MAPA Enews - July 2026

MAPA's Annual Golf Outing — Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Tuesday, July 28 at The Meadows at Mystic Lake for MAPA's Annual Golf Outing! With 144 attendees on the course, this was another great turnout, and we owe it to our generous sponsors and every member who came out to golf, network, and support the association. A huge thank-you to this year's sponsors for making the day possible.

Thank You to Our Joan Donovan Memorial Golf Outing Sponsors!

Thank you to everyone who came out on Monday, June 30 at Bunker Hills Golf Course for the Women of Asphalt Joan Donovan Memorial 9-Hole Golf Outing! It was a wonderful day of sunshine, camaraderie, and connection — bringing together women from across Minnesota's asphalt industry to celebrate Joan's legacy while building relationships that strengthen our industry.

None of this would be possible without our generous sponsors, whose support made the day run smoothly and helped make it such a memorable event. Thank you for investing in Women of Asphalt and in the future of our industry. We can't wait to see everyone back on the course next year!

Women of Asphalt: Mentorship & Paving Scholarship Applications Open August 1–21

Women of Asphalt is now accepting applications for two national workforce development programs — the newly revamped WofA Mentorship Program and the WofA Paving Operations Scholarship (sponsored by Caterpillar). Both application windows run August 1–21, 2026, and are open to professionals and students across the industry.

These programs are designed to support professional growth, strengthen industry connections, and invest in the next generation of asphalt professionals — please help us spread the word to your teams, members, and industry partners.

The Paving Operations Scholarship covers a seat at the Caterpillar Paving School, taking place the week of December 1–4, 2026 in Tinaja, AZ — a hands-on opportunity to build paving equipment skills. An application is required for consideration, and both application deadlines are August 21, 2026.

Mentorship Program: womenofasphalt.org — Mentorship Program

Paving Operations Scholarship: womenofasphalt.org — 2026 Paving Scholarship

Questions? Contact Brittyn Heisler, Executive Director of Women of Asphalt, at bheisler@womenofasphalt.org.

Registration Coming Soon: MAPA Sporting Clays Event 2026

Mark your calendars! MAPA's Annual Clay Shoot returns on Tuesday, September 22, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Wild Marsh Sporting Clays in Clear Lake, MN. Enjoy a fun day out with industry colleagues — two rounds of 50 targets per person, with lunch and dinner provided. Teams of four are welcome, but individuals and partial teams are encouraged to register too; we'll match you up with other shooters. Registration will open soon — watch your inbox for details!

Now Hiring: Executive Director

MAPA (via Ewald Consulting) is currently hiring for an Executive Director position. If you or someone in your network is interested in leading the voice of Minnesota's asphalt industry, we encourage you to apply or share the posting.

View the full job posting and apply here: ewald.bamboohr.com/careers/81

Minnesota Buy Clean — BuiltCold Database Training (In Person Only)

Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Time: Vertical Program (Buildings): 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.; Horizontal Program (Infrastructure): 1:00–3:00 p.m.

Location: MnDOT Technical Certification Center, 1400 Gervais Avenue, Maplewood, MN 55109. For parking information, visit dot.state.mn.us/technical-certification.

This training will be offered in person only (no virtual option), with registration on a first-come, first-served basis until room capacity is reached. Priority registration is given to Minnesota Buy Clean Task Force members and state agency staff, with remaining seats opening to industry stakeholders, manufacturers, and producers.

Task Force members and stakeholders should register via this Google Form

What Happens to Road Construction Waste?

A recent CBS Minnesota feature by Jeff Wagner (June 29, 2026) looked at how Minnesota's asphalt industry handles material from the roughly 200 highway, bridge, and infrastructure projects MnDOT has scheduled this summer. MnDOT's Curt Turgeon, director of the Office of Materials and Road Research, and Brent Carron, president of Valley Paving, spoke to just how reusable asphalt is — the industry rarely uses the word "waste" at all.

Per the EPA, about 95% of asphalt concrete removed from road and bridge projects gets reused. On a typical MnDOT project, 20–30% of a new road is made from recycled material, with some special-case projects incorporating over 40% recycled asphalt pavement (RAP).

Read the full article: cbsnews.com/minnesota — What happens to road construction waste?

NAPA Midyear Meeting Recap — Columbus, Ohio

NAPA's 2026 Midyear Meeting wrapped up July 14–17 in Columbus, Ohio, bringing together committee members and industry leaders for three days of programming. Discussion topics this year centered on artificial intelligence, emerging technology, and the growing potential of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) — all areas MAPA continues to track closely for our Minnesota members.

Learn more at napanow.org.

Legislative Update: Federal Highway Bill Countdown Continues

The clock is ticking on federal transportation funding. The current Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) expires September 30, 2026, and NAPA continues to work with Congress, coalition partners, and Political Advocacy members to secure the next infrastructure-focused highway bill.

The House has already advanced its proposal: the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870) would increase assured annual highway funding by roughly 7% over current IIJA levels, though it would reduce guaranteed transit and rail funding. Meanwhile, a group of Senate leaders sent a letter on June 3 calling for the next bill to prioritize affordability, reduce political interference in project approvals, improve roadway safety, and address the maintenance backlog — signaling the House and Senate still have real differences to work out before the September deadline.

Members who want to get involved: NAPA's IMPACT Leadership Conference and Hill Day is set for September 22 in Washington, DC — a timely opportunity to make Minnesota's voice heard as this bill takes shape.

2026 MnDOT Projects Requiring EPDs

MnDOT's current letting schedule (updated 6/17/26) lists 97 projects statewide requiring Environmental Product Declarations under the Minnesota Buy Clean initiative — spanning lettings from January through May 2027. Across the 61 projects with EPD counts finalized so far, MnDOT is tracking 352 total EPDs due: 111 for asphalt, 160 for concrete, and 81 for steel. The Metro district carries the largest share by far, with 148 EPDs across 19 projects.

District breakdown:

Members producing mixes for any of these lettings should confirm EPD requirements before bidding.

Download the full project-by-project list (SP numbers, trunk highways, work type, and location): EPD Project List (Excel) — updated 6/17/26

Member Opportunity: Trade Partnership with AM950 Radio

AM950 Radio is looking to establish a trade partnership with an asphalt paving company for a new driveway at its station. Their driveway is approximately 1,100 square feet, and they are offering a robust radio advertising campaign in exchange for completing the project.

What makes this opportunity particularly unique is that AM950 isn't simply looking for a contractor—they're looking for a company they can confidently recommend to their listeners.

At AM950, we don't just run commercials—we build relationships with their advertising partners. AM950 listeners are exceptionally loyal and intentionally support the businesses that support the station. When AM950 recommends a company, it's because we genuinely believe it's a business worthy of their audience's trust.

Here are a few highlights about AM950’s audience and this opportunity:

•  82% of AM950 listeners are homeowners—well above the Twin Cities metro average of 71%.
• AM950’s signal reaches Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding suburbs, providing strong metro-wide coverage.
• As an all-talk radio station, listeners typically spend significantly more time tuned in than they do to music stations, giving advertisers greater exposure and message retention.
• The selected paving company would receive complete category exclusivity throughout the campaign, meaning no competing paving companies would advertise on AM950 during that time.
• AM950 would also be pleased to showcase the selected partner's signage on its corner lot, which is visible from both the Highway 212 off-ramp and busy Valley View Road—providing outstanding visibility and daily exposure to passing motorists.

See the attachments that show AM950’s signal reach and other information about the station’s audience.

AM950 Coverage Map

Listener Profile

Listener Demographics

Jennifer Ogren, Account Executive with AM950, has also shared the station's signal coverage map and listener demographic information, which provide additional details about their audience. Jennifer would be happy to discuss the driveway project, the proposed advertising campaign, and answer any questions you may have.

If this opportunity sounds like something your company would like to explore, I encourage you to reach out directly to:

Jennifer Ogren

(612) 978-1932

jennifer@am950radio.com

Fall 2026 Truck Weight Education Class Schedule

The 2026 fall truck weight education class schedule has now been finalized. Members and their teams are encouraged to register and to share this information with anyone in their organization who may be interested in attending.

Registration link with dates and locations: mnltap.umn.edu/training/catalog/truckweight

Additional Minnesota Truck Weight Education resources are available at mnltap.umn.edu — Truck Weight resources and via this training video.

Questions? Contact Tom J. Nelson, Technical Program Manager, University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies — tom.nelson51@gmail.com, 320-828-1809.