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Longitudinal joints and rumble strips are two of the first areas of a road to deteriorate due to water penetration. In answer to this significant problem, a revolutionary type of road treatment entered the scene in 2002.
Void Reducing Asphalt Membrane (VRAM), also known as Longitudinal Joint Sealant (LJS) in Illinois, is a proactive treatment that significantly reduces air voids in a road’s longitudinal joints, preventing water from entering and causing damage. When joints deteriorate and fail, the rest of the pavement soon follows, so by extending the life of the joint, the life of the whole pavement is extended.
Over the past 22 years, J-Band®, the premier VRAM, has been applied over thousands of miles for hundreds of projects. Found in more than 25 states, VRAM has a proven track record of extending the life of roads. It has been adopted as part of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) standard specifications with more states soon to follow. Multiple DOTs have discovered that VRAM does not cost, it pays!
From the beginning, Evergreen Roadworks™ has been applying J-Band, and today, is the nation’s largest applicator. In its mission to create longer-lasting roadways with lower lifecycle costs, J-Band is a solution that Evergreen stands behind.
Cullen Hesterberg is the J-Band Operations Manager at Evergreen Roadworks. He shares, “Point to a spot on a map of Illinois and I could probably find a stretch of road close to it that we’ve shot J-Band on.”
In 2015, Cullen joined the Evergreen team with a degree in civil engineering from Bradley University. Over his career, he has served as a quality assurance technician in the asphalt lab, traveled around the country supporting paving projects and is currently working on VRAM crews. Each experience has prepared him to formally lead the VRAM team.
This year is Cullen’s fifth season applying this innovative technology, and his passion for his work shines through. “I am a firm believer that J-band works. It is a worthwhile, long-term investment. By applying this treatment in the beginning, we preserve roads and make them last.”
A part of Cullen’s role, he handles scheduling and coordination for Evergreen’s VRAM applications in multiple states, most frequently in Illinois, Indiana and Missouri. Over the course of a year, he partners with many different prime contractors who pave over the VRAM his crews lay. From estimating, bidding and securing work to planning for material, equipment and manpower on job sites, the communication and coordination it takes to make a project run successfully cannot but be underestimated.
Evergreen works closely with sister company Asphalt Materials, Inc. (AMI) to keep up with growing demand for J-Band. By nature of applying VRAM for decades, Evergreen’s team has had time to hone their craft. And Cullen is eager to praise the entire team:
“I have people laying J-Band, Ben, Boz and Nate, who are the best at doing this. They have shot more J-Band than anybody in the world. It might look easy just driving down the road, but there is serious skill required. They are driving a truck in a perfectly straight line, at an exact rate and hitting the line with an inch and half of tolerance. We are efficient, adaptable and can work in any situation with flexibility. More importantly, we have good communication and are not afraid to work hard.”
Countless examples of Evergreen’s VRAM applications can be found on the J-Band website. Check out this recent case study of a project on ten miles of US-50 in Daviess County, Indiana.
At the end of the day, Evergreen Roadworks is proud to help lay better roads for the public that will last longer and ultimately, be safer.
Want to talk VRAM/LJS? Get in touch with us today!
Editor’s Note:
J-Band® was created in the labs of the Heritage Research Group (HRG) and is a product of Asphalt Materials, Inc. (AMI). To learn more about J-Band, visit www.thejointsolution.com
