How Three Agencies Set the Standard for Pavement Preservation

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As agencies across the country work to do more with limited budgets, pavement preservation has become a critical strategy for extending roadway life and maintaining performance. The right treatment applied to the right road at the right time can deliver measurable savings, improve safety and minimize disruption to the traveling public.  

Nominated by Ergon in late 2025, three agencies — the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT), the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) and the City of Starkville, Mississippi — earned national recognition for their work in advancing pavement preservation. Though their challenges and approaches differ, each demonstrates how thoughtful planning and execution can produce lasting results. 

NMDOT: A Long-Term Commitment to Delivering Results  

NMDOT received the 2026 ISSA Pavement Preservation & Sustainability Award for their sustained use of preservation technologies as part of a broader network strategy. Guided by their mission, “Mobility for Everyone,” the agency has built a program focused on efficiency, consistency and statewide impact.  

A cornerstone of that effort is NMDOT’s in-house chip sealing program, which prioritizes secondary and rural roads. These roadways often see the greatest benefit from cost-effective treatments, and NMDOT’s approach reflects that reality. Treating roughly 1,000 miles each year, the agency estimates savings of approximately $18,000 per lane mile due to the in-house nature of its chip seal program.  

NMDOT’s continued success is the result of nearly four decades of commitment to pavement preservation. The agency continues to share best practices at industry conferences and reinforces quality through internal initiatives such as their annual Chip Seal Quality Awards.  

“Their passion for their program is inspiring. NMDOT’s commitment to going the extra mile has set the standard for how an agency can serve local communities in cost-efficient, unobtrusive ways.” – Mo Rahman, P.E., Technical Marketing Manager – Pacific West for Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions (Ergon A&E) 

ALDOT: Extending Service Life Through Innovation  

ALDOT earned the 2026 ISSA Preservation Performance Award for their use of highly modified micro surfacing to extend pavement life on the heavily trafficked Interstate 59.  

The agency first explored this approach in 2017 with a demonstration project — the first application of highly modified micro surfacing on an interstate in Alabama. After confirming its effectiveness, ALDOT expanded the treatment to additional roadways, including 18 miles of oxidized and raveled pavement along Interstate 59 in 2024.  

Across these applications, the results have been consistent, with ALDOT maintaining good surface friction while increasing the expected service life of treated roadways by 7 to 9 years at minimum. These extended lifecycles translate directly into cost savings and allow the agency to reinvest in additional preservation efforts across their network.  

“The ALDOT team is always looking to innovate, keep roads in good condition and keep drivers safe. They look ahead, and there’s a real commitment to pavement preservation in everything they do.” – Matt Jeffers, Technical Marketing Manager – Ergon A&E 

Starkville: Building a Citywide Program From the Ground Up  

The City of Starkville has shown that even new programs can deliver significant results when backed by data-driven plans. In 2026, Starkville earned both the AEMA Past Presidents’ Award for Emulsion Excellence and the ISSA Excellence in Pavement Preservation Award.  

Before launching their program, Starkville took a deliberate, research-centered approach to the early stages of planning. City leaders visited other Mississippi communities with established preservation programs and partnered with a consulting firm to assess their entire roadway network. That upfront investment shaped a strategy designed for long-term success.  

In 2024, Starkville treated 31.3 lane miles using treatments such as highly modified micro surfacing, rejuvenating scrub seals, crack seals and fog seals. The city expanded those efforts in 2025, continuing to utilize pavement preservation techniques to add an estimated 379 lane-mile-years to their network.  

“We’re excited, not only for the results we’ve already seen, but about the future, too. Our teams see a lot of potential when it comes to the pavement preservation program. It’s going to set us up for a lot of success when it comes to cutting costs while still maintaining quality.” – Cody Burnett, P.E., City of Starkville City Engineer.  

Starkville also placed a strong emphasis on communication within the community. Residents were kept informed through a dedicated webpage, letters, social media updates, press releases, yard signs with QR codes to the webpage, door hangers and a mass notification system. This level of transparency helped set expectations and build public support for ongoing work.  

“Starkville has set the standard for a pavement preservation program. They recognized they had a need and understood the benefits of looking at the network as a whole. What makes Starkville unique is their extensive communication to the community on why road work is being done and what they should expect during the project — they’re the perfect example of a pavement preservation program done right.” – Amy Walker, Ergon A&E Area Sales Manager.

A Shared Approach to Lasting Success  

While each agency’s strategy is tailored to their specific needs, a common pattern emerges — successful pavement preservation programs are proactive, communicative, data-driven and systematically implemented.  

NMDOT continually demonstrates the value of long-term commitment and statewide coordination, while ALDOT highlights how innovation can extend service life and maximize investment. In Starkville, diligent planning and community engagement show how even a newer program can accelerate success.   

Together, these examples illustrate what’s possible when agencies take a strategic approach to preservation. Agencies can get more life out of their roads, improve safety and deliver real value to the communities they serve. For teams facing the challenging combination of aging infrastructure, increased public expectations and effectively shrinking budgets, these award-winning agencies show what can be accomplished when you trade reactive repairs for proactive planning.   

Learn more about how award-winning agencies use Ergon’s solutions here.   

Giving, Educating and Creating Relationships With Young Engineers: Inside Ergon’s Participation in the TxDOT Materials Academy

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Ergon has had the privilege of participating with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Materials Academy since 2019, and we’re proud to be a trusted resource and contributor. The TxDOT Materials Academy is a partnership between the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, the University of Texas Center for Transportation Research and the TxDOT Materials and Tests Divisions. The Materials Academy includes a three-week-long workshop that consists of 35 students, mainly young engineers, who are chosen from all over Texas. Many companies participate and present information and hands-on experience in topics ranging from soils, asphalt, cement and more. The workshop consists of classroom sessions, lab demonstrations and field trips to production sites.

Tom Flowers, one of Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions’ Technical Marketing Managers, has proudly represented the Ergon family as part of the Materials Academy for the last seven years. He was joined by other Ergon employees for several years, including Renato Ceccovilli, until 2024. Ergon’s role in the Materials Academy is to present to the students an asphalt and emulsions presentation and a tour of our liquid asphalt terminal and quality control laboratory in Manor, Texas. In April 2025, Flowers also participated in a question-and-answer forum, sharing additional information and insights with students about the production and distribution of paving materials.

Ergon is dedicated to serving customers and being an industry leading resource for strategically improving roadway infrastructure. That’s why when opportunities arise, we’re glad to help educate young engineers about where our materials come from, the testing that is involved, best practices for optimal performance and so much more.

Our Family Values
Ergon is a family company, and we are always happy to share our family values, building relationships with our customers and industry partners so we can understand and meet their needs. Participation in educational industry events like the TxDOT Materials Academy allows Ergon to extend these values while helping to ensure participants’ success. In fact, before his presentation, Flowers asks all the students their names, where they work and how long they’ve been involved with TxDOT to create a personal interaction with every student. He also provides our contact information should they have questions after the workshop.

A family company dedicated to making a positive impact on people and in the industries we serve — that’s the Ergon way.

How Do You Define Sustainable Roadway Systems?

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In his first LinkedIn article, as shown below, Patrick Nation, Executive Vice President – Pavement & Coating Resources, Ergon Inc., shares his thoughts on sustainable roadway systems and invites us to be part of the conversation.

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At Ergon, we’re constantly looking ahead to see how we can continue to meet our customers’ needs while contributing to advancements in the asphalt industry. While we’ve always operated as a company that considers the long-term impact of our service solutions, there is a heightened global focus on sustainability. For the asphalt industry in particular, the focus is on achieving sustainable roadway systems.

But what do Sustainable Roadways mean? Does it involve developing road systems that last longer and use materials with a lower environmental impact? Or is it about constructing roads from materials that would otherwise end up in landfills, thus reducing environmental harm?

Let’s explore both scenarios.

Low-Impact Materials That Extend Service Life
First, sustainable roadway systems can be designed and engineered to endure for many years using low-temperature asphalt mixtures and maintenance techniques that minimize environmental impact while extending the lifespan of roads. Proven solutions in this category include asphalt emulsion treatments (lower temperature treatments) and warm mix asphalt (low-temperature mixes), both of which are readily available to specifying agencies. These methods focus on long-term durability while reducing the energy and emissions associated with road construction and upkeep.

Recycled Materials for Use in Road Construction
The second approach uses a variety of recycled materials that, while they may not extend the life of the road as much as the first method, contribute to a circular sustainability model. By incorporating materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill, like roof shingles, used tires or recycled cooking or motor oil, this method allows new uses for waste materials in road construction.

A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Roadways 
The point here is not to argue which approach is superior, but rather to explore the concept of sustainability itself. What truly benefits the environment? Today, the term sustainability is frequently used but often lacks a consistent definition, making it challenging to foster innovation and establish clear paths toward better roadway systems.

At Ergon, we believe sustainability is multifaceted; any effort to recycle materials, reduce environmental impact and extend service life impacts sustainability. At its core, sustainability is more than just maintaining the status quo – it’s about innovating for a cleaner future for generations to come. I’m interested in hearing your thoughts on what defines a sustainable roadway system. Your insight is vital to fostering future-ready industry solutions.

Please reach out at InnovativeRoads@ergon.com or connect with me personally on LinkedIn.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this important issue.

World Heart Day: Scott Metcalf’s Story

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Ergon is deeply committed to the well-being of our employees, and we aim to share stories that encourage everyone to take charge of their health and safety. For World Heart Day (September 29), we are sharing the story of Scott Metcalf, a longtime Ergon employee whose recent heart attack serves as a powerful reminder for all of us to prioritize heart health. His experience shows how easily we can overlook warning signs, even when they are right in front of us.

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Scott, who has been with Ergon for over 15 years, was working in Chandler, Arizona, when his life took an unexpected turn. As the Vice President – Pavement Preservation, Scott knew what it meant to dedicate himself to his work for long hours, and that dedication didn’t always come without stress. In the months leading up to his heart attack, he had experienced fatigue and discomfort, but dismissed it as the normal toll of aging. “I noticed I was really tired. I couldn’t even make it until 9 o’clock anymore, and my feet and ankles hurt,” he recalled. “I thought it was just part of getting older.”

Despite his family’s history of heart disease, Scott’s focus was on managing other health conditions, trusting the annual physicals where he was repeatedly told his heart was “strong.” But on April 25, 2023, Scott realized the seriousness of his situation. After dinner, intense chest pain hit him, radiating through his body. “It felt like a horse kicked me right in the chest,” he said. The pain soon spread to his back, confirming to Scott that he was having a heart attack.

What helped Scott recognize the symptoms was a story shared by a customer years earlier. “I remembered a conversation I had with a customer who described his own heart attack to me, and I thought, ‘This is exactly what he told me it felt like.’ That story made me realize what was happening and to act fast.”

Scott immediately called 911 and then notified his wife, who was back home. Fortunately, his hotel was located next to a fire station, and within minutes, paramedics were at his door. They rushed him to a nearby cardiac trauma center, where doctors discovered a 100% blockage in his left anterior descending, or widowmaker, artery, a condition often fatal if not treated quickly.

During the procedure to insert a stent, Scott had a surreal experience. He described seeing the clearest, most beautiful blue sky he had ever seen — a moment he later learned was when doctors had temporarily stopped his heart. “For about a minute and a half, my heart was stopped while they worked on me. For that brief time, I was clinically dead.”

Looking back on his near-death experience, Scott shared a powerful message: “I got a second chance at life, and I’m making changes. But I want people to know — you don’t have to wait for a heart attack to make changes. Take care of yourself now.”

Since his heart attack, Scott has embraced a healthier lifestyle, taking his doctor’s words to heart. He urges others to be more proactive about their health than he was. “My biggest piece of advice is to listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t just brush it off.”

Scott is also passionate about sharing his story, in hopes that it might help someone else recognize the warning signs, just as his customer’s story helped him. “If my story can make someone stop and think, ‘Maybe I should get checked out,’ then it’s worth sharing.”

As we recognize World Heart Day, Scott also encourages those with symptoms or a family history of heart disease to undergo a heart check procedure called a calcium score test. “It’s a simple test that measures the plaque in your arteries,” Scott explained. “Had I known about this test earlier, I could’ve taken action before the heart attack happened. Don’t wait until it’s too late — get checked. You only get one heart, and sometimes, one more chance.”

Let Scott’s experience be a reminder to all of us: take control of your heart health now. Make the time for regular checkups, listen to your body and be proactive. It could save your life.

eTac Trackless Bond Coat is Gaining Speed

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Ensuring seamless fusion of pavement layers is not just about smooth driving – it’s about safety and performance. When layers aren’t bonded properly, failures can occur, creating hazardous conditions where safety is compromised. These challenges are especially detrimental on high-traffic roadways and airport runways where high performing pavements are required to withstand the stresses of rapid acceleration and deceleration.

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Enter Bond/Tack Coats
To combat disastrous pavement failures, bond or tack coats are applied between asphalt layers, mending them together, like a super glue for roads.

eTac – Superior Bond Strength
Due to its advanced polymer modification and specific chemical formulation, Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions’ (Ergon A&E) eTac trackless bond coat allows for superior bond strength and rapid setting within minutes of application. Agencies, such as Clark County, Nevada, have witnessed construction equipment operating on the surface in just 20 minutes without tracking. Moreover, eTac’s remarkable performance in Clark County has been validated by sheer testing, performed by the National Center for Asphalt Technology, of core samples from the County’s Lone Mountain Road project. Results showed the bond strength of eTac averaged nearly double the bond strength achieved by conventional tack products. Read the full story and results chart here: Vegas eTac Success.

Award-Winning Experience
Ergon A&E’s eTac is providing a top-tier performance experience. Its usage is gaining ground on high-speed roadway projects, including racetracks for the high-performance sports car industry, as well as on airport runways. Additionally, interstates using eTac, such as Florida Interstate 75, are being recognized for their award-winning performance. Learn how eTac is keeping this Florida Interstate together here: Florida eTac Success.

At Ergon A&E, we are dedicated to pioneering effective roadway solutions while prioritizing your safety and environmental stewardship. Whether cruising down an interstate or racing down a runway for takeoff, we are committed to our vision of high-performance roads that remain intact.

Contact your local roadway resource to find out if eTac is the right solution for your roads today.