Find all the information you need to submit your paving project for the “Virginia’s Best” Paving Awards.

NOMINATION GUIDELINES

Why Participate?

“Recognition” is often the #1 reward people seek in their jobs, and Virginia’s Best Paving Awards recognize crews and all their hard work. Receiving an award also motivates crews and keeps people enthused about their work. Entrants also receive feedback on completed jobs – valuable information that can continuously improve project management while making winning easier the next time!  Finally, winning a “Virginia’s Best” Paving Award shows commitment to quality.

How Does the Program Work?

  1. Nominations are open and due by April 3.
  2. Contractors or owner/agency representatives nominate projects.
    Comments from the owner/agency personnel will be considered during the rating process
    .
  3. Rating teams evaluate projects, and awards will be presented at the Mid-Atlantic Asphalt Conference and Expo in early December.
  4. A winner for work completed in 2022 will be selected; the winner and owner representative will be presented with an award to recognize the best project in each category.
  5. Late submittals will not be considered.

 

How Do I Win?

Each category is unique in some way. Most winners, however, do the following:

  • Pay attention to detail. Even seemingly minor flaws sometimes are the difference between being a contender or a winner.
  • Ensure high-quality workmanship. Criteria include:
    • Uniform texture – make sure there is no segregation.
    • Tight joints – both longitudinal and transverse
    • Smooth tight matches – on all intersections, curbs, and/or appurtenances
    • Ride! Smoothness is crucial to winning the competition.
    • Overall appearance – layout and design will have an impact.
    • Degree of difficulty – some jobs are tougher than others to build, and this is taken into consideration.
    • Completeness of information submitted – there is no such thing as too much information.
  • Tell the rating team what they should see to help you win.
    • Provide details (written and photos) in the submittal to direct the evaluators why this project was submitted.
    • Discuss what challenges had to be overcome to complete the project.
    • Include any QC/QA data.
  • Comments from the owner. Emails or other correspondence from owners sharing their feelings about the construction process and final project.
  • When in doubt – SUBMIT! You can’t win if you don’t enter!

Award Categories & Definitions

  • Commercial – Private entities with major commercial parking lots, entry roads, industrial yards, etc.
  • Roadway – Covers roadway paving projects not inspected or owned by VDOT.  These projects include Military Facilities, Toll Roads, Parkways, etc. These roadways can include two or more driving lanes with ramps, intersections, turn lanes, etc.
  • Municipal – Covers Municipal Streets and Subdivisions. These include arterial, residential, or business streets with two or more driving lanes.  Curb and gutter can also be present. There may also be traffic lights, turn lanes, intersections, catch basins, manholes, valve boxes, or other utilities.  The more complex projects will receive higher weighting by raters.
  • Airfield – Airport paving can range from projects at Dulles Airport to local airfields, including anything from a runway, apron, taxiway, etc. For this type of project to be evaluated, access to the project site must be arranged by the party who nominates the project. If access is not available, then the project may not be eligible for an award.
  • Green –This will include VDOT projects as well as non-VDOT projects.  The Green Project award goes to the contractor who utilized the most sustainable and/or greenest practices in a maintenance or construction project. The practices considered in this award category include:  Earning LEED credits, Recycled Asphalt Pavement (used above the VDOT specification limit), Recycled Asphalt Shingles (used above the VDOT specification limit), Asphalt Binder rejuvenators or modifiers such as scrap tires, Permeable and Porous Asphalt Materials, Recycled Asphalt Base Materials (i.e., Cold In-Place Recycling or Cold Plant Recycling), other “waste” materials used for AC production or a project that was completed in an environmentally sensitive area (protected wetlands, etc.). Each criterion carries a rating factor.  The project with the highest number of points and is exceptional in other quality indicators (i.e., ride quality, density, appearance, etc.) is the winning project.

PLEASE fill out the required Nomination Form completely, include any additional information to help the evaluator understand what distinguishes your project from other submittals.