After Three: The Road Forward
This content first appeared in the Spring 2025 print edition of NAPA Quarterly. Subscribe here.
Since 2022, the asphalt pavement industry has shared a vision for net zero emissions.
It’s been three years since asphalt paving companies united behind a four-prong plan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and industry support for what became known as The Road Forward has only grown since the program’s inception.
ACCESS THE REPORT: The Road Forward: Reflecting on the First Three Years
Dozens of businesses and research partners have pledged support for the initiative, which has explored the short- and long-term approaches to reducing GHG emissions through programming ranging from webinars to in-person summits.
The industry initiative has produced 20 publications, all aimed at remedying knowledge and implementation gaps.
More than a dozen virtual events examined recycled materials, warm-mix technologies, environmental product declarations (EPDs), and more as part of The Road to Zero Webinar Series. The series aims to educate industry stakeholders on the investments needed to achieve net zero carbon emissions while uniting the industry as asphalt professionals across the country travel The Road Forward together.
The industry initiative has produced 20 publications, all aimed at remedying knowledge and implementation gaps. Thanks to The Road Forward Partners, even more publications are in development, leveraging expertise from NAPA staff and members along with academia, industry partners, and paid contributors.
In November 2020, the Board of Directors commissioned the formation of the Climate Stewardship Task Force, setting the stage for the development of The Road Forward: A Vision for Net Zero Carbon Emissions for the Asphalt Pavement Industry in 2021.
The Road Forward (TRF) program officially launched at NAPA’s 2022 Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz., with a rousing presentation by NAPA’s Vice President for Engineering, Research, & Technology, J. Richard Willis, Ph.D.
MORE RESEARCH NEEDED
In 2024, NAPA formalized The Road Forward Sabbatical to host tenured professors interested in furthering their asphalt pavement research in support of TRF goals. In this role, participants contribute to industry’s vision for net zero carbon asphalt pavements, while obtaining crucial knowledge to take back to their respective universities and research networks.
University of New Hampshire Professor Jo Sias, PhD, PE, FASCE, spent the 2023-24 academic year on sabbatical at NAPA, primarily focused on resilience. University of Nevada, Reno, Professor Adam Hand is the TRF Sabbatical participant for the 2024-25 academic year, while UMass Dartmouth Commonwealth Professor Walaa Mogawer was chosen for the 2025-26 program.
| MISSION | Engage, educate, and empower the U.S. asphalt community to produce and construct net zero carbon emission asphalt pavements. |
| VISION | Sustainable communities and commerce, connected by net zero carbon emission asphalt pavements. |
| GOALS | Achieve net zero carbon emissions during asphalt production and construction by 2050. (Scope 1 Emissions) Partner with customers to reduce emissions through pavement quality, durability, longevity, and efficiency standards by 2050. (Downstream Scope 3 Emissions) Develop a net zero materials supply chain by 2050. (Upstream Scope 3 Emissions) Transition to electricity from renewable energy providers in support of net zero carbon electricity generation by 2050 and reduce electrical intensities. (Scope 2 emissions) Learn more at AsphaltPavement.org/Forward |
COMING IN 2025
Reaching the goals of The Road Forward requires a multi-year, multi-pronged, sustained effort, and that effort in 2025 will drive the sharing of research through in-person events, virtual events, and published reports.
The International Conference on Decarbonization of Asphalt Pavements is scheduled for Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 in Chicago. This event aims to explore innovative solutions and best practices for reducing the carbon footprint associated with asphalt pavements and will bring together the industry’s brightest for an examination of best practices.
The series aims to educate industry stakeholders on the investments needed to achieve net zero carbon emissions.
Five research papers on warm-mix asphalt (WMA) and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) are also expected in 2025, plus an upcoming report from National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) at Auburn University Associate Research Professor Carolina Rodezno. Rodezno’s report explores the state of knowledge on half-warm mix asphalt (HWMA). The finished product will emphasize HWMA’s potential for energy savings and emission reductions, while reviewing production methods, highlighting regional usage trends, and identifying knowledge gaps in mix design and long-term performance evaluation.
