Shakir Shatnawi, Ph.D., P.E. served as the Caltrans State Pavement
Engineer and Chief Division of Pavement Management, responsible
for the state's 50,000 lane miles of highways. He recently wrote an
article for RPA and APWA comparing the differences between Asphalt-
Rubber and Terminal Blend binders. The full article and abridged
version (as published in the APWA Reporter) are below.

Full RPA Article - Comparisons of Rubberized
Asphalt Binders

APWA Article (abridged) - Comparisons of Rubberized
Asphalt Binders

xxNational City Goes Green
Taxpayer Dollars Spent Wisely

In less than three years, National City has aggressively pursued a green and
fiscally responsible street maintenance strategy, utilizing Asphalt Rubber
Aggregate Membrane (ARAM) applications. In 2006, the city applied almost
200,000 square yards of ARAM on both residential and arterial streets. That
project alone recycled approximately 14,000 scrap tires. Is stacked like
Lifesavers, that many tires would equal the height of seven Empire State
Buildings, end-to-end. The city has since applied over 42,000 square yards
in 2007 and over 356,000 square yards in 2008, recycling an additional
28,000 scrap tires. ARAM designed streets have a history in San Deigo
County of being durable and pothole free for 20+ years.

ARAM is already one of the greenest and most cost effective long-term
maintenance strategies available for residential and arterial streets, but
also qualifies for the California Integrated Waste Management Board's
(CIWMB) Rubberized Asphalt Concrete (RAC) Chip Seal grant program.
The state agency currently provides cities and counties $1.00 per square
yard reimbursements for ARAM projects (up to $150,000 per project),
rewarding them for recycling. National City has already received well over
$100,000 in CIWMB grant funds for ARAM, significantly reducing the burden
on taxpayers. In a time of increasing environmental awareness and severe
economic challenges, National City has emerged as a leader in green
public works projects and fiscal responsibility, proving that the City Council
and Public Works Department are committed to their taxpayers.

Mayor Ron Morrison leans on his city's CIWMB grant
award sign on a new ARAM street.