1870s
The First Asphalt Road
Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. is paved with sheet asphalt in 1877 — the first modern asphalt road in the United States. The pavement maintenance industry is born.
About
Who we are
NPMCA is the national association for the contractors who build, preserve, repair, and maintain America's pavement.
National Pavement Maintenance Contractors Association. Members are held in the highest regard.
The trade
Pavement contractors
Asphalt paving and resurfacing. Sealcoating and crack sealing. Patching and infrared repair. Striping and pavement markings. Asphalt rejuvenation, slurry seal, microsurfacing, and chip seal. Concrete flatwork, curbs, and sidewalk repair. Milling and reclamation. Sweeping, pressure washing, gravel maintenance, and dust control. Snow plowing and ice management.
From independent owner-operators to regional crews and national businesses, these contractors build, preserve, and maintain the roads, parking lots, driveways, and sidewalks that keep our communities moving.
Over 115,000 pavement contractors representing over 950,000 workers build, repair and maintain American Road.
NPMCA
National Pavement Maintenance Contractors Association
4110 East 12th Street
Kansas City MO 64127
(816) 451-4567
Pavement preservation
The pavement life cycle
Timely preservation helps extend pavement life. This illustration explains the relationship between pavement condition and treatment choices.
Pavement Condition Index
Source: Federal Highway Administration · Pavement Preservation Compendium (FHWA experience, not a 2026 study)
$1 in → $6–$10 saved$1 spent on preservation before rapid deterioration avoids $6 to $10 later. FHWA experience (Pavement Preservation Compendium) — not a 2026 study. 75% of pavement life is in the "Good" condition zone. Miss that window, and the next 40% quality drop happens in just 12% of remaining life.
Industry history
The evolution of American pavement
More than 150 years of materials, machinery, and craftsmanship shaped this trade. This timeline tells the history of the pavement industry. NPMCA carries that work forward by serving today's contractors and crews.
1900s
Hot-Mix Asphalt Emerges
Industrial-scale hot-mix asphalt plants begin operating in major cities. Roads that once turned to dust now last for decades — if maintained properly.
1920s
The Automobile Age
As the Model T floods American roads, pavement maintenance becomes a public necessity. The Bureau of Public Roads standardizes construction and preservation practices.
1956
The Interstate Highway Act
Eisenhower signs the Federal-Aid Highway Act, launching the world's largest public works project. 41,000 miles of highway will require continuous preservation.
1960s
Sealcoating Becomes a Discipline
Parking lot sealcoating emerges as a specialized trade. For the first time, contractors focus exclusively on preservation rather than new construction — extending pavement life at a fraction of replacement cost.
1970s
Modern Sealer Chemistry
Coal tar emulsion and asphalt emulsion sealers are refined for commercial use. The pavement preservation industry finds its first real chemistry.
1980s
Hot-Pour Crack Sealants
Rubberized hot-pour crack sealants extend pavement life by decades. The FHWA officially recognizes pavement preservation as a cost-effective alternative to reconstruction.
1990s
Pavement Management Systems
Lifecycle cost analysis enters the mainstream. Municipalities and DOTs begin treating pavement as an asset to manage — not an emergency to respond to.
2000s
Infrared & Greener Sealers
Infrared asphalt repair enables seamless patching. Environmentally friendly sealer formulations gain adoption as coal tar is phased out in many states.
2010s
The Digital Shop
GPS fleet management, satellite measurement, and digital estimating arrive. The solo sealcoater now runs the same technology as a multimillion-dollar general contractor.
2020s
AI-Powered Operations
Drone surveys, predictive maintenance models, AI-driven estimating, and automated fleet dispatch transform a traditionally analog trade into a data-driven industry.
Industry together
Built with the people who keep pavement moving
We acknowledge the vendors, material manufacturers, equipment manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and partners who keep this trade supplied, trained, and moving — from emulsion and aggregate to tankers, stripers, and the crews who run them.
NPMCA takes great pride in providing education, value, and solutions to our members to improve their lives, careers, and businesses.
That work sits with the association — a promise to the contractors, owners, and specialists who build and maintain America's pavement every day.