Quality Asphalt Pavement Awards

APAI’s Quality Asphalt Pavement Awards recognize commitment to quality on INDOT, agency, and private asphalt pavement projects around the state. "Recognition" is often the #1 reward people seek in their jobs, and these awards recognize paving crews for their hard work, while also commending infrastructure owners for choosing asphalt for their development projects.  This program has been completely revamped for 2024 – thank you to the APAI task force for their hard work in evaluating and redesigning the program to recognize the very best workmanship on asphalt projects throughout Indiana!  

How does the Program Work?

  • The 2024 nomination period opens on Tuesday, September 3rd and closes on Friday, October 11th.  Late submittals will NOT be considered.  
  • This awards program is open to APAI member companies only.  Each producer contractor member and laydown contractor member of APAI may enter one project in each of six categories.
  • To nominate a project, click the link below, thoroughly complete the online form, and upload high-resolution photos.
  • Cost per nomination is $200 and includes two plaques if selected as the winning project.  
  • An APAI staff member will visit each nominated project and evaluate based on established criteria.
  • If selected as a winning project in one of the six categories, you will be contacted on or before November 25th.  Winning contractors will be asked to prepare an acceptance video and/or speech for the awards luncheon on December 12th. 
  • From the six categories, an overall winner will be recognized as the Indiana Asphalt Project of the Year ("Golden Lute" award winner).

Award Categories

There are six categories in which a contractor may submit a project.  Projects may be new construction or reconstruction in any of these categories.

1 - INDOT >10,000 tons3 - Public Agency Roadway >3,000 tons5 - Other >3,000 tons
2 - INDOT <10,000 tons 4 - Public Agency Roadway <3,000 tons6 - Other <3,000 tons


  • Categories 1 & 2: INDOT Greater than 10,000 tons & INDOT Less than 10,000 tons
    • These categories include any projects let by INDOT.  If a project is an LPA job let by INDOT (with an INDOT contract number), the project should be submitted in these categories.
  • Categories 3 & 4: Public Agency Roadway Greater than 3,000 tons & Public Agency Roadway less than 3,000 tons
    • These categories include any road project let by a public agency, excluding INDOT.  Examples include:
      • City/town or county streets and roads (includes subdivision streets not privately owned)
      • CCMG projects
  • Categories 5 & 6: Other Greater than 3,000 tons & Other less than 3,000 tons
    • These categories include any public or private project not included in the categories above.  Examples include:
      • Commercial, industrial, and school parking lots
      • Privately-owned roads
      • Aviation (runways, aprons, taxiways)
      • Sport & recreational surfaces (racetracks, sport courts/tracks, trails)

Winning Project Selection Criteria

Submittal should be complete, thorough, and on-time; it should include project write-up and photos that will be used to review all nominations.    
All nominations will be reviewed in-person by an APAI staff member to evaluate project workmanship.  The following factors will be used to judge nominations:

  • Mixture quality – uniform texture with no segregation or flushing
  • Joints – tight and straight, both longitudinal and traverse
  • Smoothness/ride
  • Positive drainage – no areas of standing water
  • Tight matches into existing pavement and attention to detail along curbs and handwork areas
  • Degree of difficulty
  • Miscellaneous factors that set a project apart from the competition – use of green technologies, impact on community, innovations, complex MOT, unique project challenges  

APAI reserves the right to contact project engineer/owner for testimonial regarding project coordination and outcome.  INDOT QA test results will be reviewed for projects submitted in the INDOT categories.

Questions?

Because of these major changes to this year’s awards program, we understand you may have questions.  We’re here to help as we want you to participate and to submit good candidate projects!  If you have any questions, reach out to APAI Director of Technical Services Elizabeth Pastuszka at epastuszka@asphaltindiana.org or (317) 586-7280.


Click Here For The 2024 Quality Asphalt Pavement Awards Submission Form