Here is a brief look at a few airport life-cycle extension and carbon-management products that Pavement Technology, Inc. offers. 

PlusTi Ti-Intro CME® All-Surface Carbon and Pollutant Removal Technology  

PlusTi Ti-Intro CME penetrant is a retrofit solution that uses Photo Catalytic Technology (PCT) to remove airfield-borne carbon dioxide, decrease pollutants, reduce pavement emissivity, and accelerate moisture dispersion on airfield runways, taxiways, concourse parking ramps, automotive access roads, and parking infrastructures.  

PCT uses a titanium-dioxide photocatalyst that reduces surface heat radiation while destroying emissions-related carbon and pollutants (including airfield tire-wear debris, i.e., microplastics – MPP) – overall reducing the Heat Island Effect and improving air and groundwater quality.  

Every square yard of treated infrastructure removes over 12 kg CO₂ per sq/yd per year. These treatments can be used ion both asphalt and concrete surfaces.  

JOINTBOND^{Ti ®} super-hydrophilic longitudinal joint stabilizer and ARA1-Ti asphalt rejuvenator  

• PlusTi^TM JOINTBOND^Ti stabilizer revitalizes and improves longitudinal joint density and seals other critical asphalt structures. The emulsion combines Maltene Replacement Technology (MRT) with Photo Catalytic Technology (PCT). 

• ARA1-Ti is an MRT x PCT product that targets access roads and parking structures around the airport.  

Litho1000 Ti® concrete sealer/hardener  

Litho1000 Ti is a lithium-silicate sealer/hardener that seals and waterproofs concrete surfaces by significantly reducing the concrete’s permeability and sorptivity. It protects against the adverse effects of de-icing salts, freeze/thaw cycling, and marine environments. This product is also enhanced with PCT.   

To discuss your airport pavement preservation and airport carbon reduction goals and requirements, please contact us.

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Road pavement preservation should always be top of mind to help extend the life of asphalt roads and make the best use of limited budgets.

Pavement Technology, Inc. has been caring for roadways for more than 50 years. We leverage the best solutions and offer exceptional products to take care of roads. Rejuvenating asphalt is the cornerstone competency on which our company was built. 

For example, we offer Reclamite^® asphalt rejuvenator, the original Maltene Replacement Technology (MRT) for restoring and preserving the durability of asphalt. Based on the innovative research of Witco Corporation’s Fritz Rostler, Reclamite rejuvenator restores the reactive maltene components that asphalt pavements lose due to the high-temperature manufacturing process and subsequent field aging, penetrating the surface deeply to protect against air and water intrusion. 

Learn more about Reclamite rejuvenator and why it’s an outstanding option for government agencies and private communities that are responsible for achieving the highest life-cycle return on their road preservation investments. 

When you focus on pavement preservation, you are being proactive in maintaining your pavement. New construction will eventually be necessary. But properly treating roads can help you keep them in service and last as long as possible. 

Preservation is essential because roads will deteriorate the more they’re exposed to traffic (both volume and weight) and UV-related oxidation. In short, pavement preservation slows down the deterioration process. Why not keep your roads as safe as possible for as long as possible? 

We work closely with road departments daily to ensure that preservation projects match their long-term strategic goals. The projects are always well planned for each community, including timely resident notifications. Experienced crews combined with the proper treatments ensure success.  

Maximize your road maintenance budget by extending the service life of your roads. We would be happy to partner with you to address your road needs in a timely manner. Contact us today or call 1-800-333-6309. 

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Bringing Maltene Replacement Technology (MRT) to the public works sector is the cornerstone competency on which our company is built. We also introduced America’s first titanium-dioxide-enriched asphalt rejuvenation product to assist public works professionals and contractors concerned about reducing emisison-related pollutants, mitigating Urban Heat Island effect, accelerating surface water dispersion, reducing vehicle-generated microplastics, and extending roadway life.

Using Reclamite® asphalt rejuvenator, the original MRT, restores and preserves asphalt durability. Through the innovative research conducted by Witco Corporation’s Fritz  Rostler, Reclamite rejuvenator enables asphalt pavements to recover the reactive maltene components lost due to the high temperatures used in asphalt product and subsequent field aging related to oxidation and weathering. Reclamite rejuvenator penetrates the surface and guards against air and water intrusions while also regenerating the asphalt surface. 

We have been perfecting the application of this technology in real-world conditions since 1972, contributing significantly to the commercialization of this asphalt rejuvenator.  

Our PlusTi^TM A.R.A.-1 Ti^® asphalt rejuvenator / sealer gives road departments the added benefits of Photo Catalytic Technology (PCT).  
 
As America’s first TiO₂ photocatalytic rejuvenator/sealer for asphalt roadways, PlusTi^TM A.R.A.-1 Ti^® combines Maltene Replacement Technology (MRT) to revitalize and seal aging asphalt with Photo Catalytic Technology (PCT) that removes nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOC), and other airborne vehicular exhaust pollutants. 
 
The solar-reflective top surface reduces heat absorption and related radiative forcing (RF) by materially reducing the convective re-release of UV radiation that would otherwise contribute to the heat island effect common in our urban centers. The chemistry also slows down pavement oxidation, thereby further extending the service life of treated surfaces. 

Pavement preservation is an important part of any infrastructure maintenance strategy. It involves a range of solutions that are designed to extend the life of pavement and protect it from damage. 

Contact us today so we can discuss your needs. Or call 1-800-333-6309. 

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Agencies routinely turn to PTI to meet all their pavement preservation needs and maximize their budgets. We offer long-term, environmentally responsible technologies to rejuvenate roadways, stabilize joints, restore asphalt seals, suppress dust and restore recycled asphalt, including solutions that reduce pollution related to vehicle emissions. 

All of those services require the precision and know-how developed through years of practical experience. Our company knows these treatments are critical tools in the asphalt road maintenance toolbox. These tools will extend the time before total pavement replacements.

Asphalt preservation methods can help to extend the life of asphalt pavement by slowing down its natural deterioration due to weathering and aging.  

If you want to stretch your maintenance budgets over more years, you need to make sure asphalt rejuvenation is always top of mind. We’re ready to help you ensure that your roadways last much longer. Contact us today so we can address your specific needs.

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Instead of the standard format for a Frequently Asked Questions article, we’re going to flip it. Here are the top questions you should be asking about the Asphalt Surface Treatment you’re considering using.

Question 1: Is this stuff safe?

We’ve all heard the “safety first” mantra repeated ad nauseum and many companies do personify it. The number one question we should always ask before specifying or allowing the application of a material is: “does this material carry any human health or environmental hazards associated with it’s use?” The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) should be produced before any contractor is allowed to apply material to any pavement. What is in Safety Data Sheets? According to OSHA, “the SDS includes information such as the properties of each chemical; the physical, health, and environmental health hazards; protective measures; and safety precautions for handling, storing, and transporting the chemical.” It should ideally look like this, with very little in the way of hazards to people, pets, or the environment.  

What we don’t want to see present in the material on an SDS are specific health risks such as cancer, the presence of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), highly flammable or unstable chemicals, or highly regulated chemicals. On a “clean” SDS, you’ll see mostly “Not Classified,” “Not Regulate,” and perhaps an occasional “Not Available.” 

Question 2: What is the long-term performance of the product?

When you ask the contractor or supplier this question, the ideal response would be to send you to some independently researched reports and laboratory results, before and after pictures, case studies, or even some good old-fashioned testimonials from other public works agencies, DOTs or property managers who have had success with the material.  

The further back such third-party data goes, the better. When I say “third party,” that means it’s not just the company’s own marketing materials. Good “third-party” or independent data comes from public agencies, universities, accredited labs or testing firms, or even industry trade associations. The data in them may have been provided by the contractor or supplier, but the data cannot have been generated by the organization that is making the material. 

Question 3: What does it do and how does it work?

Lastly the idea with this two-part question is to better understand whether the asphalt surface treatment being evaluated is the right tool to address the dominant distress or mode of failure on the pavement to be treated. Is this tool being applied at the right time and will it successfully preserve the pavement?  

There are lots of great pavement preservation tools available, but what separates a good asphalt treatment from a bad one (assuming questions one and two were answered satisfactorily) is the selection of the right tool at the right time in the lifecycle of the pavement. If the aim is to rejuvenate the asphalt while it’s in good condition, the key element is that the rejuvenator should be penetrating the pavement, restoring to it the maltene fractions of the asphalt that are oxidized over time.  

Understanding how a material works, and what its short-term and long-term performance outcomes will be, is critical to making a sound decision. A short-term improvement in aesthetics is of little use if a material’s long-term outcome is detrimental to the pavement.  

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The best way to blunt the effect of escalating construction costs is to protect what we have pavement asset management process. It’s a programmatic approach that blends a variety of pavement maintenance methods to arrest deterioration.  

The reality is there is never enough budget to repave or rehab every road that could use it. By integrating a strategy of preservation into your pavement asset management program you will accomplish more with fewer dollars than you will by focusing only on repaving or repairing your worst roads.  

Preservation will enable you to treat more pavements without exceeding your budget, while making headway on improving your wider road network. 

How to Implement a Pavement Preservation Program

Step 1 – Evaluating Pavement Conditions 

To get an accurate idea of what funding is needed we need to know our pavement conditions. This can be accomplished by in-house folks or by hiring an outside company to rate your roads and report on their conditions. Taking the time to properly evaluate the condition of all your roads gives managers more leverage, validating specific pavement needs.  

Summarize condition reports into a simple presentation that will be easily understood by elected officials and the public. Remember: asphalt road maintenance is very visible and immediately beneficial to all users. This fact can be a major advantage when soliciting proper funding.  

Step 2 – Prioritizing Treatments and Repairs  

How to select what roads get what treatments can appear overwhelming. A proper methodology will allow you to make the most headway with an asphalt road maintenance program that addresses all the different priorities.  

It may seem like the most logical approach is to use the road ratings to identify your worst roads, and then to tackle them first. The truth is that your worst roads may be so bad that nothing short of major rehab or reconstruction will fix them. If you take this approach, a few roads can literally eat up all your funding, and you will barely make a dent in the overall condition of your roadway network.  

Step 3 –The Right Treatment at the Right Time 

A better approach would be to routinely assign a percentage of your investment to preservation. Use your pavement condition assessment report to assign repair, resurfacing or preservation to your bad, fair, and good roads respectively. As illustrated in the example below investment in preservation as a percentage of your asphalt road maintenance funding will cover lots more pavement. The same money goes further, yielding better conditions overtime. It’s like investing in a portfolio so all the assets aren’t just in a single category.  

SAMPLE ROAD CONDITION REPORT

Why Preservation?

It may seem counterintuitive to prioritize your better roads for preservation, but once you understand how oxidation affects your asphalt, it makes good sense. New asphalt roads begin to deteriorate the day they are laid; slowly at first, and then rapidly, as the asphalt becomes brittle. The result is raveling, cracking, and a rough driving surface.  

The root cause is the gradual depletion of the maltene components of asphalt, which glue asphalt together. Even before the asphalt has arrived for your paving project, oxidation has begun due to the high-temperature manufacturing process; once the pavement has been laid, deterioration is accelerated by continuous exposure to weather.

The solution is right time treatments. Preserving your roads, while they are in very good condition, with a maltene-based rejuvenator replenishes the maltene fractions that keep asphalt resilient and seals the pavement surface from the intrusion of moisture.  

By making road preservation a key component of your pavement asset management program, you will protect a lot of road for the dollars spent, which will keep them in good condition longer. This treatment covers ten miles of pavement for less than the cost of paving a single mile.  

By investing a small percentage of your asphalt road maintenance budget in preservation, you will typically get 30 percent more pavement life for 10 percent of the cost of repaving. Who wouldn’t want an investment like that? 

The Proof is in the Performance

As evidenced in the photo above, asphalt roadways preserved using Maltene Replacement Technology (MRT) will:  

• Maintain smooth driving surfaces 
• Avoid costly end-of-life repairs  
• Extend pavement life from four to five years 

With this preservation process your roads will be reopened to traffic in minutes and no pavement markings will be obliterated. For seventy years, this affordable, effective, and economical approach has been used by public works agencies across the US and around the world. Making Maltene Replacement Technology an integral part of your pavement asset management program will improve the overall health of your road network.

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Researchers are now referring to the extensive use of plastics as a “global plastic cycle” equivalent to the well-documented “carbon cycle” – both of which are directly related to the built environment we humans have developed. Because people literally breathe, eat and drink microplastics, their rising levels are not surprising, and are nothing short of alarming given their associated health and ecological risks.   

Social concerns about how to better manage plastic consumption have become almost as universal as concerns over carbon reduction management. For example, plastic straws have become a target on the radar of many consumer organizations and consumers themselves. But are straws really the biggest problem? 

The Role of Vehicle-Related Microplastics

What many may not realize is that as much as 85 percent¹ of the microplastics that end up in our environment come from roads. The culprit is cars; both tire and brake-pad wear are the significant contributors.   

Scientists have even come up with a name for roadway microplastic accumulations: “road-associated microplastic particles” aka RAMPs.  Tire-wear particles are considered the leading source.

Test Results Show Near 100% Reductions

Several years ago, Pavement Technology, Inc. along with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), embarked on the development of a novel technology to sustainably introduce photocatalytic-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) to pavements by combining titanium with the company’s long-proven, pavement-penetrating preservation technology. 

Initial results were beyond earliest forecasts. In the field, roads retrofit with photocatalytic penetrants are showing as much as 50 percent vehicular NOx removal, while more than tripling solar reflectance index (SRI) values, thereby mitigating Urban Heat Island effect (UHI).  

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) has also conducted extensive tests on the efficiency of TiO₂ of microplastics decomposition. In other independent studies, photocatalytic-grade titanium has proven to remove 98 percent of plastics², including but not limited to the various forms of microplastics found in RAMPs.  TTI’s testing of PTI’s PlusTi family of photocatalytic technologies has produced similar results as indicated in the table below. 

TTI’s latest research shows that the photo-reactive nature of titanium provides another strong environmental benefit by naturally reducing microplastic accumulations from tire and brake-pad wear. In the United States alone, the added microplastic load from on-road non-exhaust emissions is equivalent to 450 billion plastic water bottles in relative plastic pollution removal potential. Removing such pollutants is critical to preserving the health of human and marine life by sustaining a sound and resilient water ecology.  

The United Nations Environmental Program is currently developing an international legally binding instrument to reduce plastic pollution as a growing environmental hazard. These on-road non-exhaust emissions are also part of the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) “Climate Challenge” initiative, which is expected to play a large role in future highway construction. 

Conclusion

Plastics have half-lives in the hundreds of years. If left “’spiraling around the globe” atmospheric RAMPs will remain free to invade our air, contributing to the hazards related to a global plastic cycle. Scientists have sounded the alarm. The transportation industry is listening. 

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Let us explore how PCT works in the roadway microenvironment and imagine its monumental implications for the transportation industry and societal climate prioritization.

How the Photocatalytic Process Works

Once energized, TiO₂ releases electrons into the surrounding area (up to six meters in all directions), which then combine with oxygen in the air to create the superoxide anion (O₂-). Simultaneously, the catalyst TiO₂ replaces its lost electrons by attracting electrons from ambient humidity, and then returns to its original state unaffected by the photocatalytic process. The moist air that has lost electrons transforms into hydroxyl radicals (-OH). Superoxide and oxygen radicals, collectively “oxygen radicals,” yield strong oxidative decomposition.

In the case of vehicular emissions, millions of oxygen radicals, created by the TiO₂ solar reactivity, attack “bent” or vulnerable compounds such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and volatile compounds (VOCs) created by fuel combustion. A bent compound has an imbalanced molecular structure in which electrons are underweighted on one side of the structure. The superoxide and oxygen radicals thus penetrate the vulnerable side of the alien molecule and instantly alter its molecular structure in a manner beneficial to the environment. Photocatalytic oxidation is nature’s self-cleaning mechanism and a photo-responsive material like TiO₂ accelerates the process.

For NOx, oxygen radicals transform toxic airborne nitrite gas (NO₂), which is quite harmful to the human respiratory function, into grounded harmless nitrate (HNO₃), interrupting and precipitating the nitrogen cycle. Disposal of the sequestered HNO₃ by natural consumption or dilution adds nothing to the overall nitrogen load. Road level PCT hence elegantly eliminates the most dangerous part of the cycle by merely accelerating essential detoxification at the point source. It’s like instantly disarming vehicular exhaust.

Other vulnerable compounds such as water (H₂O) do not fully transform into a new molecular phase like NOx, and instead transform into a differently shaped molecule in a manner that is similarly environmentally beneficial. For example, agglomerated water molecules in the form of rain, ice or snow transform into thin films, reducing water build-up by hastening precipitation disposal. This improves rainstorm roadway safety and deters ice or snow formation in colder climates.

A surface course such as a roadway embedded with photo-reactive titanium creates a fully hydroxylated surface that perpetually creates oxygen radicals when irradiated by sunlight. The use of photocatalytic construction materials in our built environment can amplify and accelerate these natural air-purifying processes in places where the altered landscape reflects human consumption.

Improving Near-Roadway Microenvironments

As the most highly efficient photocatalyst, TiO₂ is a multifaceted photo-responsive mineral¹ rapidly gaining increased scientific and commercial interest for near-roadway microenvironments (ME) by advancing a host of preservation, resilience and environmental benefits, including:

• Depolluting near-pavement air-cleaning applications, where TiO₂-reacted surfaces are able to oxidize a variety of pollutants and contaminants, such as those emitted by vehicles (especially NOx and VOCs), thereby reducing ozone pollution and mitigating acid rain formation.
• Producing cool pavement applications in which TiO₂-treated surfaces provide a solar-reflective top boundary. This lessens pavement-related radiative forcing (RF) by reducing the convective re-release of solar radiation that leads to Urban Heat Island effect (UHI), slowing oxidation² to enhance the life-cycle assessment of pavement.
• Promoting more hydrophilic or rapid water-desorbing pavements that are self-cleaning, resist staining and remove contaminants such as mold. Hydrophilic pavements protect against water intrusion for extended pavement life and promote safer roads during poor weather conditions by displacing rain and inhibiting ice formation³.
• Decomposing vehicular microplastic debris by as much as 98 percent with photo-reactive TiO₂ ⁴. Dangerous airborne and oceanic microplastic pollution accumulations are estimated to be as much as 75 percent⁵ sourced from roadway tire and brake-pad wear.

Tested and Proven Performance

Pavement Technology, Inc., in collaboration with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, embarked on the development of a novel technology to sustainably introduce photocatalytic-grade TiO₂ to pavements by combining TiO₂ with our long-proven pavement penetrating and preservation technologies. The results have been beyond our earliest forecasts.

In the field, roads retrofit with our family of PlusTi^TM photocatalytic penetrants are showing vehicular NOx removal as high as 60 percent and have tripled the solar reflectance values of treated pavements, thereby mitigating the effects of UHI.

A TiO₂-Enhanced Roadway’s “Zone of Influence”

Engineers use the concept of “zone of influence” when describing the impact(s) on or from a structure from all dimensions. In this sense, a photocatalytic pavement is a three-dimensional structure reacted through a catalyst material embedded near the surface and by the power of the sun from above.

A TiO₂-bearing roadway creates a natural electrochemical energy field that spans about eighteen feet in all directions from the roadway surface. This zone of influence acts like a tunnel of perpetual solar-charged particles that surround vehicles traveling across the roadway as if they were passing through a self-cleaning, photo-catalyzed subway.

As described, certain vehicular-introduced compounds including hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), such as NOx and other Ozone (O₃) precursors, become captured and scrubbed (i.e., rendered harmless) before they can escape beyond the zone of influence.

Carbon Reduction Calculations

In addition to our Maltene Replacement Technology (MRT) life-cycle cost calculator, which confirms a 500-to-1 carbon savings in comparison with rebuilds⁶, PTI has developed a carbon-capture model for our photocatalytic pavement solutions with the help of Texas A&M, the National Center for Pavement Preservation at Michigan State, Alcoa Architectural Coatings, and the U.S. Forestry Service, et al.

One mile of TiO₂-enhanced pavement is “valued” at the same carbon reduction capacity as an approximately 15-acre forest. That 15-acre-forest equivalent pavement, using a conservative, discounted weighted average ten-year service

life, can offset the pollution of as many as 375 automobiles or more than 4,000 tons of carbon equivalents annually.

Applied to the Paris Agreement 2030 carbon pricing model [$50-$100 per ton CO₂e], one mile of PlusTi-enhanced roadway has a net present value of $75,000, which is three-times the current estimated capital cost of the upgrade. In direct financial cost, a unit of carbon removed via a PCOPCT-enhanced pavement costs only 19c ($1 per car per year), while other carbon-capture technologies are estimated to cost as much as $200 or more per unit of carbon removed. ⁷

Photocatalytic pavements are highly productive at removing carbon because the primary mobile-sourced pollutant, i.e., NOx – is 298 times the environmental value (toxicity) of a unit of CO₂ per the EPA and the Clean Air Act (CAA).

Conclusion

Roadway microenvironments are a critical and advantaged target for agencies promoting more aggressive carbon neutral priorities. Pavement preservation programs leveraging PCT are now leading the way toward a cleaner, healthier low-carbon future.

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Road pavement design focuses on drainage and the thickness and strength of the materials. Simply build it “to spec” and all is well (hopefully).  

Another important factor in achieving long-term pavement performance is the durability of the asphalt itself. Durability is the ability of your road to withstand the natural effects of weather, including moisture penetration and freeze/thaw cycling.

Asphalt Basics 

It is the adverse effects of weather that break down the pavement surface and create a rough ride. Pavement deterioration begins the day your roadway is laid.  

We often look at a hot mix pavement as a single entity. In reality, pavements are a combination of stone and liquid asphalt cement. It’s the asphalt cement that glues the rock together. The “glue” provides resilience and waterproofing. So even though the asphalt cement only makes up about six percent of the pavement – it is the most important part of the mix.  

According to asphalt technologists, “The performance of asphalt cement as a binder in Hot Mix Asphalt is determined by its physical properties, which in turn are determined directly by its chemical composition.¹”  

Asphalt cement consists of two main petroleum groups: asphaltene and maltenes, which themselves are made up of a variety of components, e.g. first acidaffins, second acidaffins, saturated hydrocarbons and polar compounds.  

• Asphaltenes are solid when separated and provide body and hardness, sort of like pencil lead.   
• Maltenes make up most of the liquid asphalt and are what make it sticky and flexible. 

Even before the liquid asphalt arrives at your job site, the heat of manufacturing has begun to degrade its consistency. Once your road is installed, the natural asphalt components known as maltenes are further degraded from oxidation and weathering.  

Here’s what aging looks like over a 10-year period:

One inexpensive road pavement preservation option for getting long-term performance is to seal the new paving project with Maltene Replacement Technology (MRT). Moisture is asphalt’s worst enemy. Building the preservation treatment into the cost of your original road project is inexpensive and will improve asphalt durability. Create a better asphalt, get a better pavement.  

The MRT process naturally returns to asphalt the same compounds that have been depleted during the heat of manufacturing and subsequent oxidation. After it is applied, a maltene-based rejuvenator deeply penetrates the roadway, restoring the asphalt’s maltene components, thereby providing the long-term performance needed for a sustainable pavement solution. 

Here’s what MRT looks like in action:

Will existing pavements benefit from this technology? 

Existing pavements can also benefit from Maltene Replacement Technology. The best time to apply a maltene-based rejuvenator is inside a four-year window – i.e., before the pavement begins to show significant cracking or surface raveling.  

MRT accomplishes two important tasks: 

• First, it combines with the asphalt cement to create an in-depth seal that shields your asphalt roads from weather.  
• Second, MRT restores the consistency of your asphalt. 

What’s the bottom line? 

• Maintains smooth pavement 
• Avoids costly end-of-life repairs  
• Extends pavement life by four to five years 
• Costs under one dollar per square yard applied  
• Creates a better asphalt  

With today’s emphasis on thoughtfully evaluating pavement solutions for their sustainability attributes, MRT delivers the ultimate in sustainable performance – the significant extension of a roadway’s service life.

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The taxpayers who ultimately pay for good and bad roads alike trust us to be good stewards of their hard- earned dollars. What we know to be true is that while good roads cost money, bad roads cost more. Therefore, keeping our roads in good condition rather than waiting until failure is critical to providing the public a safe and efficient transportation system.

To further dispel common pavement preservation myths is a public service I’m happy to perform! As Executive Coordinator of the Florida Pavement Preservation Council, it is my duty to help educate public works professionals around the United States. So here goes.  

Myth One 

Only agencies with good pavements should be using pavement preservation treatments. 

This is one of the longest running myths out there. It’s actually true when the sentence is rearranged like this: “Only agencies that use pavement preservation will have good pavements.” Unless you happen to be blessed with unlimited funds, the sure-fire path to a good road network is utilizing pavement preservation. Just like any other asset we value and thus preserve, roads need preventive care to ensure small signs of wear and distress are caught before they become more serious.

For example, in preventive medicine the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” No wonder today’s healthcare system focuses as much on preserving wellness as it does on treating disease. So should we! 

Waiting for small distresses to beget large failures by turning a blind eye rather than proactively addressing these issues is the very definition of dereliction of duty. If we task our public works staff with the job of maintaining our infrastructure, we must enable them to do their jobs by providing the necessary resources and support while holding them accountable for the results.

So, unless your agency has a blank check and no one to answer to – it’s past time to ditch this myth and accept responsibility for keeping our roadways healthy. 

Myth Two 

We can’t afford to do pavement preservation right now. 

When money gets tight, as it often does, this popular myth will crop up. The truth is, you actually can’t afford not to! That’s because utilizing “the right treatment on the right road at the right time” is the only economical way to navigate challenging budgetary constraints. 

It’s often said that for every dollar spent at the top of the deterioration curve we save between six and ten dollars over the life of a roadway. Actual savings can be even more pronounced than that!

Using top-of-the-curve treatments helps stretch precious dollars in tight times. It’s the agencies who understand the value of well-timed preservation whose road networks outperform those of the “worst-firsters.” 

Imagine the folly of buying a new fleet of vehicles only to immediately cut all preventive maintenance such as oil changes and tire rotations out of the annual budget. Allowing the entire fleet to deteriorate to failure in order to purchase all new equipment would result in the swift termination of any decision makers and elected officials who decided to put this ill-conceived myth into policy. 

Myth Three 

Our agency’s policy is “fix the worst roads first.” Always was, always will be. 

Why is it so many agencies have adopted this dictum?

“Worst-firsters” believe, despite ample evidence to the contrary, that it actually makes sense to fix their worst roads first. They are wrong.

Adopting this philosophy is the road to ruin, and is one of the most insidious myths in all of public works. Nowhere is more failure wrought effortlessly than actively deferring all preventive maintenance until the condition of the pavement is so bad there is literally no other option than to reconstruct the entire road.  

For our industry, taking this approach is akin to being called a “flat earth’er.”  

The internet is packed with great data that promotes optimized road preservation strategies. Every one of them incorporates preservation as part of the equation.  

That doesn’t imply that traditional paving should be eliminated in favor of preservation. Many successful agencies allocate 50 to 70 percent of their budget to reconstruction and resurfacing, while routinely yielding two to three times the number of lane miles treated for preservation purposes, thereby reversing decades-long PCI (Pavement Condition Index) reductions.

Myth Four 

New roads don’t benefit from pavement preservation. 

A road as new as one year old couldn’t possibly need any preservation, right? That myth is also about to be busted!

The truth is that assuming any road is only one year old is itself a myth. That’s because almost all asphalt mix sold today contains 25 percent RAP (Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement) or even more. This recycled asphalt is comprised of binder that is decades old and extremely oxidized. It’s lost most of its elastic properties before it even arrives at the job site.

Studies have shown that the day new asphalt road is paved, its effective age is already two years old. This is why strategies at the top of the curve work so well. Using a maltene-based rejuvenator will extend the life of asphalt pavement by as much as five years for each treatment.

Elsewhere on this website, you can find documents and videos that verify the value of asphalt rejuvenation. For five decades, PTI has captured stunning examples of treated vs. untreated road segments, demonstrating that one treatment can result in as much as a 20- point difference in PCIs!  Such examples and numerous industry and academic studies bolster the wisdom of applying Maltene Replacement Technology (MRT) to roads that are from one to three years old.

Myth Five 

Pavement preservation is a relatively new and untested roadway network strategy. 

This myth helps explain why some public works professionals are hesitant to incorporate pavement preservation strategies into their programs. However, a deeper dive into the history of these treatments reveal how badly busted this myth is!

Here are the actual invention dates of a handful of proven preservation treatments:  

As you can see, every one of these major preservation treatments has been around nearly half a century or much longer. Any reluctance to include them in your arsenal of pavement preservation techniques is based not on experience or scientific data but on myth.

Conclusion 

Myths such as those summarized in this article are damaging to the public works profession and in many cases have institutionalized poor decision making that is deleterious to our nation’s infrastructure. It is past time to shatter these and other pavement preservation myths.

History is firmly on the side of pavement preservation. If we refuse to adapt to today’s realities by embracing sound engineering principles in favor of myth-based habits, we will be doing a grave injustice to our communities’ most valuable fixed asset. 

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