I was reminded of the importance of a good road the other
day as I took advantage of Utah’s newly expanded 80 MPH speed limit zones on a
trip down to St. George to visit with a member of the Utah Asphalt Pavement
Association (UAPA). Because I had a lot
of time to think (I forgot the cord that connects my iPhone to the car’s
stereo), I spent a good portion of the drive actually paying attention to the
surface and condition of the road I was driving on. Now this group is a little different, but
that is an exercise that most of us probably never do, at least not on a
regular basis!
As I pulled into my driveway that night, it was not the
great-performing asphalt pavements that I saw that impressed me most (although
there are a number of great sections of asphalt-paved roads between here and
St. George!). Rather, it was the
impression of just how important our roads our to the lifeblood of our state,
its economy, and its people. In the
simplest of terms, our roads make our life go.
And although that may be a very simple statement, it comes
with a great deal of responsibility to ensure that we are doing our absolute
best to design, engineer, produce, construct, and preserve roads that will
perform and exceed our expectations. As
an association, this is what UAPA strives for each and every day. We do this through small things such as
making sure you receive the latest communications and updates through a
newsletter, and we do it through large and monumental undertakings such as adopting
new and proven technologies and specifications in the field.
I am drawn to this industry because it continually asks how
it can become even better. And I know
that I am not alone in this sentiment.
That’s why in the coming months and years, you will see UAPA undertake
this very question time and time again.
We are off to a good start with our revamped newsletter that you see
here, but collectively we can do so much more.
Soon you will see an Industry Improvement Survey. I hope you will take the time to give us some
feedback so we can continue to grow as an association. I hope you will continue to support our Lunch
and Learn events throughout the rest of the year. I hope that we will see you again at the 2014
Utah Asphalt Conference.
More good things are coming for UAPA, but it does not happen
without you. The support of those who
have already joined us has been invaluable.
If you have yet to join UAPA, the time is now. Together, I know that we will continue to
build some of the best roads in the entire nation. Why else would the legislature let us go 80
MPH?
-Reed
Ryan
Executive
Director
The
Utah Asphalt Pavement Association
No comments:
Post a Comment