Glamour Shots: Before & Afters!

We all want to look our best, right?  Here are several of our favorite before and after shots of our beloved asphalt surfaces.

Lookin’ good, eh?  We think so.

Does your parking lot need an update?  Give us a jingle!

Retail "before"

Retail "before"

Retail "after"

Retail "after"

Education "before"

Education "before"

Education "after"

Education "after"

Industrial "before"

Industrial "before"

Industrial "after"

Industrial "after"

Patching "before"

Patching "before"

Patching "after"

Patching "after"

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A Day in the Life of a Project Manager

Bill Keller, Regional Project Manager

Bill Keller, Regional Project Manager

Looking out on a parking lot that has been newly resurfaced or recently striped, you may not realize the hours of prep work that went into revamping that space.  It’s more than likely that at least a dozen people – from the early planning phases to the actual execution of the work – helped ensure that your project was a success.  The key person in that mix is the Project Manager.

To give you a better appreciation of the Project Manager’s responsibilities, we interviewed Bill Keller, one of the Regional Project Managers at Rose Paving.  

  • What time does a typical day begin for a Regional Project Manager?

Our days start at 4:00am.  We’re checking the weather to determine whether or not the scheduled jobs for that day are “a go.”  By 6:30am, we’re on our first job-site. 

  • How many hours are in an average day for Regional Project Managers?

Roughly 12 hours 

  • What do your daily responsibilities consist of?

My job is a combination of office work and tasks “in the field.”  Project Managers attend weekly meetings, schedule jobs, and approve invoices while in the office.  A big part of my job as a Project Manager is to communicate frequently with our customers and answer any questions regarding jobs scheduled to begin or recently completed.  We attend pre-construction meetings with customers, post-job evaluations, and often work with members of the sales team to help prepare bids. 

  • How many miles would you say you drive to-and-from job sites in an average day?

100 miles per day 

  • How many hours do you work in a typical work week?

There are jobs in progress 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.  If we have a job going – meaning a work order in our assigned territory – then we’re on-call 24/7 to manage that job.  We try to have at least one day off in a given week! 

  • What do you like best about your job?

Being out on job sites where I’m able to manage my own jobs, and interact with customers and crew members. 

  • What skills are necessary to be a good Project Manager?

Organizational skills, strong people skills, and a positive attitude.  We work such long hours in the summer and wear many different hats; having a positive attitude can go a long way. 

  • Is there anything in particular we should know about Project Managers but don’t?

The entire Operations Team as a whole is a very close-knit group.  Together, we will do what it takes to get the job done.

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Awesomely Bad Pavement

Alligator cracking, sinkholes, buckled pavement – oh MY!  We’ve gathered some of the most excellent defects in parking lots we’ve seen.  Enjoy – and if you recognize any of these heinous happenings, give us a call!

Parking lot or pond?

Parking lot or pond?

Alligator cracking & pavement failure

Alligator cracking & pavement failure

A Sofa Cushion Masking a Sinkhole!

Someone's missing a sofa cushion

Serious Sinkhole

Serious Sinkhole

TBD Caption

Cracked asphalt & concrete

Severe Cracking

Severe Cracking

Major Standing Water

Major Standing Water

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Hot Asphalt, Hot Summer!

swimmingpoolAs a kid, summer meant freedom from school and relaxing during long, hot summer days. As an adult, summer doesn’t affect much in our day-to-day routine. But, one thing remains the same—the heat! Whether you live on the East coast, West coast, or somewhere in between, you can count on summer to sizzle.

This is especially true in our industry. Working with hot-mix asphalt can mean sweltering conditions in summer. For a brief respite, our employees recommend the following destinations to walk along the beach, lounge poolside, or simply enjoy indoor activities in the cool A/C.

1. Monterey and Modesto (CA) for the rocky shorelines and awesome sunsets. Monterey has a great aquarium and Yosemite is close by with picturesque walks with spectacular waterfalls. —Anita, Accounting
2. Las Vegas for plenty of sunshine, great food, and free drinks, all with absolutely no concept of time! —Ryan, Special Projects
3. Orlando for Disney World because it brings out the kid in everyone! —Teri, Regional Administration
4. Hawaii (anywhere on the island) for the weather, of course, and activities such as snorkeling, scuba-diving, and parasailing. —Josh, National Project Management
5. Northern Wisconsin for year-round outdoor recreation including golfing and just plain relaxing. —Pete, Regional Sales

As for me, when I was little, my family would vacation in Wisconsin Dells with another couple and their children. It was such a great experience that I now take my family on vacation with other friends and their kids. This summer we’re renting a beach house in Nags Head, North Carolina.

Have you traveled to any of these locations during the summer? If so, tell us about your experience. Or, let us know your favorite hotspot. Until then, stay cool!

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Gettin’ Schooled

School’s out for summer!  While all the kids are running around jumping in swimming pools and eating ice cream, this week we’re learning about a Chicago Public School – whose parking lot did not make the honor roll.  In fact, this doozy received a “D” grade according to our trusty S.C.A.L.E. Guide! Whoa – time for summer school!

This parking lot had significant pothole damage and severe cracking.  You will also see the patching that was previously done in many spots on this large parking lot.  To get this grade up to snuff, a complete resurfacing and lot marking was in store.

"Before" asphalt resurfacing

"Before" asphalt resurfacing

In more severe cases of asphalt failure – as we see here – a long-term and cost-effective solution is to resurface the asphalt pavement (also referred to as overlay).  If you notice grade depressions (standing water on the pavement) and/or large sections of alligatored areas (interconnecting cracks forming a series of blocks resembling an alligator’s skin), it is a good idea to have your pavement resurfaced.

Even with the dangerous and violet storms of the last couple weeks in the Chicagoland area, this project was milled 1.5 inches in depth in one day, and the new asphalt was laid the following day.

"After" photo

"After" photo

Looks like an A+ to us!  What do you think?

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