Development of the 2020–2021 Pavement Preservation Academy

More than $2 trillion is needed to repair 4 million miles of road in the U.S., according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. Through the funds from California’s Senate Bill 1 (SB-1)—the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017—CSU, Chico developed a certificate program called the Pavement Preservation Academy (PPA) to help save pavement assets, like America’s roads. The purpose of the Academy and its certificate program is to help local agencies improve the design and construction of pavement preservation treatments. The PPA created four technical manuals and teaching modules for chip seals, slurry surfacing, Cape seals, and thin hot mix overlays. All of these treatments have the ability to extend the life of a pavement via the prevention of moisture intrusion into the existing asphalt layer, as well as the base and subgrade. The PPA helps develop a qualified workforce to utilize the latest cost‑effective pavement-preservation technologies, ultimately helping save existing pavement assets, including a critical part of American infrastructure.