Rising prices for materials like liquid asphalt. Tighter budgets that require doing more with less. Increasing concerns about the environment. Trends like these call for alternatives that go beyond the old tried-and-true approaches like mill-and-fill.

Value engineering makes recycling make sense.

One basic strategy is to re-use what is already in place. Pavement Recycling Systems has developed recycled asphalt products that rival virgin hot mix in performance. But the specification and market acceptance of these products lag the performance and cost curve. Anything new entails a risk. PRS's core competency in engineering has made it feasible to agencies and owners to adopt new alternatives successfully.

Recycling is also a more difficult process in the field. Conventional "mill and fill" is relatively easy to manage: Get the trucking right to haul off the old and bring in the new, and jobs are relatively straightforward. Recycling in-place is more difficult. For example, maintaining grade and profile of the roadway is a challenge when material must be perfectly balanced. There are issues with repairing isolated areas of subgrade failure, and the recycled mix requires more energy and time to cure and compact. But the savings can be up to 50% less than with conventional methods. Full Depth Reclamation is another method that competes well with remove and replace strategies. Again, there are construction issues that must be addressed, but the savings are worth the extra effort.

The PRS engineering-driven approach takes all these issues into account. As PRS develops new technologies, it is hoped even more costs savings and higher value will be realized.

Saving on costs before, during and after.

With any rehabilitation project, thorough pre-project evaluation along with sound engineering practices are the key to success. Pre-project evaluation includes a pavement condition survey to determine the type of distress and deterioration. Involve PRS at the early stage, and we will help you spec out the highest value, lowest cost solution. This type of evaluation can also identify potential problems (such as unsuitable soil) before they become costly emergencies.

We also employ a full-range of on-site and laboratory tests as required before, during and after job completion. PRS has in-house engineering and outside consulting engineering firms who will work either directly with owners, or with contractors project owners to create value and increase job performance and profitability.

The environmental imperative.

Increasingly important are public perceptions that that an agency is both trying to be "green" and save taxpayer money. In pavement maintenance and rehabilitation projects, you are called upon to demonstrate reduced energy expenditure, carbon emissions, and truck traffic. PRS solutions deliver these benefits, and we can provide you with proof from an engineering perspective.

Doing the right thing.

What if you already have the funds allocated for a project, the project parameters are spec'd out, and PRS shows you it can be done for half the amount? Best case, you can rehabilitate two roads for the price of one. And benefit the environment in the process. Worst case, you may need to do some additional paperwork to be sure the extra funds remain in your budget. Either way, you're doing the right thing by getting more value for the dollar and protecting the environment.