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Servicing Biddeford, Saco, Scarborough and surrounding towns in Maine.
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The first recorded use of asphalt as a road building material was in Babylon around 625 B.C., in the reign of King Naboppolassar.
The word asphalt comes from the Greek "asphaltos", meaning "secure." The Romans changed the word to "asphaltus," and used the substance to seal their baths, reservoirs, canals, pipelines and tunnels.
Many centuries later, Europeans used asphalt for re-caulking ships.
Later, asphalt roads were used for good drainage, requiring a foundation of large stones covered with excavated road material to raise the roadbed, followed by a layer of gravel. To reduce dust and maintenance, builders used hot tar to bond the broken stones together, producing "tarmacadam" pavements.
The first mixtures produced in the United States were used for sidewalks, crosswalks, and even roads starting in the late 1860s.
During World War II, asphalt technology improved at a rapid pace, spurred in part by the need of military aircraft for surfaces that could withstand heavy loads. After the war, families moved to the suburbs and road building became a huge industry. In 1956, the State Highway Act allotted $51 billion to the states for road construction.
Contractors needed bigger and better equipment to keep up with the demand. Pickup machines allowed bottom-dump trailers to roll out the material in advance of the paver so it can operate continuously. The Material Transfer Vehicle (MTV) was introduced in 1987, which receives mix from trucks and feeds it to the paver.
In the 1950s, state and federal highway engineers controlled almost every aspect of road building, from the mining of aggregates to the mixing of asphalt to its placement on the roadway. Today, however, many jurisdictions have taken a new partnering approach that allows the contractor to take more responsibility (and risk) for the finished roadway. Pavement warranties are also becoming more common.
The trend toward continuous improvement has also allowed the industry to embrace recycling. Over 95 million metric tons of asphalt paving material is recycled each year. Today, asphalt pavement is America's most recycled material.
Asphalt is Environmental Protection Agency approved and used successfully as the primary liner for sanitary and hazardous-waste landfills. Asphalt is also used to line drinking water reservoirs and fish hatcheries in California and Washington.
Pavements being built today meet a variety of needs – noise control, durability, enhanced skid resistance, reduced splash and spray in rainy weather, and a smoother ride.
With constant improvements and continued emphasis on quality, we realize how much progress we have made in increasing the durability, safety, and smoothness of asphalt paving.
Norman Ruck Paving & Excavating, Inc.
Established in 1971, Norman Ruck Excavating & Paving is a full service, family-owned and operated paving company located in Biddeford, Maine. We service all of Southern Maine and specialize in commercial and residential parking lot construction, road building, and driveway installation.
Norman Ruck: (207) 229-3261
Lance Ruck: (207) 590-1439
Wade Ruck: (207) 286-4678
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About Asphalt Driveways
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