For Hub City Times

MADISON – The Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement Association (WAPA) has awarded the city of Marshfield with the 2019 Local Government Asphalt Award for advancing innovation in asphalt pavements. The Public Works Department was recognized on Dec. 3, during the association’s 60th annual conference in Pewaukee.

About 30 years ago, the city of Marshfield was looking for a solution to rehabilitate their deteriorated concrete streets. After looking at various options, they decided to go with asphalt overlays that had fibers added to the mix. Fiber mix asphalt has evolved over the years and the city has adapted and used different techniques including fibers that melt directly into the asphalt.

“Fiber mix asphalt reduces reflective cracking, increases pavement durability, along with reducing maintenance costs,” said Brandon Strand, WAPA executive director.

Since 1989, fiber mix asphalt has been a consistent part of Marshfield’s asphalt pavement program and has reduced maintenance costs allowing the city to do more asphalt paving.

“We commend Marshfield for using innovatively designing pavements to ensure pavement performance and leveraging technological advancements in our industry to build better roads for the traveling public,” Strand concluded.