Low Carbon Transportation Materials Grants - Asphalt Thresholds
The FHWA just released the thresholds for low carbon material grants this week. SC was displayed in the report with having enough data (more than 15 mixes) that were used as benchmarks to set the first targets that SCDOT and others must begin to use to fund asphalt projects that meet the criteria in the report (see the link below for the report). SCDOT has received a grant of approx $32 million to fund these projects which target both asphalt and concrete and other materials used in roadway construction. There is a bunch of work left to make these numbers more accurate, one is more data is needed. It is my understanding that NAPA will reopen the benchmark process again this Spring and we will again strongly encourage our asphalt mix producers to participate.
When we all begin to benchmark, be sure to enter all mix types from Base, Intermediate, and Surface mixtures. These mixtures should include varying percentages of aggregates to make the desired blends to meet mix specifications that may include virgin mixes along with RAP and RAS combinations and all sorts of various additives including hydrated lime, liquid anti-strips, WMA additives, fibers, and finally binder grades. The main objective is to get collect a wide range of global warming potential values from your mixes so you have the option of selecting the best design for the job. We must continue to encourage and push our industry and our customers to consider the big picture with the use of these lower carbon materials. We want our asphalt mixtures to be the product of choice of our customers while not being pushed to lower the footprint if it might negatively impact the complete life cycle of our finished product. Quality is something our industry must fight for to keep our product durable and long lasting for our customers.
Simply put if we are pushed to use more RAP than our plants can possibly run with consistency or pushed to run drier mixtures with low virgin binder to meet a low carbon threshold, what does that do for our industry's future? There is a balance and we are hopeful to find that in the coming months and years ahead.