When it comes to your driveway, choosing the right pavement type can make a significant difference in both the aesthetic and functional aspects of your property. While there are several options available, asphalt pavement stands out as one of the best choices for many homeowners. Here’s why asphalt pavement should be at the top of your list when considering a driveway for your home.

Durability You Can Count On

Asphalt driveways are known for their durability and longevity. Properly designed and constructed, an asphalt pavement will withstand harsh weather conditions, heavy traffic, and the wear and tear of everyday life. Whether you’re dealing with freezing winters or hot summers, asphalt pavement maintains its structural integrity. 

Cost-Effective Solution

Asphalt pavement is frequently more economical to install compared to alternatives, making it an affordable option for homeowners. Additionally, asphalt driveways are also more economical to maintain. With proper maintenance, sealing, crack-filling, and other minor repairs, an asphalt driveway can provide greater value without the hefty upfront costs.

Quick Installation

If you’re looking to get your driveway paved quickly, asphalt is the way to go. The installation process for asphalt pavement is typically faster compared to other materials. Most residential asphalt driveways can be installed within a few days, and you’ll have full use of the driveway in a short amount of time. This makes asphalt a convenient option if you want to avoid long construction times and the disruption that comes with it.

Low Maintenance

Asphalt driveways are known for their low maintenance requirements. Routine maintenance, such as resealing and filling in cracks, is all that’s needed to keep your driveway in great shape. The durability of asphalt pavement and ease of care, save you time and money.

Aesthetic Appeal

An asphalt driveway offers a sleek, smooth, and uniform look, which adds curb appeal to any home. It’s easy to customize the finish of an asphalt driveway to complement the overall look of your home. Asphalt pavement provides a rich, black color that enhances the appearance of your property. You can easily refresh this look by having sealer applied when needed. The asphalt’s smooth surface and dark color also make removing snow and ice more efficient.

Environmentally Friendly

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes asphalt pavement as one of the most-recycled materials in the United States. In addition, far less energy is required to produce asphalt than alternative pavement materials.  These factors make asphalt a sustainable choice for new construction, renovations, and repairs. By choosing asphalt, you’re supporting a product that not only delivers durability and performance but also minimizes its environmental impact over its lifecycle.

Why Asphalt Makes Sense for Your Home

When it comes to choosing a driveway material for your home, asphalt pavement offers a range of benefits. It’s durable, cost-effective, and requires minimal maintenance, making it a practical solution for homeowners looking for a long-lasting, low-maintenance option. Additionally, asphalt’s quick installation and aesthetic appeal make it an ideal choice for those who want a quality driveway that enhances the value of their property.

If you’re looking to pave your driveway, don’t hesitate to consider asphalt as your top choice. Contact us today for an evaluation. Our time-tested process allows us to understand your needs in order to design and build you the best, most cost-effective solution. At Dunn Company, we specialize in residential driveway paving, offering high-quality materials and expert installation to ensure your driveway stands the test of time.  That’s the Dunn Advantage, guaranteed.

DUNN COMPANY ACQUIRES ASSETS OF MORSE DRIVEWAYS, REINFORCING LOCAL ASPHALT SERVICES AND STRENGTHENING COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY

Decatur, IL – April 2, 2025 – Dunn Company, a leading regional asphalt paving, milling, stabilization, and recycling contractor, is proud to announce the asset acquisition of Morse Driveways, a local asphalt contractor here in Macon County. This acquisition reinforces Dunn Company’s commitment to serving its local community, focusing on commercial and residential projects throughout the area.

Reinforcing Commitment to Local Service – 

“We’re excited to welcome Morse Driveways’ customers into the Dunn Company family,” said David Tyrolt, President of Dunn Company. “We look forward to caring for their driveways and parking lots with the expertise and resources of Dunn Company.  We commit to providing our neighbors the high-quality service Dunn Company is known for, and we are honored to be active members of the community. .”

A Stronger, Local Partner– This acquisition demonstrates Dunn Company’s focus on providing asphalt pavement construction and maintenance for driveways and parking lots.

Robby Morse, former owner of Morse Driveways, says, “I am confident that the team at Dunn Company will continue to provide the same level of dependable, high-quality service our customers have come to expect, with the added benefit of their resources and expanded capabilities. I trust that our customers will be in great hands and look forward to the continued success of this transition.”

Continuing Commitment
Dunn Company is dedicated to continuing its legacy of excellence and looks forward to serving both new and existing customers.  Our aim is to ensure that every project, large or small, is completed with the same level of reliability and precision that Dunn Company is known for. We remain steadfast in our commitment to building stronger pavements, bases, and communities across Macon County and the Midwest.

About Dunn Company
Founded in 1939, Dunn Company has grown to become one of the leading pavement and base contractors in the region. Specializing in asphalt paving, milling, soil stabilization, full-depth reclamation, cold in-place recycling, and other critical infrastructure services, Dunn Company prides itself on providing dependable, quality service to its clients across the Midwest and right here at home. With a commitment to safety, sustainability, and excellence, Dunn Company has earned a reputation as a leader in the construction industry.

Rumble strips are a proven and cost-effective safety measure, widely recognized for their ability to prevent roadway departure crashes, including both run-off-road and opposing-direction incidents. These devices provide audible and tactile feedback, alerting drivers when they are unintentionally drifting from their lane or leaving the roadway. However, while rumble strips have long been an essential countermeasure to improve road safety, the external noise they generate has become a significant concern, especially for nearby residents.

With the growing use of rumble strips, transportation agencies have increasingly sought ways to balance their safety benefits with the desire to mitigate noise disruption. In response to this, new designs and research initiatives have emerged that aim to reduce the external noise levels associated with rumble strips while preserving their crash-reduction effectiveness. This article delves into the latest research from the University of Illinois and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), along with best practices for implementing rumble strips in a way that minimizes noise while maximizing safety.

Proven Effectiveness for Roadway Safety

The primary function of rumble strips is to alert drivers to unsafe driving behaviors by creating both audible and physical feedback. There are two main types of rumble strips commonly used in roadway safety:

• Centerline rumble strips: Positioned along the centerline of the road, these rumble strips are designed to prevent head-on collisions and opposite-direction sideswipes. They are typically installed on two-lane rural roads, although they can be effective on multilane undivided highways as well. The FHWA reports that centerline rumble strips have reduced head-on and opposite-direction crashes by as much as 45% on rural roads.
• Edge line rumble strips: These are installed along the edge of the roadway to prevent run-off-road crashes, which occur when drivers unintentionally drift off the shoulder. Edge line rumble strips are particularly beneficial for highways and two-lane roads, helping reduce single-vehicle, run-off-road fatalities by 36%.

While these strips effectively reduce crashes, their external noise has raised concerns among residents near high-traffic areas. The challenge, therefore, is to find a balance—ensuring that rumble strips remain effective while minimizing the disruptive external noise that can impact surrounding communities.

Noise Concerns and Research Insights

Noise is a natural byproduct of rumble strips, particularly when vehicles pass over them. The intensity of this noise is a combination of several factors, including the depth of the rumble strip, the frequency of the noise produced, and the proximity of the rumble strip to noise-sensitive areas.

As part of ongoing research, the University of Illinois conducted a comprehensive study on the external noise generated by rumble strips and found significant variations based on design modifications. The study revealed that while traditional rumble strips effectively alert drivers, the external noise they produce can significantly exceed acceptable levels, especially when the rumble strip depth is increased.

In addition to this, the FHWA has long recognized the noise concerns associated with rumble strips, and their “Rumble Strip Implementation Guide” emphasizes the importance of balancing safety with community impact. The guide details several approaches to addressing noise issues, including:

• Placement Considerations: Placing rumble strips further from residential areas or using modifications in design to minimize the frequency of tire contact with the rumble strips.
• Design Adjustments: The FHWA recommends experimentation with varying rumble strip depths and designs to reduce the noise without compromising the safety effectiveness of the strips. These considerations are particularly important for areas where the environmental impact of noise is significant.

Addressing Noise Without Sacrificing Safety

Recent advancements in rumble strip technology are focused on reducing the external noise levels while maintaining or even enhancing the safety benefits of these vital safety features. Several innovative designs are showing promise:

Sinusoidal Rumble Strips

The sinusoidal design, which features a wave-like pattern, has been found to significantly reduce the external noise produced by traditional rectangular rumble strips. According to a study conducted by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), external noise from sinusoidal rumble strips is 3 to 7 decibels quieter compared to conventional designs. This quieter design provides a viable solution for reducing noise while still maintaining sufficient in-vehicle noise to alert drivers effectively.

Shallower Depths and Wider Spacing

Other modifications to rumble strip design focus on altering the depth of the cuts and the spacing between the strips. Shallower rumble strips, which are typically in the range of 0.25 to 0.5 inches, have been shown to generate less noise. Additionally, increasing the spacing between each rumble strip can reduce the frequency of noise occurrence without significantly diminishing the safety function of the strips.

Strategic Placement of Rumble Strips

Placement of rumble strips remains a critical factor in addressing noise concerns. Agencies have begun evaluating the placement of rumble strips based on local conditions, including the proximity to residential areas. For example, some agencies are now omitting rumble strips in areas with high resident densities or near sensitive areas, such as schools and hospitals. Other strategies include placing rumble strips further away from the road’s edge to reduce tire contact and minimize noise.

Balancing Noise and Safety

At Dunn Company, we are committed to implementing the most effective and environmentally considerate rumble strip designs available. As experts in roadway construction and safety, we stay at the forefront of rumble strip technology, using the latest research to inform our practices.

We work closely with engineers, public works departments, and safety professionals to design and install rumble strips that maximize safety benefits while minimizing external noise. Whether you’re looking to implement centerline or edge line rumble strips, our team has the experience and knowledge to recommend the best solution for your project.

As rumble strip designs continue to evolve, it’s clear that innovative approaches, such as sinusoidal rumble strips and optimized placement techniques, will help us achieve the delicate balance between safety and noise reduction.

For more information on how Dunn Company can assist with your rumble strip projects, or if you’d like to discuss the latest research and design trends, don’t hesitate to contact our team. We are here to help ensure that your roadway safety measures are as effective and considerate as possible.