Jul 7 2010
Throughout July and into August, motorists will experience delays along the I-94 corridor due to the third asphalt resurfacing in the last two decades. In what is an already congested artery in the Twin Cities, these delays will impact morning and evening commutes for those traveling in and out of the Minneapolis metro area.
The Portland Cement Association (PCA), the voice of America's cement and concrete industry, is running billboard ads informing the motoring public that choosing concrete instead of asphalt is the smart choice, dramatically decreasing construction time and congestion – in addition to the best use of taxpayer funds.
Concrete roads last an average of three times longer than asphalt. In Minnesota, asphalt roads need to be resurfaced approximately every 8 years, compared to concrete roads which last an average of 25 years before requiring any maintenance. I-94 was just resurfaced in 2000 and 1993.
Concrete roads incur fewer lifecycle costs than asphalt roads as they require less maintenance and fewer resurfacings – all resulting in a savings for the taxpayer and less time spent in traffic due to construction delays.
In a letter dated June 28, Douglas Burns, executive director, PCA North Central Regional Office, wrote to Minnesota Commissioner of Transportation, Thomas K. Sorel, regarding the new campaign. Burns wrote, "The purpose of this campaign is to raise awareness of the long term durability and first cost-competitiveness of concrete in all applications, including road construction and maintenance programs."
He continues, stating that, "Asphalt prices have increased markedly and the application of concrete overlays for maintenance and rehabilitation is being increasingly adopted as a more economical, longer lasting option."
Congestion costs the Twin Cities' residents more than just time and tax dollars. Studies have shown that in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area alone, traffic congestion wastes more than 47 million gallons of fuel each year and annual CO2 emissions attributed to congestion delays total more than .4 million metric tons.