April 4, 2022

Dale Hansen was nominated and unanimously approved to receive UAPA’s 2022 Industry Leader of the Year Award. His father, Harvey Hansen, was previously inducted into the UAPA Hall of Fame.

John Parson, former CEO of Staker Parson Materials & Construction and senior leader of CRH Americas Materials, was inducted into the Utah Asphalt Hall of Fame Feb. 2, 2022, at the Utah Asphalt Pavement Association’s Annual Conference. The Utah Asphalt Pavement Hall of Fame Inductee is chosen each year from among industry representatives and peers as someone who has significantly contributed to the betterment of the asphalt pavement industry in Utah.

Salina-Gunnison Airport recently completed its Runway 2/20 Reconstruction Project. Project engineering firm Savage Associates Engineering headquartered in Richfield, Utah, provided the design of the runway, taxiway connecter, and apron asphalt pavements.

Global climate experts have been interested in emissions and their connection to climate change for decades. That interest has caused a shift toward extremely specific actions. As a result, the asphalt industry’s customers want to use low-carbon materials more and more, and the clean policies being written reflect that.

The asphalt industry is careful about adopting new materials or techniques. It has to be: people’s lives depend on the materials or techniques working as advertised. At the same time, no innovation means no improvements, which doesn’t work either. Improving pavement requires rigorously thinking through the risks of new ideas and finding the best field projects to test them.

UAPA recently sat down with Jeff Collard, the outgoing UAPA President, to talk about his experiences with UAPA, including his time as president and his thoughts about UAPA and the industry. We appreciate him and everything he has done for the association, and we look forward to our continued friendship with him as he steps away from this particular leadership role. He has done a great job. Thank you, Jeff!

Innovation. Dedication. Commitment. Three simple words that come to mind as I ponder this issue of On the Road. Without fail, each year as we dedicate an issue of our magazine to cover not only the Utah Asphalt Conference but also the host of great projects, wonderful people, and exciting changes that make up our industry I tend to get a little teary-eyed and proud of all that this industry sets forth and accomplishes each year.