The roads we travel on tend to be taken for granted. Building quality infrastructure is something Elam takes great pride in; this is reflected in the many regional and national awards we have received.
 
Road paving involves either new construction or overlays placed on top of old asphalt. Municipalities typically solicit bids for an overlay package every year. Elam Construction requires an engineered set of plans in order to bid these jobs. The bidding process is a little different when bidding to a municipality or government agency. We are provided with a bid schedule, which lists all the quantities of items that need to be bid. The job is then awarded to the lowest bidder, as long as that company has met all of the agency requirements.
 
Heavier traffic and high-volume roads require a much thicker road base and more asphalt than is needed for lighter-traffic roads. The asphalt can be engineered using different grades of asphalt cement to perform at optimal levels in differing climates and traffic loads. For instance, more rigid asphalt would be desirable in climates that are hotter to reduce rutting. The asphalt oil or binder is designed to be more flexible in colder temperatures and more rigid in hotter temperatures. Here in Colorado, we have very harsh climates with temperatures that can drop well below zero in the winter months and rise above 100 degrees in the summer.