“The asphalt pavement industry is committed to building high-quality projects that deliver superior performance to the traveling public. All contractors’ projects earning a Quality in Construction award are measured against best practices designed to live up to that commitment,” said 2020-21 NAPA Chairman James Winford. “Earning the Ray Brown Pavement Award demonstrates that Gerken Materials Inc. has met or exceeded these rigorous standards.”
Gerken Materials Inc. won the award for the resurfacing of Runway 1-19 and adjoining east apron at the North Bass Island Airfield in Ohio. The award is named after Ray Brown, the Director of the National Center for Asphalt Technology from 1991-2007. Under Ray’s guidance and tenure, the center became renowned for its asphalt pavement research. The award is presented to the highest scoring Quality in Construction - Airport Pavement project.
Gerken Materials placed two, 2-inch lifts of asphalt on the runway. The company used a ferry to transport 3,500 tons of asphalt to this remote island 10 miles offshore. Once on the island, the asphalt-hauling trucks had to travel down fields and roadside rights-of-way to avoid damaging the roads. The last paving shift worked 20 hours to place the pavement before inclement weather. The result was a quality asphalt runway.
