When to Mill a Road Before Repaving: A Guide for Highway Departments

June 24, 2025

Overlaying an existing road with a fresh layer of asphalt is a common and cost-effective maintenance technique. However, there comes a point when adding yet another layer without milling (grinding) the surface first can lead to more harm than good. Milling is the process of removing a portion, or all, of the existing pavement before laying new asphalt. This article explains how to recognize when it’s time to mill and why milling may be necessary before repaving. Why Milling May Be Necessar…continue

Full Depth Recycling: A Smarter Approach to Road Rehabilitation

June 19, 2025

When a road surface starts showing its age, highway departments are faced with a key decision: apply a new overlay of asphalt or dig deeper, literally, with a more comprehensive solution like Full Depth Recycling (FDR) - also known as full depth reclamation. While a simple overlay can buy some time, it doesn’t address underlying structural problems. That’s where FDR proves its worth. What Is Full Depth Recycling? Full Depth Recycling is a pavement rehabilitation technique that recycl…continue

Know Where You Stand: Understanding Right-of-Way Before You Dig

June 16, 2025

Before your crew drops the blade, rolls out the compactor, or breaks ground on that drainage fix, it’s critical to ask one key question: Are we within the town’s legal right-of-way (ROW)? Too often, highway departments rely on outdated assumptions or tax maps to determine where their legal boundaries lie. But here’s the hard truth: you can’t build, dig, or disturb land that falls outside the town’s deeded ROW without securing the proper easements. And doing so can l…continue

What Is Warm Mix Asphalt and Why Are Highway Departments Using It?

June 15, 2025

Most of us are familiar with hot mix asphalt (HMA), that classic blacktop you see being laid down on roads in summer heat, often steaming in the sun. But there’s another version gaining traction in the paving world: Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA). So, what is it? And why are more highway departments choosing it? What Is Warm Mix Asphalt? Warm Mix Asphalt is produced and applied at lower temperatures than traditional Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA). While HMA is typically mixed at around 280°F to 320°…continue

How to Estimate Hot Mix Asphalt for Road Paving

June 14, 2025

How to Estimate Hot Mix Asphalt for Road Paving For Highway Superintendents Shortcut to our hot mix calculator Accurately estimating how much hot mix asphalt (HMA) you’ll need to pave a section of road is key to staying on budget, reducing waste, and keeping your crew productive. Fortunately, the math is straightforward, and once you’ve got a system, it becomes second nature. Here’s how to do it step-by-step. 1. Measure the Area to Be Paved You’ll need to know: Length of …continue