Vol. 1, No. 2

  Dedicated to encouraging greater usage of high quality, cost effective asphalt pavements containing recycled tire rubber.
 March, 1997

Asphalt-rubber briefing- Pete Rahn, New Mexico Secretary of Highways &Transportation, in sweatshirt, gets a briefing on crumb rubber production at the Baker Southwest plant in Mesa from Rex Massey, director of plant operations. The group, from left, includes Darwin Pattengale, environmental specialist with the New Mexico Environment Department; Fred Cooney, materials engineer with the Highways & Transportation Department; Mark Belshe, asphalt-rubber manager with FNF Construction; and Benny Roybal, Rahn's deputy secretary, to his right. Looking on are Russ Doss, city engineer of Hobbs, NM and state APWA secretary; and Don Nielsen, Cox Paving. They were part of a special RPA/ADOT tour of Arizona asphalt-rubber sites in preparation for the implementation of New Mexico's new asphalt-rubber paving program.

 

New Mexico launches
asphalt-rubber program

 

New Mexico's new asphalt-rubber program was created by 1994 legislative passage of a bill sponsored by Rep. Gary King, who introduced similar legislation prior to the federal ISTEA act of 1991.

The state law places a tire disposal fee on annual vehicle registration, rather than on tire sales. The funds collected from the fee are split between the Department of Environment and the Highways & Transportation Department.


The H&T Department was required to establish a grant program for cities and counties for use in "rubberized asphalt-paving mixtures and develop paving specifications for "rubberized asphalt."

'We are currently looking at projects where the added benefits of asphaltrubber will produce returns for the New Mexico taxpayer and the road fund," said Pete Rahn, H&T secretary.

"An aggressive rubberized asphalt program would certainly be welcomed as we turn our attention to finding uses for the tires," said Darwin Pattengale, Environment Department.


RPA to host A-R seminar for New Mexico APWA

The Rubber Pavements Association will present an asphalt-rubber seminar for New Mexico public works officials on April 16.

The session will be held during the spring conference of state APWA members in Albuquerque. Participants will be brought to the CEI Equipment plant for the afternoon session, hosted by RPA member Brent England.

Sidney Cox, chairman of the RPA's New Mexico committee, said the session, which follows the tour of Arizona sites by key New Mexico officials, is designed to help the state and local government implement a new asphaltrubber program. Those who are interested in attending the program should contact the RPA office at 602- 755-1269.

Seminar speakers include:

Joe Cano, former engineering supervisor for Phoenix, where asphalt-rubber pavements have been in use for 30 years. He is a national recognized authority on the process and coauthor of the 2O-year study of asphalt-rubber pavements in Phoenix.

Don Nielsen, an international consultant, who has been working in the asphalt- rubber industry since its inception.

George Way, pavement section engineer with the Arizona Department of Transportation, author of numerous papers on asphalt-rubber.

Mark Belshe, asphalt-rubber manager of FNF Construction, one of the largest contractors in the southwest.

Contents | Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | About Us