ISSA 2026 Awards Excelled in Austin

ISSA celebrated excellence across the industry by recognizing numerous individuals and notable projects during the Awards Ceremony and Recognition Breakfast at the 2026 AEMA‑ARRA‑ISSA Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas.

This year, ISSA had the honor to recognize the ISSA President’s Award for Large Project, over a million dollars, and Small Project, under a million dollars.

The President’s Award was established to recognize those contracting achievements that exemplify the highest standards of workmanship, materials, and adherence to best practices as defined by the International Slurry Surfacing Association.

This year’s ISSA President’s Award for Small Project is VSS International’s City of Bend’s 2023 Slurry Seal Program, where they applied more than 102,000 square yards of Type II slurry seal across 19 lane miles of residential and industrial streets. Conducted in Bend’s challenging high‑desert climate, marked by extreme temperature swings and snowplow wear, the project helped the City strengthen its pavement network of more than 900 lane miles. Through careful planning, neighborhood coordination, and strict safety and quality control, this preservation effort contributed to raising Bend’s overall PCI from 68 to 76, setting the community on a continued path toward long‑term pavement health.

VSS International is also the winner for the ISSA President’s Award Large Project for their Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Pavement Preservation Project, a two‑year, $17.7 million effort delivered across more than 70 miles of roadway in two of America’s most iconic national parks. VSS International placed 417,000 square yards of Type 3 micro surfacing — all completed at night to reduce visitor impact, and 820,000 square yards of Type 2 micro surfacing during daytime operations. Preparatory work included nearly 20,000 square yards of asphalt dig‑outs, 75 lane miles of crack sealing, patching, fog sealing, and updated pavement markings. This large‑scale preservation effort improved safety, ride quality, and durability while protecting sensitive natural environments visited by millions each year.

The next award presented was the ISSA Excellence in Pavement Preservation Award. This award honors agencies that have demonstrated long-term commitment to pavement preservation by successfully integrating ISSA technologies into their roadway management strategies for 12 or more years. These agencies exemplify innovation, sustainability, and stewardship – enhancing pavement performance, reducing life-cycle costs, maximizing limited budgets, and serving as leaders who educate, mentor, and advocate for preservation practices across the industry.

This year’s honoree, the City of Starkville Engineering Department, has built a comprehensive, data-driven program that has transformed how the city manages its 315 lane-mile network. Beginning in 2023, the City adopted a network-wide strategy – supposed by Civil-Link analysis, PASER ratings, and a range of ISSA-aligned treatments including rejuvenating scrub seal, highly modified micro surfacing, fog seal, and crack seal – to extend pavement life and significantly reduce long-term costs. Their approach yielded measurable success, adding an estimated 379 lane-mile years in 2024 alone while improving safety, durability, and overall pavement performance.

Beyond the technical achievements, Starkville stands out for its commitment to public communication and industry leadership. The city kept residents informed through signage, social media, and a dedicated pavement preservation landing page, and daily updates – setting a new standard for community engagement. They also shared their expertise broadly, co-hosting a regional bootcamp that brought together cities, counties, and engineering firms from across the region. Their dedication to innovation, transparency, and mentoring makes Starkville a true champion of pavement preservation and a deserving recipient of the ISSA Excellence in Pavement Preservation Award.

The 2026 ISSA Preservation Performance Award recognizes a Pavement Preservation Project Manager whose work demonstrates exceptional long-term performance and significantly enhances the quality, durability, and efficiency of a pavement network. The award celebrates leaders who champion preservations strategies, deliver measurable improvements in pavement condition, and set a high standard for innovation and performance across the industry.

This year was nominated by Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, and goes to the Alabama Department of Transportation for their outstanding commitment to long-term pavement preservation – most notably demonstrated through their successful use of highly modified micro surfacing on Interstate 59. Beginning with their pioneering 2017 trial and extending through their major 2024 project treating an entire 18-mile stretch of I-59, the Alabama DOT has consistently proven the durability, safety benefits, and cost-effectiveness of this treatment. The results speak for themselves, improved surface friction, reduced raveling and oxidation, rapid return-to-traffic, and an expected 10-year extension of service life on one of Alabama’s most heavily traveled corridors.

Beyond performance alone, Alabama’s DOT has demonstrated exceptional leadership in research, innovation, and collaboration – working closely with contractors and suppliers to refine application techniques, evaluate long-term results, and expand the use of micro surfacing throughout the state. Their dedication to protecting drivers, maximizing budgets, and pursuing solutions that deliver lasting value makes them a standout recipient of the ISSA Preservation Performance Award.

The ISSA International Award was established in 2020, and recognizes contracting achievements that exemplify the highest quality of workmanship and strict adherence to ISSA best practices. It honors teams whose work not only meets international technical standards, but also elevates the global profile of slurry and micro surfacing excellence.

This year’s award goes to C.I. Manufacturas y Procesos Industriales Ltda. (MPI) for their groundbreaking micro surfacing project on Puerto Rico’s PR-3 Highway between Canóvanas and Carolina. As the first highway micro surfacing application ever performed in Puerto Rico, the project required introducing a new preservation technology, adapting local construction practices, and overcoming challenges including limited local expertise, sourcing specialized equipment, and developing a high-performance emulsion tailored to the island’s aggregate conditions. Despite these complexities, the team successfully restored skid resistance, corrected rutting, and enhanced long-term pavement durability on one of Puerto Rico’s busiest corridors.

What sets this achievement apart is its lasting impact. The project not only delivered a high-quality finished roadway but also established new technical capacity within the region. MPI’s collaborative effort – bringing together ISSA experts form the U.S. and Colombia, training local crews, and demonstrating excellence under challenging tropical conditions – embodies the spirit of international innovation and leadership this award celebrates.

The next award presented was the ISSA Agency Pavement Preservation & Sustainability Program Award. This award recognizes agencies that, for 12 or more years, have championed ISSA-aligned pavement preservation strategies to enhance pavement performance, reduce life-cycle costs, implement environmentally conscious treatments, and stretch limited budgets further for their communities. These agencies embody long-term commitment, innovation, and leadership in sustainable pavement management.

This year’s recipient is the New Mexico Department of Transportation, honored for its decades-long dedication to chip seal preservation as a cornerstone of its statewide pavement strategy. Serving more than 1,000 miles of roadway each year – much of its mountainous, rural, and vital to community access – New Mexico’s DOT performs all chip seal work in-house, reflecting great pride, ownership, and an ongoing commitment to quality. Their crews apply HFE-100P chip seals with precision, delivering durable surfaces that can reopen to traffic within just 2-3 hours, minimizing disruption for residents who often rely on single-lane roads.

Beyond technical excellence, NMDOT has built a culture that prioritizes safety, transparency, and continuous improvement. They maintain robust public communication tools, host internal Chip Seal Quality Awards to elevate craftmanship, and partner closely with industry experts to refine best practices. With nearly 40 years of ISSA chip seal use – including innovations like incorporating RAP aggregates and expanding statewide programs – NMDOT stands as a model for sustainable pavement preservation, community service, and long-term stewardship of public resources.

The final award presented was the Phil Tarsovich Lifetime Leadership award, which is presented at the discretion of the ISSA Board of Directors. This award honors individuals who have shown exceptional dedication to the pavement preservation industry throughout their careers.

Established in 2020, this award recognizes those with more than 25 years of experience in pavement preservation, significant contributions to ISSA through Committee and Board involvement, and a continued commitment to advancing the goals of this association.

The late Barry H. Dunn was honored with this award. He was instrumental in the industry and served as an ISSA Past President. Dunn’s wife, Diane, was in attendance along with his children, grandkids, and friends as he was recognized with this award.

ISSA would like to congratulate all the 2026 ISSA Award winners. ISSA encourages members to submit nominations for the 2027 Awards. More information can be found here, and submissions will start being accepted this summer.