2025 Late Season Asphalt Paving Memo

MEMORANDUM

Date: September 11, 2025

To: SDDOT Field Staff, SDDOT Materials and Surfacing Staff AGC and DOT Asphalt Paving Workgroup

From: Craig Smith, Division Director of Operations

Re: Fall 2025 Asphalt Paving Beyond Seasonal Limits

Purpose

South Dakota has a limited construction season and at times it is necessary to place surface course asphalt beyond the seasonal limit dates as defined in the specifications. Density plays a critical role in sustaining a quality pavement and maximizing the durability of the roadway surface. The Department recognizes the need to provide direction and at times allow late season paving when there is a benefit to the Department and roadway users, while maintaining acceptable density. This memorandum will provide the process to be used when paving beyond seasonal limitations is requested by a Contractor.

The "Seasonal Limitation Modifications" memorandum, which can be found on the DOT Intranet at Seasonal Limitation Modifications, provides further internal guidance on that process.

The following process will not apply to Class S asphalt concrete.

Weather and Seasonal Limitations

Request to Pave Beyond Seasonal Limitations

When asphalt paving is anticipated beyond the seasonal limitations specified, the following will provide direction and will be used to approve or deny the request. Upon approval by the Region Engineer, the specification language below will be added by construction changer order. When timely direction is needed; a letter, email, or other written document from the Department will serve as formal approval and allow work to proceed while a construction change order is processed.

Section 320.3 A - Page 126 - Add the following to this section:

If the Contractor anticipates the need to continue paving mainline asphalt concrete surface courses beyond the specified seasonal limitation in order to complete asphalt paving as required by the contract, the Contractor will submit a request to pave past the seasonal limitation to the Project Engineer. The request must include a description of the benefit or benefits to the Department, the traveling public, or both for consideration by the Department. The request must also include an Updated Paving Schedule and a Late Season Paving plan as specified below:

1. An Updated Paving Schedule including:

   1. A weather forecast from a nationally recognized source encompassing the timeframe the work is anticipated to be completed.

   2. The expected paving completion date.

   3. An estimate of the number of suitable weather paving days from the seasonal limitation to paving completion.

2. A Late Season Paving Plan including:

   1. Acknowledgement that all other requirements of Section 320 and applicable contract special provisions will apply.

   2. A list of actions to be taken after the seasonal limitation to facilitate compaction such as, but not limited to:

      1. Tarping if weather conditions or haul distance warrant, or if the asphalt concrete will not be incorporated into the work within 30 minutes of batching.

      2. Use of compaction enhancement additives in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations (mix design approval by the Department's Bituminous Engineer will be required).

      3. Real time quality control to ensure density requirements being achieved.

   3. Proposed sequence of operations with contingencies if weather conditions do not allow paving to continue as planned.

The Department will notify the Contractor of the Department's acceptance, acceptance with modifications, acceptance with conditions, or rejection of the request.

If the Department determines to accept, accept with modifications, or accept with conditions of Contractor's request, the seasonal limitation will be extended to a specified date not to exceed October 31.

The Project Engineer will document the acceptance with modifications, or acceptance with conditions of the request on a Construction Change Order.

Compaction Enhancement Additives and Temperature Specifications

Paving beyond or near the seasonal limitation dates poses conditions that make obtaining specified density challenging. When the Contractor intends to use an additive to assist in achieving density during their operations, a request to the Department needs to be made. The Department will base the approval on the Contractor's submittal of an acceptable mix design and procedures. The Department will require the additive be added and blended by the asphalt binder supplier, unless an alternate method is approved by the Department's Bituminous Engineer. Cost of the additive will be the responsibility of the Contractor. When a delay beyond the Contractor's control occurs and there is a benefit to the Department, the traveling public, or both to continue paving operations; the Department will consider a request for compensation for the cost to use the additive.

The use of an additive will not automatically result in a modification to the asphalt paving temperature specification. Modification of the temperature specification will only be considered when a Contractor is using an approved mix design containing a compaction enhancement additive and a benefit to the Department, the traveling public, or both justifies the modification. Modification of the temperature specification requires approval by the Chief Materials and Surfacing Engineer and the Region Engineer.