Pavement Preservation Journal, Winter 2015, Vol. 8, No. 4
Mary Robbins, Ph.D.
A stretch of U.S. 280 in Alabama – a route that sees an average of 17,000 vehicles per day – has been converted to a high-volume project site for the MnROAD-NCAT pavement preservation study, with the application of more than 30 treatments completed in September.
Started in 2012, the study was expanded to address national-level needs in the 2015 research cycle through a partnership with MnROAD within the NCAT Transportation Pooled Fund. This pavement preservation study, aimed at determining the life-extending and condition-improving benefits of pavement preservation treatments, grew under the MnROAD-NCAT partnership to encompass both cold and warm climates and low and high-volume routes. Sections on U.S. 280 serve as the higher-volume project site for the warm climate-side of the partnership, with cold climate test sections to be placed at MnROAD.
In the meantime, the low-volume route – Lee Road 159 in Auburn, Ala. – received preservation treatments in summer 2012, and continues to be monitored as part of the study.
