RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE INCREASED USE OF HIGH PERFORMANCE, HIGH SUSTAINABILITY ASPHALT PAVEMENTS FOR CITY OF CHICAGO
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
WHEREAS, during the December 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference a consensus was reached that "climate change represents an urgent and potentially irreversible threat to human societies and the planet and thus requires the widest possible cooperation by all countries, and their participation in an effective and appropriate international response, with a view to accelerating the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions;" and
WHEREAS, sustainability has become, a guiding principal for agencies such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("U.S. EPA") arid Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions; and
WHEREAS, a 2013 study on asphalt pavements completed by the U.S. EPA reported that "[t]he greatest GHG emission reductions come from the largest percentage inclusion of both reclaimed asphalt pavement and recycled shingles;" and
WHEREAS, it is the stated policy of the United State Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration ("FHWA") that "[rjecyclirfg and reuse can offer engineering, economic and environmental benefits" and "[r]ecycled materials should get first consideration in materials selection;" and
WHEREAS, it is the public policy of the State of Illinois to provide and maintain a healthful environment for the benefit of this and future generations; and
WHEREAS, the Illinois Department of Transportation is committed to incorporating green solutions for Illinois' multi-modal transportation system, utilizing sustainable design and construction techniques, including recyclable and environmentally friendly materials when possible; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Public Act 097-0314, "[i]n creating the mix designs used for construction and maintenance of State highways, it shall be the goal of the [Illinois] Department [of Transportation], through its specifications, to maximize the percentage of recycled asphalt roofing shingles and binder replacement and to maximize the use of recycled aggregates and other lowest-cost constituents in the mix so long as there is no detrimental impact on life-cycle costs;" and
WHEREAS, numerous studies conducted by agencies and institutions such as the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Illinois Center for Transportation have demonstrated that high-recycle asphalt pavement can perform as well or better as traditional asphalt pavement; and
WHEREAS, through projects such as the Green Alley program, the Cermak "Green Mile" and the "Magnificent Green Mile," the City of Chicago and its Department of Transportation ("CDOT") have established themselves as leaders in innovating and demonstrating to the nation the value and viability of building green; and
WHEREAS, the use of high amounts of recycled materials in City of Chicago asphalt paving projects can provide significant cost savings, as demonstrated by the 40% savings over traditional asphalt pavements realized as part of the "Magnificent Green Mile" project; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago and CDOT have committed to continue their leadership via their Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Guidelines, which includes among its goals the identification and promotion of projects that not only advance sustainable urban infrastructure, but also benefit the environment, provide costs savings and create jobs; and
WHEREAS, in December 2015 the City of Chicago's Office of Inspector General ("OIG") released an audit report regarding CDOT's pavement management program; and
WHEREAS, among its conclusions, the OIG report found that CDOT's pavement management program did not comport with FHWA guidelines and best practices; and
WHEREAS, in a 2011 report on the state of reclaimed asphalt pavement ("RAP") use in asphalt mixes, the FHWA stated in its recommended best practices that "[evaluating mixture performance of the designed asphalt mixture containing RAP, especially high RAP, is recommended;" and
WHEREAS, the Illinois Department of Transportation is taking steps to adopt cutting edge specifications for its asphalt paving program via the introduction of a pilot program for a "performance-based" specification designed to produce longer-lasting, higher-performing and more sustainable pavements; and
WHEREAS, as part of its pilot program, the Illinois Department of Transportation issued "Circular Letter 2015-19" on December 28, 2015, which provides local public agencies with an opportunity to participate, now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the members of the City Council of the City of Chicago do hereby call upon the Chicago Department of Transportation to immediately begin the process of applying to participate in the Illinois Department of Transportation's performance-based asphalt paving specification pilot program.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, we do hereby request that the scope of the Chicago Department of Transportation's participation in the Illinois Department of Transportation's experimental feature pilot program is as broad as possible.
Gilbert Villegas Alderman, 36th Ward