Did you know that West Broadway changes a mere 1% in elevation from 16th Street all the way to 35th Street? When you drive down the newly completed segment, you'll notice the new asphalt appears slightly wavy. Those "waves" are what move stormwater off the roadway and into the sewer system.
On Tuesday, October 24th, the Asphalt Pavement Association of Iowa hosted an Open House inviting industry professionals to see the completion of the new perpetual pavement being constructed on our very own, West Broadway!
What is perpetual pavement? The West Broadway Reconstruction Project has been designed using a full-depth, Perpetual Asphalt Pavement. This means that the roadway will use specially-designed materials and construction methods that will last for many years without the need to be fully reconstructed. Asphalt pavement is extremely fast to construct and this speed of construction ensures the least amount of impact to the businesses and traveling public. The long-term performance, ease of rehabilitation, and sustainable nature of the Perpetual Asphalt Pavement design were all factors in the City’s decision to choose asphalt over concrete for the project. Additional factors included the smooth and quiet ride that asphalt provides, as well as the beautiful contrast that the black asphalt roadway will have with the new concrete curb, striping, and streetscape features.
Segment 1 is wrapping up, and Segment 2 will begin next spring. For more details visit http://www.wbreconstruction.com/.