Northwest Arterial Project Wins Several Awards, Including Best Paving Project in Iowa from Asphalt Paving Association of Iowa

DEC. 6, 2023

The Asphalt Paving Association of Iowa (APAI) has awarded the City of Dubuque’s Northwest Arterial State of Good Repair Project with four awards, including the Robert M. Nady Award for Excellence as the best overall paving project in the State of Iowa. 

The Northwest Arterial State of Good Repair Project, which began in June 2022 and was finished in August 2023, included rehabilitation and reconstruction of one of Dubuque’s busiest roadways. The northbound lanes of the road were completely reconstructed, while the southbound lanes were repaved with a widened asphalt base. Several intersections along the arterial were also reconstructed with added safety features as part of the project. The project was managed by Assistant City Engineer Bob Schiesl and Civil Engineer Nathan Steffen. The prime contractor was Pirc Tobin Construction, Inc.

In addition to the Robert M. Nady Award for Excellence, the Northwest Arterial project was given three additional awards: the Metropolitan Paving Program Award, the Municipal Street New Construction Smoothness Award, and the Perpetual Paving Award. 

The Metropolitan Paving Program Award recognizes projects from cities with populations greater than 10,000 people which demonstrate a measurable benefit to the community through sound economic and environmental principles. 

According to the APAI, Smoothness Awards are presented to projects with the best ride quality of the finished pavement. The group notes that smooth roads are proven to last longer and provide better fuel mileage for the traveling public. 

The Perpetual Paving Award recognizes projects which are designed so distresses are limited to the pavement surface, which can be easily recycled and replaced. According to the APAI, perpetual pavements offer “an innovative and sustainable approach to designing and building long-lasting roadways that meet the needs of current and future traffic demands.”

“The Northwest Arterial State of Good Repair Project was the culmination of a great deal of planning, vision, and effort by our team members, partners, and contractors,” said City of Dubuque City Engineer Gus Psihoyos. “These awards are evidence of the great work of our engineering staff who worked on this project specifically, as well as all of the other projects our department has completed.”

In addition to the Northwest Arterial, two other Dubuque projects were also recognized with Metropolitan Paving Program Awards: the Stoneman Road Reconstruction Project, and the City of Dubuque Public Works Department’s 2023 annual asphalt overlay program.

The Stoneman Road Reconstruction Project was completed in the fall of 2022 and included the reconstruction of pavement, installation of a sidewalk on one side of the street, reconstruction and repairs to sanitary sewers, and installation of new streetlights.

The public works department’s 2023 Annual Asphalt Overlay Program improved more than five miles of centerline on 36 city streets during the 2023 construction season. More than 12,000 tons of asphalt mix were placed over the length of the project, which targeted streets where an asphalt overlay would extend the life of the existing pavement.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT
Bob Schiesl, Assistant City Engineer
BSchiesl@cityofdubuque.org, (563) 589-4270