Each year, the Maryland Asphalt Association and the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration visit asphalt paving projects completed that year that have been nominated for the best asphalt paving jobs. The team of asphalt experts hit the road starting in October, visiting each project, taking photos and videos, and noting the workmanship, smoothness, joints, texture, and tie-ins with other pavements.
2023 saw 49 entries, with submissions from county, state, primary, secondary, and interstate systems. We recognized the 13 winning jobs at the 60th Annual Paving Conference. See details below. You can also revisit the 2022 winners.
Please watch for more information on the 2024 Excellence in Paving Awards submissions this fall.
The 2023 winners are:
- Secondary Resurfacing Award – CL397D56—XY8065277 — MD 97 – Piney View Ct. to MD 26 (Owner: MDOT SHA District 7)
This project, near Eldersburg and Sykesville, MD, consisted of 1.5 miles of milling, wedge/level, paving, and pavement markings. Completed in September 2023, it used 5.2k tons of 2″ surface 12.5mm mix, 17k tons of wedge/level 12.5mm mix, and 700 tons of patching 19.0mm mix.
- Interstate Resurfacing Award – BAB13C53— XX3865B77 — I-695 – Southwestern Blvd. to MD 372 (Owner: MDOT SHA District 4)
This project, near Halethorpe, MD, was a 0.93-mile job consisting of grinding, paving, pavement markings, and rumble strips, with maximum pay incentives for the mix properties. It was completed in October 2023 and included 11k tons of 2″ surface 12.5mm SMA mix. It had great ride quality and compaction, as well as good joints.
- Secondary Resurfacing Award – KE402A56—XY9145277 – MD 445 — Tolchester Beach Rd. to Rock Hall Ball Park (Owner: MDOT SHA District 2)
Located in Rock Hall, MD, this 5.5-mile project consisted of paving and pavement markings and was completed in 2023. It used 11k tons of 1.5″ surface 9.5mm mix, as well as 22 tons of wedge/level 19.00mm mix.
- Secondary Resurfacing Award – KE402A53—XY9145277 – MD 561 — MD 213 to MD 298 (Owner: MDOT SHA District 2)
This project, located NE of Chestertown, MD, was a total distance of about 2.5 miles, consisting of paving and pavement markings. Completed in April 2023, it used 4.8k tons of 1.5″ surface 9.5mm mix. It had a great ride quality, compaction, and joints.
- County Subdivision Resurfacing Award – No. 1088535 – Rock Creek Terrace Subdivision (Owner: Montgomery County)
This subdivision project, between Robindale Dr. and Viers Mill Rd. in Rockville, MD, set to repair and resurface multiple roads in the community. Completed in 2023, it used 7k tons of 2″ surface 9.5mm mix and 400 tons of base patching. It featured great ride quality, compaction, construction joints, and tie-ins.
- Primary Resurfacing Award – FR761C53—XY9105177 – US 15 — Basford Rd. to US 340 (Owner: MDOT SHA District 7)
Near Jefferson, MD, this 4-mile project consisted of milling, patching, wedge/level, paving, and pavement markings. Completed in August 2023, it used 12k tons of 2″ surface 12.5mm mix, 2.8k tons of wedge/level 9.5mm mix, and 1.3k tons 4″ patching 19.0mm mix. It featured great ride quality, compaction, and construction joints.
- Interstate Resurfacing Award – MO033F5F—XY7155177 – I-495 — E. of Seminary Rd. to PG County Line EB & PG County Line to 800′ W of MD 193 WB (Owner: MDOT SHA District 3)
This project consisted of 4,47 miles of the I-495 inner loop from Seminary Rd. to the Prince George’s County line, On the outer loop, the project was 2.37 miles from Seminary Rd. to the Prince George’s County line, and 0.87 miles from the Anacostia River to the Prince George’s County line. The work consisted of paving, pavement markings, and rumble strips, and used 27.4k tons of 2″ surface 12.5mm SMA mix. It was completed in September 2023.
- Primary Resurfacing Award – DO332C53—XY8095177 – US 50 — W. of Old Ocean Gateway to Big Mill Pond (Owner: MDOT SHA District 1)
Located in Vienna, MD, the 1.5-mile project consisted of paving, pavement markings, and rumble strips. It featured 3.5k tons of 1.5″ surface 9.5mm mix, had a very low 40 IRI, with great compaction and construction joints.
- County Subdivision Resurfacing Award – No.23-067 – I-83 — Various Roads on Rumsey Island (Owner: Harford County DPW)
This project, located on Rumsey Island between White Marsh and Edgewood, sought to repair and resurface 22 separate courts, drives, and avenues in the community. Completed in May 2023, it used 10k tons of 2″ surface 9.5mm mix and 1.3k tons of wedge/lift. It had notable ride quality, compaction, joints, tie-ins, and traffic-calming efforts.
- Primary Resurfacing Award – BAA92B52—XX3765477 – US 1 — Dunfield Rd. to Ebenezer Rd. (Owner: MDOT SHA District 4)
Located near Perry Hall, MD this 1.5-mile project consisted of paving and pavement markings. It was completed in June 2023, and used 6.4k tons of 2″ surface 12.5mm mix.
It also had 113 utility projects to address within the project limits. Gray & Son went to great lengths in its partnership with the District to adjust or replace them to improve the ride over previous conditions.
- County Local Resurfacing Award – No. 124689 – Mechanicsville Rd. — Old Village Rd. to Guy Farm Lane (Owner: St. Mary’s County DPW&T)
This project, near MD 235 in Mechanicsville, MD, consisted of milling and resurfacing a county roadway. Completed in July 2023, it used 2.5k tons of 2″ surface 9.5mm mix, and featured great ride quality, compaction, joints, and tie-ins.
- County Local Resurfacing Award – No. 124689 – Horse Shoe Rd. — MD 234 for 1.14 miles (Owner: St. Mary’s County DPW&T)
Near Clements, MD, this resurfacing project was completed in July 2023 and featured 2k tons of 1.5″ surface 9.5mm mix and 1k tons of wedge/level.
- Interstate Resurfacing Award – AL243B51—AL2435177 – I-68 — MV Smith Rd. to 0.31 Miles E. of Orleans Rd. (Owner: MDOT SHA District 6)
Located near Orleans, MD, this 4.84-mile project consisted of partial depth patching, wedge/level, grinding, paving, pavement markings, and rumble strips. The wedge/level was used for super elevation curve corrections and was placed in multiple lifts using both 19.0mm and 9.5mm mix. The contractor’s QC results from the profile were within QA testing, so their QC data was used to calculate the pay adjustment.
Completed in July 2023, the project used 31.3k tons of 2″ surface 12.5 mm SMA mix, 2.3k tons of wedge/level 19.0mm and 9.5mm mix, and 700 tons of patching 19.0mm mix.