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MDOT WINS 2020 PERPETUAL PAVEMENT AWARD
HATTIESBURG, MISS.—The Asphalt Pavement Alliance (APA) announced today that the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has won a 2020 Perpetual Pavement Award (PPA) for a 5.8-mile section of four-lane State Route 63 in Jackson County, originally constructed in 1977. This is MDOT’s fifth PPA and first since 2009.
To qualify for this prestigious award, a pavement must be at least 35 years old and never experienced a structural failure. The average interval between the resurfacing of the winning pavement must be no less than 13 years. The pavement must demonstrate the characteristics expected from long-life asphalt pavements: excellence in design, quality in construction, and value for the traveling public.
Engineers at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) evaluated the nominations and validated the winners.
Opened to traffic in 1977, the award-winning section of SR 63 is a four-lane road that runs from Interstate 10 to State Route 613 in Jackson County. The original construction consisted of multiple layers of 9 inches of asphalt pavement placed on top of a 9-inch sandy base, which was on top of subgrade.
The first rehabilitation was in 1993 and consisted of 0.6 inch of milling followed by a 0.6-inch-thick slurry seal surface treatment. In 1998, the pavement was overlaid with 1.5 inches of asphalt. In 2019, it was overlaid with a 0.75-inch leveling course followed by a 1.25-inch surface course. Since its construction in 1977, the total thickness has increased 3.5 inches.
MS 63 has a daily traffic volume of 22,700 vehicles. Since 1991, it has carried approximately 7.4 million equivalent single-axle loads (ESAL).
This roadway has performed well in its 43 years. Resurfaced only three times during its service, the pavement has exceeded the minimum average interval of 13 years required to win the PPA.
“The Mississippi Department of Transportation is very honored and pleased to be recognized with this Perpetual Pavement Award,” said Tom King, Mississippi Transportation Commission Chair. “This section of SR 63 was first constructed in 1977 and has needed only minimal maintenance in its 44-year life span. Our engineers, partners, and contractors continue to deliver quality work and constantly evaluate and refine the materials we use every day to increase the longevity of Mississippi’s transportation infrastructure. At MDOT we strive to make the most of every dollar we get, and this highway is a testament to that commitment.”
“One key indicator of quality in construction is a smooth, long-life pavement,” said Amy Miller, P.E., National Director of the APA. “Long-life asphalt pavements serve the community, reduce the money needed for maintenance, and conserve raw materials, ultimately leading to a truly sustainable structure that exemplifies the triple bottom line. Asphalt roads can be engineered to last indefinitely with only routine maintenance and periodic surface renewal. Perpetual pavements use fewer natural resources and offer road owners and users what they want most – an economical, smooth pavement that serves the community for decades.”
The Asphalt Pavement Alliance is a coalition of the National Asphalt Pavement Association, the Asphalt Institute, and the state asphalt pavement associations. The Asphalt Pavement Alliance’s mission is to establish asphalt as the preferred choice for quality, performance, and the environment.
MageeNews.com is an online news source covering Simpson and surrounding counties as well as the State of Mississippi.
