Otterville Road in Jersey County, Illinois, is a 25-year-old pavement that has experienced several roadway fatalities and departure accidents over the years. Jersey County Highway department decided to take a stand and make improvements.
Jersey County utilized Highway Safety Improvement Funds to implement this project. The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is very important for agencies to be able to improve and implement safer, longer-lasting roads throughout. This program is federally funded with the sole purpose to achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads, including non-state-owned and roads on tribal land. You can learn more about HSIP by clicking here.
Improvement Plan
To improve the safety of the road, the county decided to use J-Band®, Asphalt Material, Inc.’s void reducing asphalt membrane (VRAM), to increase the longevity of the road and the centerline rumble strips that were being installed throughout this project. While rumble strips do save lives, they reduce the long-term performance of the road.
When centerline rumble strips are installed, water collects at the centerline in the rumble strips, which is the most permeable part of the pavement. By applying J-Band at the time of construction, agencies can reduce the permeability underneath the surface where they’re installed. J-Band works from the bottom-up, migrating upward and filling voids around the rumble strips.
J-Band and centerline rumble strips work together to protect the roads and drivers, and result in less frequent maintenance, which also means less worker exposure to dangerous work zones.
Otterville Road was a perfect example of how to improve the safety of your roadways by utilizing HSIP funds, applying J-Band and installing centerline rumble strips. Special thank you to the individuals who helped make this project happen!
Tom Klasner, Jersey County Engineer
Kim Cummins, CEO and President of Cummins Engineering Corporation
Jim Cunningham, Field Support Manager for Asphalt Materials, Inc.
Tim Zahrn, Specialty Products Area Manager for Asphalt Materials, Inc.
To learn more about other projects that have utilized a VRAM such as J-Band and to discover the benefits of longer-lasting roads in terms of cost savings, efficiency, and safety, you can explore our interactive map here.
To learn more about how HSIP funds are being utilized in Illinois, click here.
Editor’s Notes:
J-Band®, CCAP® and T-Bond® are registered trademarks of Asphalt Materials, Inc.
AMIBIND™, AMIBOND™, AMICYCLE™, AMIGUARD™ and AMISEAL™ are trademarks of Asphalt Materials, Inc.
J-Band® was created in the labs of the Heritage Research Group (HRG) and is a product of Asphalt Materials, Inc. (AMI).
