The Kansas Department of Transportation's I-70 asphalt improvement project in Gove County received the 2023 Sheldon G. Hayes Award — the top paving award from the National Asphalt Pavement Association.

The award was presented to the project's contractor, APAC Kansas Inc., Shears Division, of Hutchinson, Kan., at the NAPA annual meeting in Orlando.

"This award acknowledges what we Kansans have always known; Kansas contractors are second to none," said Calvin Reed, secretary of transportation. "It is the result of exceptional collaboration between Kansas-based industry partners and KDOT who completed the I-70 project with a high degree of skill and attention to detail."

The Gove County project covered just more than 9 mi. of I-70 starting 4 mi. east of Park and ending at the Trego County line. Nearly 76,000 tons of asphalt was used on the driving lanes and shoulders.

The winner and finalists are determined through a two-year evaluation process. To be eligible, projects must use more than 50,000 tons of asphalt and be selected for a NAPA Quality in Construction Award the previous year. Qualifying projects are then evaluated for smoothness and inspected in person by an independent pavement consultant.

This award is named for a founder of NAPA and the association's first chairman. It has been presented annually since 1971.