The Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) highway division has been awarded the Northeast Pavement Preservation Partnership’s Jim Sorenson Award in recognition of its leadership and long-term commitment to pavement preservation and reducing the need for costly resurfacing.
The Sorenson Award is a prestigious national honor that recognizes agencies for excellence in preserving pavement assets through innovative, cost-effective and sustainable treatments. MassDOT’s program was selected for its long-term application of preservation principles across all classes of highways and for its success in keeping roadways in good repair using a variety of preservation techniques.
The award was presented at the Northeast Pavement Preservation Partnership Conference May 5–7, 2026, in Springfield, Mass. Cody Holemo, MassDOT’s pavement preservation engineer accepted on behalf of the agency.
“Well maintained roads save drivers time and money, reducing wear and tear on their vehicles and providing a more comfortable ride,” said Interim Secretary of Transportation and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng. “ We are proud that our highway team has been recognized for excellence with this year’s Sorenson Award, a testament to their commitment to innovation and delivering results for the people we serve.”
“Our team has worked for more than two decades to build a preservation program that is practical, data driven and responsive to the needs of communities across Massachusetts,” added MassDOT Undersecretary of Transportation and State Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “This recognition reflects the many years dedication by agency staff, municipal partners, and industry collaborators to keep roads in good condition while maximizing value for the public.”
As background, MassDOT formally established its pavement preservation program in 2005 within the highway division’s pavement management section. This was preceded by decades of research and implementation in areas such as microsurfacing, diamond grinding, polymer-modified thin overlays and ultrathin bonded wearing courses. The program is a key part of the department’s maintenance strategy, which emphasizes early intervention to extend pavement life and stretch taxpayer dollars.
Factors that weighed on the award decision included MassDOT’s long-term commitment to pavement preservation and the Northeast Pavement Preservation Partnership. The agency was an early adopter of a centralized pavement condition database and pavement management system that supports data-driven decisions. In addition, it was a founding member of the Northeast Pavement Preservation Partnership and hosted the first NEPPP meeting in 2006.
MassDOT also has participated in national initiatives such as SHRP2-R26 and FHWA Every Day Counts. In 2021, the agency launched the Municipal Paving Program to bring preservation resources to municipally owned state-numbered roadways.
MassDOT routinely applies a wide range of preservation and recycling treatments tailored to pavement conditions and context. Treatments include:
• Crack sealing using multiple materials and mastics;
• Fog seals and rejuvenators including plant-based and specialty formulations;
• Chip seals with emulsion and hot-applied asphalt rubber;
• Microsurfacing in conventional and high-performance formulations;
• Ultrathin bonded overlays in conventional, polymer-modified, and asphalt rubber variants;
• Hot in-place recycling;
• Cold in-place recycling with emulsion and foamed asphalt; and
• Thin HMA overlays with diverse mix designs, high RAP content and performance modifiers.
Beyond these treatments, MassDOT continues to pilot and adopt innovations such as varied milling techniques, surface texture applications, void-reducing asphalt membranes and expanded use of spray pavers.
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