America’s #1 Choice

Asphalt is America’s #1 choice for paving, in fact, over 93% of the nation’s roadways are asphalt. Why does the American traveling public prefer hot-mix asphalt (HMA) pavements? Because asphalt roadways are safe, smooth, quiet, fast to construct, and environmentally sustainable.

What is Asphalt?

Asphalt is a combination of approximately 95% sand, rock or gravel-mixed with approximately 5% asphalt cement, a product of crude oil. This mixture is heated and mixed together in an asphalt plant at around 300° F, and hauled to an asphalt paving crew. The HMA is fed into an asphalt paver placed in a continuous, smooth ribbon behind the paver where it is rolled and compacted into place. This continuous flow of material and the flexible nature of asphalt pavements provide the traveling public with the smooth ride they have come to expect. The ability to turn traffic onto a newly paved roadway with no “curing” time means fewer delays, less construction, and safer roads.

America’s Green Roadway

Asphalt is America’s #1 recycled product.Over 80 million tons of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is reused to make new roadways saving the American Taxpayers $2 Billion per year. In addition to this cost savings, less demand is needed for fossil fuels and mining of new aggregates making asphalt the most environmentally sustainable pavement choice. Asphalt pavements actually use 20% less energy to make than other pavements.

America’s Safest Pavement

The smooth asphalt roadways provide maximum contact with your automobile’s tires providing a safe, skid-resistant driving surface. Asphalt’s black roadways melt snow and ice faster saving communities and states time, money and materials clearing roads. Asphalt roads are fast to construct and can be opened to traffic immediately upon completion of rolling. This means shorter construction delays and less time for the traveling public and construction workers to be in harm’s way. In fact, many agencies have gone to night paving to minimize these delays even further. The paving operation takes place overnight and the traveling public wakes to a new smooth asphalt roadway for their commute. America’s asphalt contractors know how to “get in and get out.”

Asphalt is America’s Most Versatile Pavement

Asphalt is America’s most versatile pavement. From interstate highways to walking trails, from parking lots to county roads, from tennis courts to water reservoir liners, asphalt’s flexible nature, smooth ride, and environmental advantages make it the right pavement choice.

Iowa’s Asphalt Contractors are America’s Best

Iowa’s Asphalt Contractors are known throughout America’s asphalt industry as some of the best in the country. Two of Iowa’s contractors have won the prestigious Sheldon G. Hayes Award given to the best asphalt project in the U.S. for the given year. The contractor members of APAI are proud to be among the best of the best. These contractors take great pride in the quality of their asphalt and the workmanship of their paving crews. A full list of our members is available. These same contractors compete each year for the coveted APAI Smoothness Awards. These projects are judged by the Iowa Department of Transportation and their peers before they are deemed to be the best of the best. These projects can be viewed here. The APAI represents the highest quality in asphalt paving standards through our members and staff. If we can be of service, please contact us.