In Central Ohio, just west of Columbus, lies Madison County – a community of 44,000 residents and a diverse network of rural and urban roadways. Like many counties, Madison County faces the challenge of maintaining its network with limited resources and growing demands. But instead of relying solely on traditional methods, the county has embraced a proactive approach to extend the life of its roads.
Through its collaboration with Asphalt Materials, Inc. and the adoption of a pavement preservation mindset, Madison County is building longer-lasting roads, while earning national recognition for its approach to road maintenance.
Adopting Pavement Preservation Tools
Madison County maintains 340 miles of county roads and 110 miles of township roads, most of which were originally gravel in the late ‘60s. After years of chip seal applications, some roads ended up with nearly four inches of built-up layers. Without preservation treatments, the aged roads became heavily oxidized and cracked, in some cases resembling the gravel roads they once were.
When Bryan Dhume stepped into the role of Madison County Engineer in 2015, full reconstruction or repaving was not financially feasible. A new strategy was needed to save the roads.
“We really have to be intentional and deliberate on how we spend that investment of public dollars and maintain these assets as best we can,” says Dhume.
That strategy was pavement preservation, a proactive approach that extends the life of roadways and maximizes public investment dollars. Through tactical selection of certain pavement preservation practices, Bryan and the team have been able to protect their roads against water intrusion, oxidation and raveling, thus reducing overall lifecycle costs and improving long term performance.
Dhume began by looking at the chip seal program that was already in place and wanted to understand what was working and where improvements could be made. At the time, Madison County was implementing a combination of crack sealing and chip sealing, delivering results but too time consuming to scale across the entire network. With limited resources and a large number of roads in need of attention, it became clear that a more efficient solution was necessary. As he evaluated the varying conditions of roads in the county, from lightly worn to heavily oxidized, he recognized a broader toolbox of preservation techniques would be essential to effectively meet the needs of the entire road network. That search led him to scrub seal.
Utilizing Scrub Seal in Madison County
The county reached out to long-time partner Asphalt Materials to explore this efficient solution for their road network. Scrub seal combines two preservation practices in one: an active crack seal followed by a chip seal, streamlining the county’s previous treatment approach. As emulsion is sprayed from the distributor and guided by the scrub broom attachment, it is forced into the existing cracks in the pavement surface while leaving a uniform layer in which aggregate can be applied, bridging deeper cracks and sealing them more effectively. Emulsion used for a scrub seal is specially formulated to remain stable on contact with the scrub broom, a consideration a typical chip seal does not encounter. This treatment results in a more uniform, durable driving surface and a process that saves valuable time while improving performance.
The team found several good candidates for scrub seal, where a chip seal may have fallen short due to severe cracking.
After seeing the success it brought, the county invested in a scrub box to attach to their distributor that allows for adjustable application. Unlike a traditional scrub broom, this investment is hydraulically controlled off the back of the distributor, making it easier for the crew to maneuver. This equipment gives the county flexibility and control, enabling them to treat more miles of road more efficiently than with a standard crack sealer.
Getting Boots on the Ground
Dhume shared more about his relationship with Asphalt Materials’ Regional Sales Manager Cameron Porter, who was essential in getting the county off on the right foot implementing the new equipment.
“One thing that’s always stood out with AMI is the time they spend in building relationships and understanding the operations of the agencies that they serve,” mentions Dhume. “They’re truly looking at our challenges, not only from a budget perspective, but what our resources are in terms of crew and equipment and trying to find a good solution.”
A key pillar of AMI’s service lies in its commitment to being present not just as a supplier, but as a true partner. From technical guidance to material selection and field support, the team works side-by-side with agencies to ensure proper and successful applications.
Porter, who has been working with Madison County for over two decades, is living the example of working together with customers to find the best long-term solutions to their unique constraints. He believes that it is important to look outward and learn from others to find the best solutions. That’s why he stays actively involved in the Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturer Association (AEMA) and the Pavement Preservation Recycling Alliance (PPRA) organizations – to stay informed on the latest and greatest in the industry.
Porter helps his customers stay informed too, and to see different treatments as they are applied and more importantly how they’ve been holding up over time, “We’ll take agencies to surrounding counties, or meet with contractors who have done different work that they might be interested in. We want to get out together and see other job sites, because if you’re interested in using a treatment within your county, you want to see where else it’s been successful.”
Recognizing Innovative Leaders
Throughout his time as Madison County Engineer, Bryan Dhume has actively sought out learning opportunities from pavement preservation experts across the country. He’s leaned on resources like PPRA, including completing its Roadvocate program – a hands-on experience designed to help participants better understand proactive network management. Embracing continuous learning has helped Madison County expand its preservation toolbox, exploring a range of treatments including chip seal, scrub seal, fog seal, cold mix, Cold Central Plant Recycling (CCPR) and AMIGUARD™ Rapid Penetrating Emulsion (RPE).
At the start of the year, Dhume was awarded the PPRA Horizon Award, recognizing leaders who have prioritized the overall health of their road network in long-term planning and introduced new pavement preservation tools into their toolbox. This recognition serves as validation for the county that its approach to road maintenance is not only beneficial to their community’s roadways, but well-recognized and forward-thinking in the industry.
“It was a real honor just because of all the time, resources and effort we put into our pavement preservation over the years. Being recognized among all the industry stalwarts in the room was incredible,” Dhume recalls.
Madison County’s Future Looks Smooth
Madison County’s commitment to utilizing pavement preservation tools reflects the deep understanding of stewardship, sustainability and strategic, long-term planning.
“This is not going to be something that’s going away in Madison County,” assures Nate Ernst, Madison County Operations Manager. “It’s something we believe in and it’s something that we’re going to continue to do.”
Asphalt Materials is proud to support forward-thinking partners like Madison County who are dedicated to preserving infrastructure. We’re proud to be a part of the journey by offering solutions like AMISEAL™ and comprehensive support in building longer-lasting, safer roads.
