Asphalt Recycling & Reclaiming Association (ARRA) Names 2021 Special Recognition Award Winners

GLEN ELLYN, IL, February 23, 2021 – During the 46th Annual Meeting of the Asphalt Recycling & Reclaiming Association (ARRA), held virtually, February 15-18, 2021, ARRA congratulated two individuals as recipients of 2021 ARRA Special Recognition Awards.

Each year, via the ARRA Special Recognition Awards, ARRA recognizes public officials and consulting engineers who have made outstanding contributions to the asphalt recycling and reclaiming industry.  Nominations are submitted by ARRA members and the ARRA technical committees review all nominations and select the award winners.  

The first recipient recognized was Jeremy Ciesiel, P.E., Ogle County, Illinois, the winner of this year’s Charles R. Valentine Award for Excellence in Cold Recycling.  Ciesiel has a long history of being the go-to resource for recommendations and candidate selection for recycling and reclamation, including Cold In-Place Recycling in Ogle County.  Since the mid-1990s, CIR has been an important part of Ogle County’s toolbox, including their most recent project on Deer Path Road, a rural highway in Rockvale Township. The road was exhibiting cracking, shoulder cracking and falling edges. With Ciesiel’s leadership, after collecting samples to identify the cause of the cracking and determine the thickness of the underlying pavement and base, the project was set to begin. The CIR project on Deer Path Road saved an estimated $200,000, reduced emissions by 80%, and saved an estimated two days of construction, which allowed residents to return to traffic quickly.

The 2021 Special Recognition Award for Excellence in Full Depth Reclamation was presented Monica Flournoy, P.E., State Materials Engineer, Georgia Department of Transportation for her leadership in implementing GDOT’s Standard Specification Section 315 “Cement-Stabilization Reclaimed Base.”  In 2004, Section 315 began its Special Provision 101 as a cost saving option to reconstruct Moody Bridge Road in Long County. Between 2004 and 2018, the specification had been revised several times, however, FDR’s status was a special provision, rather than a standard specification, which ultimately limited its application on high volume routes and inhibited its applications for counties and private work. Being an advocate of innovation, with the help of her staff, she has been actively involved in the on-going development of the standard specifications to fully suit GDOT’s needs. This implementation allows for FDR on GDOT projects and it now allows municipalities to include FDR in their projects without developing their own set of specifications. This has also led to an increased use of FDR projects being developed in the state of Georgia.

ABOUT THE ASPHALT RECYCLING & RECLAIMING ASSOCIATION (ARRA):

Incorporated in September 1976, ARRA’s primary function has been to promote the recycling of existing roadway materials through various construction methodologies, to preserve limited natural resources and reduce costs. This ongoing effort continues through education, strategic alliances and partnering at both the industry and agency level.

ARRA is a founding member of the Pavement Preservation & Recycling Alliance along with the Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturers Association and the International Slurry Surfacing Association. PPRA is a partnership of leading industry associations (AEMA, ARRA, ISSA) to advance sustainable, eco efficient, and innovative pavement applications.

To learn more, visit www.arra.org or call us at 630-942-6578.