Pavement Preservation Journal, Winter 2013, Vol. 6, No. 4
Michael San Angelo, P.E.
Neither the Washington shutdown, the onset of winter’s dark period, nor the threat of white “termination” dust on the surrounding mountain peaks was going to stop members of the Rocky Mountain West Pavement Preservation Partnership from traveling to the top of the world for their annual meeting the second week of October in Anchorage. There—in the spirit of the 1889 Alaska Gold Stampeders—they filled their pans with a wealth of Alaska-sized nuggets of pavement preservation inspiration, and heralded the meeting as a success.
Two individuals received a rare honor—the Alaskan Gold Pan Award—given for their leadership and tireless work in promoting pavement preservation practice. The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities prestigious Gold Pan Award is a unique service-based award that is rarely, or never, given to anyone outside the state, but this year was presented to Jim Moulthrop, P.E., executive director, FP2 Inc., for his leadership and resolve in working to have preservation language placed in the MAP-21 transportation program reauthorization bill, and to Larry Galehouse, P.E., executive director of the National Center for Pavement Preservation, for his tireless work in educating and promoting pavement preservation practices over NCPP’s first decade.
As I think about how far pavement preservation has come in the last 10 years, I have a hard time conceiving of the monumental amount of education and outreach performed by Larry and Jim. Each has endeavored to effect pavement sustainability strategies nationwide.
Pavement preservation saves time by helping those orange vests zero-in on the right treatment when it’s needed, and saves their agencies money by eliminating early rehab. Take a little advice from those two pavement doctors with the gold pans on their wall, as a topical dose of preservation at the right time strengthens and protects. It’s much better than dealing with the scalpel’s pain or the hospital’s reconstructive surgery bill later on! If you need help or training, make a call to the NCPP and they’ll get you in to see the doc; no government insurance plan needed.