A CalAPA-opposed bill that threatened to further hamstrung common-sense road-repair projects was amended last week to remove the most objectionable language.

The action was the latest in a flurry of activity at the Capitol amid the backdrop of campaigning in advance of June's primary election that could be a harbinger of things to come in California and across the nation.

The CalAPA-opposed bill, SB1423 by state Sen. Henry Stern, D-Los Angeles, was met with a firm "oppose" position by the association, as well as the CalAPA-supported Transportation California coalition, as it moved through the legislative committee process. CalAPA's opposition letter is HERE.

The bill was amended last week to remove nearly all of the language found to be objectionable to by CalAPA, morphing into a bill to study the concepts of how so-called Active Transportation Projects are funded at the state and local level. The study would be commissioned by the California Transportation Commission, which already has broad authority over transportation policy in California law. The CalAPA Legislative Committee will confer with the association's lobbyist to consider dropping CalAPA's opposition to the bill.

SB1423 is one of more than two-dozen bills in the Legislature being closely tracked by CalAPA, along with a budget proposal, also opposed by CalAPA, to subsidize a special blend of aviation fuel with highway fund dollars. CalAPA's opposition letter to that proposal is HERE. The concept, while technically still alive, is picking up more opposition than lint in a dryer trap. A previous Asphalt Insider article on the proposal is HERE. CalAPA members met with members of the Legislature on these and other issues last month during the association's annual "Fly-in" to the state Capitol. A report on that event that appeared in the most recent issue of California Asphalt, the association's official magazine, is HERE.

Meanwhile, Transportation California, a coalition supported by CalAPA, also began distributing an updated fact sheet addressing the cost of fuel in California and how much those prices are attributable to road-repair funds. That fact sheet is HERE. Several politicians have sought to make gas prices a campaign issue, including those desperate to get attention in a crowded race for governor.

Sample ballots began arriving in mailboxes last week for the June 2 primary election, with a whopping 61 names listed in the all-party race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, who must leave office in January because of term limits (62 choices if you include the "Write-in" box). The list includes 12 Republican candidates and 24 declared Democrats, including some who have recently dropped out of the race, adding a new wrinkle to the political scrum.

The primary will be closely watched nationally as California will be tallying votes with freshly drawn Congressional maps, endorsed by voters last Nov. 4 in the form of Proposition 50, which was promoted as a way to blunt Republican-led redistricting efforts in Texas and other GOP-leaning states seeking to pick up a few congressional seats to preserve the GOP's razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives.

One statewide office that generally does not typically merit a mention in a road-centric trade association newsletter is the race for Superintendent of Public Instruction, officially a non-partisan office. In that race one of the candidates is Josh Newman. Regular readers of this publication will recall that Newman, while he was in the state Senate, cast what ended up being the deciding vote in passing SB1, the $50 billion Road Repair & Accountability Act of 2017. He was defeated in a recall election the following year where his SB1 vote took center stage, and regained his seat representing the 29th district in 2020. After redistricting, he ran for the 37th Senate District in 2024 but lost to former Assemblyman Steven Choi. He is now one of 10 candidates for Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Over the next month Californians can expect to be bombarded with political ads in the mail, on TV and embedded in their social media feeds as candidates head down the home stretch for a primary election unlike any other in recent history.

Everyone says they want to be innovative. But what does that look like? One prominent example was on display last week at an open house and demonstration at the University of California Pavement Research Center on the campus of UC Davis.

While new pavement sections were being put in place for evaluation, various dignitaries and others milled about watching the beehive of activity under sun-drenched skies. Among those was Dr. John Harvey, director of the UCPRC and frequent speaker at CalAPA conferences and technical knowledge-transfer events.

Also on hand: newly promoted Caltrans State Materials Engineer Jackie Wong (pictured), and graduate student researcher Andrew Onoja, whose circuitous journey from Nigerian federal transportation official to CalAPA asphalt pavement conference attendee to the campus of UC Davis was chronicled in a California Asphalt magazine profile and recent update published by Asphalt Insider, which is available on-line HERE.A previous Asphalt Insider article about Wong taking over the top construction materials post at Caltrans is HERE.

With new pavement sections getting all the attention at the April 24 event, a low rumble could be heard coming from behind the buildings, where the hulking Heavy Vehicle Simulators were grinding away simulating years of wear and tear on asphalt pavement test sections in a matter of weeks. Those test sections have provided important data to inform research into asphalt pavements that are more durable, sustainable and economical. They are testament to the shared commitment between the asphalt industry, Caltrans and academia to keep advancing knowledge and best practices in pavements. We also tip our cap to former Caltrans materials engineer Jack Van Kirk, who later worked for CalAPA member George Reed Co. and is in CalAPA's "Hall of Fame." Van Kirk secured the funding to acquire the first HVS for the state when he worked at Caltrans, a point of pride for him in his visits to the UCPRC many years later.

More information about the UCPRC can be found HERE.

The Caltrans-industry Joint Training & Certification Program Advisory Council held their most recent meeting last week at CalAPA's "World Headquarters" in West Sacramento.

It was fitting for CalAPA to play host to the oversight board for a program championed by the association and prominently featured in the association's magazine covers that adorn the walls of the CalAPA office.

Program manager Richard Hibbard with Caltrans conducted the April 25 meeting, which was also attended by Dr. Shadi Saadeh of California State University, Long Beach, which operates the program via classes held on the campus of CSU Long Beach and San Jose State University under an inter-agency agreement. Industry and agency stakeholders make up the Advisory Council, which provides input and guidance on curriculum standards and to ensure that the classes are closely aligned with the Caltrans standard specifications and test methods.

Chris Long, representing the Federal Highway Administration (pictured), was in attendance and took the opportunity to have an impromptu, post-meeting conversation with CalAPA's Director of Technical Services, Brandon Milar, P.E. The FHWA and the asphalt industry collaborate on numerous knowledge-transfer activities and initiatives to foster innovation. The name of a former FHWA California official, Steve Healow, is engraved on a special "Hall of Fame" plaque on display in the CalAPA office as an "Honorary Member."

To learn more about the Joint Training & Certification Program click HERE to visit the Caltrans JTCP page, or click HERE to visit the CSULB page. An article about the JTCP that appeared in a recent issue of California Asphalt, the official CalAPA association magazine, can be viewed on-line HERE.

Each week we highlight a word, acronym or other term commonly used in the asphalt pavement industry in California.

DESIGN THICKNESS: The total pavement structure thickness above the sub-grade.

Each week we highlight a key point or best practice of interest to asphalt paving crews, inspectors and others working in the field. We welcome suggestions. More tips can be found in our "Asphalt Parking Lot Construction Checklist" HERE. Information on the CalAPA "Quality Paving Certificate" program is HERE.

CALL BEFORE YOU DIG: Call 8-1-1 prior to construction when plans call for any type of excavation so that the location of underground utilities can be verified and marked. More information on the 8-1-1 program in California can be found HERE.

Each week we highlight a term that is specific to climate-change issues related to the asphalt pavement industry. This feature is intended to raise awareness of the asphalt industry's climate-change initiatives and the specialized terminology that goes with them. More information on "The Road Forward" asphalt industry climate initiative can be found HERE. A recent CalAPA magazine story on the topic is HERE.

THINLAY: Pavement preservation technique that adds 3/4- to 1 1/2 inches of structure.

Editor's Note: As a convenience to our readers, Asphalt Insider reports the most current Caltrans "Statewide Crude Oil Price Index" posting. The department posts this monthly on its public website HERE. The index is used to calculate payment adjustments for paving asphalt under special provisions section "Payment Adjustments for Price Index Fluctuations" in those projects containing the section. The department posts the index on or about the first business day of the month using the daily Brent crude oil prices from the previous month as reported by Business Insider. Inquiries about the index should be directed to Caltrans at: Oil.Index@dot.ca.gov .

April 2026: $546.8 ($/ton)

Last month: $375.5

1 year ago: $387.5

"To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage."

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

We hope you enjoy CalAPA's Asphalt Insider newsletter, widely regarded as the most influential publication of its type in California. We are committed to providing you with the most up-to-date information on technical issues, regulation, news, analysis, people, events and trends in California that is of interest to the asphalt pavement industry and our various agency partners. To subscribe to the newsletter, click HERE. For comments, questions or to suggest a story idea, click HERE. We are committed to promptly notifying our readers of any errors in this publication. Please click on the comment link above to alert the editor of any errors or omissions.

Sincerely,

Russell W. Snyder, CAE

Executive Director

The California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA)®