Road projects around the country won top honors recently from the American Concrete Pavement Association, including a highway whose concrete is still in service after more than 100 years.
Old State Highway 20 in Woodbury County, Iowa, has won the ACPA’s National Lifetime Pavement Recognition Award.
“The fact that Old State Highway 20 has withstood over a century of continuous traffic and weather exposure is a testament to the exceptional durability of its concrete construction,” ACPA says. “The pavement's ability to endure heavy loads, freeze-thaw cycles and other environmental stressors showcases its resilience and robustness.”
ACPA also gave awards for West Layton Avenue in Milwaukee County for the Best in Show Sustainability Award and Iowa Highway 3 Accelerated PCC Overlay for Best in Show Innovation Award. Other award winners included 22 contractors for various projects around the country that exhibited excellence in concrete.
For more than 100 years, this concrete section of Old Highway 20 in Moville, Iowa, has handled all kinds of vehicles.Google Earth/ACPA
The highway is historically significant as one of the earliest concrete pavements in the region. “It served as a pioneering example of concrete pavement technology during the early 20th century and represents a crucial milestone in the evolution of transportation infrastructure,” the association says.
Despite its age, it has not required extensive maintenance. Local communities and transportation authorities have also worked to preserve the historical integrity of Old State Highway 20 by maintaining the original concrete surface yet also meeting modern safety standards.
