Category: Project Reviews

The J-Band Blog

ODOT’s Smart Investment for Long-Lasting Roadways

SR-53 is a four-lane, divided North South highway connecting Fremont to the Ohio Turnpike. For high-volume routes like this, VRAM-reinforced joints are smart insurance to reduce and delay future maintenance.
Ohio’s Department of Transportation (ODOT) is incorporating an innovative asphalt technology into many of its largest road construction projects this year: Void Reducing Asphalt Membrane (VRAM), also known as J-Band®. This proven material is designed to protect the most vulnerable part of any asphalt pavement—the longitudinal joint—ensuring longer-lasting, safer roads...
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LaDOTD Introduces an Innovative Material to Baton Rouge, Louisiana

LaDOTD new VRAM state
In October of 2025, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD) launched its first J-Band® Void Reducing Asphalt Membrane (VRAM) project, marking Louisiana as the 29th state to use this innovative technology to extend the life of longitudinal asphalt construction joints. Why is VRAM Adoption Spreading So Quickly?  Since...
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Using Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Funding to Reduce Run-off-Road Crashes in Coles County, IL

Using Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Funding to Reduce Run-off-Road Crashes in Coles County, IL
Roadway departure crashes remain one of the deadliest occurrences on U.S. roads. Between 2016 and 2018, the Federal Highway Administration recorded an average of 19,158 fatalities from these types of incidents — accounting for a staggering 51% of all traffic-related deaths nationwide.  In response, local agencies across the country are...
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Building Better Longitudinal Joints: How VRAM Enhances Notched-Wedge Paving

Paving a notched-wedge joint for traffic safety and reinforcing with VRAM
We all know how important and difficult it is to consistently achieve adequate density at longitudinal construction joints. These joints are typically the first place a pavement begins to crack or pothole, largely due to higher air voids compared to the rest of the mat. Forward-thinking agencies are increasingly turning...
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Montana Highway 200 Trench Mill and Fill: Slot Paving Made Durable with a VRAM

Trench mill and fill, now with VRAM sprayed before the slot paving
The Problem  Miles of existing roads are plagued with longitudinal joint distress, especially if they have milled rumble strips. Centerline joint distress often needs re-paving far sooner than the rest of the pavement. There is a need for a better longitudinal joint repair system.  The Current Practice for Repairing Centerline...
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ODOT’s US-6 Displays the Power of VRAM to Seal Longitudinal Joints

Void reducing asphalt membrane centerline joint of a road
Crack sealing is an important practice for agencies to prevent further damage to already emerging cracks in a pavement structure. The longitudinal construction joint is commonly crack-sealed, because it is one of the most vulnerable spots in a road.   Despite crack sealing, the longitudinal joint is often the first location...
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