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In the world of road construction, maintaining high standards of quality control (QC) is paramount. A refined QC process is necessary for the longevity and safety of roads, ensuring the materials meet job specifications (specs) and can withstand the expected load that will be placed on the pavement.
At Evergreen Roadworks™, QC is integrated into every phase of the project. From initial spec planning to material selection, mix-design, final testing and inspection, our QC team, led by Jeff Kern, meticulously handles every step.
“Everybody knows safety is the number one thing. The second thing is quality. That is what I am responsible for,” says Jeff, “our team takes a lot of pride in what we are doing.”
The starting point for any job is understanding the specs. Standard specifications come from national, state and local levels and are issued by the government and recognized organizations. These bodies include the Federal Highway Administration, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, state departments of transportation such as the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and county and municipal governments.
There are also special districts and transportation authorities, such as airports, who dictate standard specs for projects under their control. On the private level, developers may set their own specs, which often require local government approval. Non-standard specifications also exist on a project-specific, performance-based or experimental basis.
In a landscape with multiple levels of authority, staying on top of specs is no easy task, especially when national and state standards are reviewed and updated at least every few years. At one level or another, the specs are changing every year. When dealing with pavement, it is not enough to just be “in-spec,” pavement applications must be in-spec and consistent.
Our quality control manager, Jeff Kern, likes to be a step ahead of the curve. His approach is to stay involved with committees and peer groups at the national and state level. Year round, he works with committees and research groups through the University of Illinois and is on committees partnering with IDOT to identify evolving standard specifications.
Prior to joining Evergreen Roadworks 13 years ago, Jeff Kern got his master’s in civil engineering from the University of Illinois with a concentration in transportation materials. As a Graduate Research Assistant, his focus was in highway paving materials. He is one of the lucky few whose area of study exactly aligns with his lifelong career. After initially working as a consultant, he returned to the University of Illinois as a researcher primarily working on IDOT projects.
At Evergreen, Jeff now gets to implement the research he conducted. He oversees mix-designs and QC for all our jobs. As part of the process, he also ensures the asphalt plants are running smoothly, that the paving crews have the material they need and that jobs are appropriately staffed with his QC team.
“I was kind of born into this,” says Jeff. “My dad was in the business. I was headed down the path of research, but I wound up back here. I feel like I was born to work here. I would not be anywhere else.”
Jeff Kern’s leadership, industry roots and expertise in quality control are invaluable assets to Evergreen. His commitment to excellence ensures that every pavement preservation project not only meets but exceeds evolving industry standards.
The field of asphalt pavement is complex. That is why Evergreen Roadworks is here to support agencies every step of the way, ensuring quality that leads to high-performing, long-lasting roadways.
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