Auburn University Installs Porous Asphalt on Campus

Allen Asphalt Services, Inc out of Smith Station, Ala. paves the porous asphalt path.

A freshly paved walking path at The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) is home to the first porous asphalt on Auburn University’s campus. Located in a Natural Resource Management area, the site includes a two-acre pond originally constructed in 1937. The project included repair of the pond’s dam and installation of a porous asphalt path and two boardwalks.

The area is currently used by Auburn faculty and students for forestry and biology research, nature observation, and as a field teaching lab. NCAT Assistant Director Mike Heitzman worked with multiple stakeholders to ensure that university researchers and students would be able to utilize the area as a natural resource.

“The characteristics of porous asphalt made it an excellent choice for this project,” said Heitzman. “Rainwater will drain down through the pavement instead of running off to the side or ponding in low lying areas. This is important for the pond area because this type of drainage will help control storm water and filter out contaminants before they wash into the surrounding environment.”

Heitzman worked with the Alabama Asphalt Pavement Association to develop a porous mix specification and identify local contractors to work on the project. A challenge for small campus projects is convincing a contractor to produce a very small quantity of porous mix.

Researchers at NCAT will continue to look for additional opportunities on campus to highlight the benefits of porous asphalt as a pavement of choice to control storm water runoff and improve walking surfaces during rain events.