back nozzle pressure near curbs, houses and parked vehicles. Bargen’s crew normally sprays at about 38 psi but lessens the intensity along sensitive edges to prevent misting and overspray.

“RePlay didn’t just seal the surface—it restored binder through the top inch of pavement. That’s the metric that moves a preservation program from ‘nice idea’ to a budget line,” Mohror said.

Looking Ahead

Earlier in 2025, armed with core data and positive neighborhood feedback, the Town of Jackson brought Bargen back to apply RePlay to another 30,600 square yards of pavement.

With measurable binder gains, faster reopening and a net-negative carbon footprint, Jackson’s pilot positions soy-based RePlay as an essential tool for high-altitude municipalities striving for both fiscal prudence and environmental stewardship.

Jeff Davis is the communications manager for BioSpan Technologies, specializing in bio-based pavement solutions, infrastructure and sustainability.