Reclamation Project Provides Positive Results, and Convinces Skeptics Wary of Trying New Process

Recently the City of Chula Vista specified Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) for their 2nd Ave. street reconstruction project. This was the city’s first time in implementing one of the cost effective, non-proprietary recycling processes for asphalt pavements. Jose Gomez the engineer in charge of paving for the city, did his homework on the process, and with the result of good planning, communication and coordination, provided the city with a street reconstruction that provided the following benefits.

Recently the City of Chula Vista specified Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) for their 2nd Ave. street reconstruction project. This was the city’s first time in implementing one of the cost effective, non-proprietary recycling processes for asphalt pavements. Jose Gomez the engineer in charge of paving for the city, did his homework on the process, and with the result of good planning, communication and coordination, provided the city with a street reconstruction that provided the following benefits:

• The city recycled their existing asphalt assets instead of paying to have them disposed of, and conserved natural resources by avoiding the need to import new aggregate base.
• The city saved $133,185.00 or 36%, on the 85,000 SF street reconstruction project, enabling them to stretch the city’s limited budget dollars
• Residents on 2nd Ave were happy because the FDR process saved 4 weeks on the construction schedule and provided them with ingress and egress during the construction process; 2nd Ave was completely finished ahead of a similar street reconstruction project on Oxford St., that had started earlier, and was done with the old remove and replace construction method
• The city eliminated 744 trucks, along with their associated traffic disruptions, wear and tear on city streets, emissions and energy consumption, by doing FDR instead of the old remove and replace construction method
• The city ended up with a higher structural value to the base section below the asphalt, compared to an aggregate base section; the FDR stabilized base section supports and disburses loads better and provides for less maintenance on the upper asphalt section.