HASTINGS — A City of Hastings Street Department mechanic earned an award from the Nebraska Local Technical Assistance Program for constructing a homemade asphalt trailer for the city.
Dustin Lockling has been with the street department for five years and with the City of Hastings for eight years.
Lockling said his homemade trailer helps to keep cold asphalt mix warm, ensuring it is easier to work with when filling potholes during the spring.
“Hot mix is durable and ideal in the summer months. However, you need the proper equipment to get everything in place. A cold patch can last a long time, making it a great option if you don’t have immediate access to pavement repair equipment,” according to NAC Supply.
The old way of working with cold mix was using a loader to scoop up the material, but it would eventually harden when it cooled, and it would become difficult to work with.
Lockling said equipment which can keep the cold mix warm is available, but after looking at some examples at a dealership that cost $60,000, Lockling thought he could build his own.
This type of tinkering and building is common for Lockling and the department, he said if they need something and can’t find it or the money isn’t available, they will build what they need.
However, Lockling said this asphalt trailer was the biggest project he had undertaken, with around 200 manhours put into it.
Lockling said this can help save crews several hours when they are working to patch potholes in the spring.
The trailer was built using the base of a tar kettle, equipment which is used to heat asphalt and then a box which can hold the cold mix.
There is a three-inch air gap around the sides and six-inch gap on the bottom, into which propane heated air is forced which circulates and helps to keep the cold mix at a temperature of 100 degrees.
Lockling noted engineering the air gap was the hardest part of the project.
The trailer can hold one ton of asphalt mix and is able to move on hydraulics so it can be tipped backward.
Lockling pointed out that the city has a larger truck with similar equipment, but it is designed to carry hot mix asphalt, which needs to be kept at 300 degrees and holds three tons.
Lockling said he built the trailer last winter and it was used last spring and the crews enjoyed using it.
It was Lockling’s boss who submitted the creation to the Nebraska Local Technical Assistance Program for their annual “Build a Better Mousetrap” innovation contest.
The competition highlights innovative solutions to everyday problems local and tribal transportation workers face.
Submissions range from the development of tools to modification of equipment and processes that increase safety, reduce cost, and improve the efficiency and quality of transportation.
Lockling received an award from the Nebraska Local Technical Assistance Program and was recognized at the Hastings City Council meeting on Monday, Dec. 11.
