February 14, 2025

By Lane Kimble

APPLETON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s winters seem to enjoy toying with the concrete pavement industry.

Even in a second straight year of below-average snowfall, a storm covering most of the state blew in just in time for hundreds to gather for the annual Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association (WCPA) Annual Conference.

This happens every year, WCPA President Jackie Spoor said with a sigh.

“We’ve had to run a couple audibles in terms of the speakers arriving a little bit late due to either storms or canceled flights.  Some people rented a car, came up from Chicago,” Spoor told WTBA.  “But it’s been really good.  The crowd’s great.”

Indeed, nearly 300 people packed a cavernous conference room Thursday morning at the Fox Cities Exhibition Center ready to learn and connect.

“This is definitely a very technical workshop,” Spoor said.  “We intentionally have it as technical information.   People come to listen and learn. It seems like they’re hungry for it.”

From the science of modernized dowels to pavement smoothness and materials testing, nearly 20 presenters are covering the leading edge of concrete pavements over the course of Thursday and Friday at the WCPA Annual Conference in Appleton.

Of course there’s some fun to go along with all that learning.

“There’s networking and hospitality, too,” Spoor said behind a wry smile. “We have a good time.”

The WCPA conference, in its 45th year, included a celebration of the 2024 award winners in concrete paving from last month’s Contractor-Engineer Conference, roundtables with WisDOT leadership members, discussions on ethics in construction, and innovations in alternative materials, among others.

“I’m really proud of the collaboration that we have with the industry and the Department (of Transportation),” Spoor said.  “It’s something that Wisconsin values: our collaboration and our workability together.”

Hundreds coming together–despite a half-foot of snow and frigid temperatures–knowing connections made this season will have positive effects for years to come.

“If you want to get the technical knowledge of the leading edge information for concrete pavements, this is the place to be,” Spoor said.