Developing Tools for Local Agencies in Minnesota: Guidelines for Superpave for Low-Volume Roads

In 2003, the Minnesota Department of Transportation initiated a project to develop guidelines for the use of Superpave/Gyratory mix designs on low volume roadways. Their goal was to provide local agencies in the state with the tools they would need to make increased use of Superpave mix designs, with the ultimate goal of eventually doing away with Marshall mixes entirely. This paper describes the guidelines and the key elements they include. Critical features to include in such guidelines are discussed. The paper also summarizes how the guidelines were disseminated in an interactive CD format and how they were, in effect, marketed. The success of the program to date is reviewed.