The leading voice for the crushed stone, ready mixed concrete, sand and gravel, and cement industries' community.
PELA is a 10-month hybrid program with online and in-person educational sessions and networking opportunities.
Careers in the Aggregates, Concrete & Cement Industries
The Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association (PACA) is the industry’s unified voice, representing more than 200 member companies across the state.
Creating a unified and strong voice for our industry.
PACA monitors and analyzes local, state and federal regulations and advocates for a balanced approach by the regulators.
PACA builds a bridge between our members and our partners at PennDOT, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission along with Pennsylvania’s construction industry to further the use of our materials to the benefit of the commonwealth.
One of the most effective tools in government relations for an industry is a robust advocacy/grassroots strategy.
In the last legislative session, we contributed over $275,000 to our political champions.
November 2025 at Hotel Hershey in Hershey, PA (PACA members only event).
PACA offers comprehensive concrete certification programs for ACI, NRMCA, and PennDOT in the central Pennsylvania area.
Membership has its privileges - most of PACA's events are open to PACA members only.
PACA conducts numerous education and training events during the year.
Choose concrete for your next parking lot project.
Streets built with concrete are built to last, consider concrete for your next project.
Concrete's strong, resilient and the choice for your next building or bridge.
PACA works with the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) to convert your parking lot or building project to concrete without hurting your bottom line.
PACA drives a member-approved strategic plan to increase market share and engages specifiers and owners on the value of concrete in their projects.
This program provides free continuing education to the design and specifying communities. There are currently four courses available, ranging from 30 minutes to 60 minutes focused on the cement, aggregates and concrete industries. You'll receive a certificate of completion once you pass a quiz. The bookmarking feature allows you to leave the course and resume where you left off when you return.
Roller-compacted concrete (RCC) is a durable material increasingly used for parking lots and high-load applications. From intermodal yards to industrial flooring, RCC is already seen as an economical and durable solution. It is now also being used to complete a number of municipal paving projects in Pennsylvania.
The RCC process requires a stiff, zero-slump mix with the consistency of damp gravel. Rolling achieves desired densities and strength without reinforcement. A very low water-to-cement ratio often makes RCC as strong as conventional concrete. Diamond grinding is an option when a surface without roller marks and with precisely defined frictional characteristics is important.
Stakeholders are becoming increasingly aware of how RCC placed with high-density asphalt pavers compares favorably to the asphalt alternative. Here are five reasons to consider roller-compacted concrete for your next project.
RCC is a simpler form of concrete paving that goes faster, in part because no forms need to be put in place. Also, there are no dowels or steel reinforcement, and little or no finishing is required. RCC is faster than asphalt because it often requires just one lift where two might otherwise have been required.
As a result, RCC can minimize downtime, something of real interest when otherwise busy parking lots and streets are involved. In some cases, roads can be reopened in a matter of hours rather than days.
Local municipalities with budgetary constraints see RCC as a cost-effective alternative to traditional blacktop. One Cameron County project saved taxpayers an estimated 65 percent. A section of Hercules Road in Shippen Township had deteriorated to the point that patching was no longer a solution. A paving consultant outlined three solutions:
The township opted for the RCC overlay, which ultimately consisted of 200 cubic yards of concrete rolled to a depth of 4 inches. The RCC overlay saved taxpayers money, and it allowed Hercules Road to reopen in only 24 hours.
When two lifts are replaced with one, labor savings can quickly accrue. Compared to traditional blacktop, RCC limits the need for patching and frequent resurfacing, which reduces long-term labor costs. Fewer work zones over the lifespan of the pavement further cut the cost of labor.
Lighter-colored RCC surfaces are easier to see at night than blacktop, and they retain surface integrity. By comparison, heavy vehicles may leave ruts on asphalt roads that become even more of a hazard in icy/snowy conditions. Reduced repairs and resurfacing during the life of RCC pavement increases safety through fewer work zone setups.
Less maintenance translates into energy savings and reduced material use during the pavement's lifecycle. With the right mix of aggregates, sand and fly ash, the amount of cement required is reduced, making the environmental impact of RCC better yet. It is also possible to use recycled crushed concrete rather than local aggregates.
Liquid asphalt is not only derived from crude oil, a fossil fuel, but its price volatility is well known. This may introduce uncertainty into cost calculations from initial project design through project completion.
Two municipal projects in Pennsylvania constitute evidence of RCC's viability for road construction.
Upper Nazareth Township used RCC to repave a 425-foot section of Sycamore Street. The section of road had deteriorated to the extent that a consulting engineer said it looked like a "dried creek bed." The township determined that RCC was the most cost-effective alternative available.
After 6 inches of RCC was laid down over a 3-inch base on a Thursday, a 1.5-inch layer of asphalt was added the following Thursday to make it blend with the rest of the road. There was a 20-minute window to get it rolled, and a second 20-minute window to seal it.
A 30-percent cumulative cost saving was attributed to the fact that overall road thickness was reduced from the 16.5 inches asphalt would have required to just 10.5 inches. This reduced the excavation and trucking costs associated with the removal of waste material. Concrete costs were $40/ton at the time, compared to $60/ton for blacktop -- 1,728 yards of concrete cost about $77,000 compared to approximately $99-116,000 for blacktop.
For another road paving project, Conewago Township selected RCC for resurfacing a portion of a municipal street. A 1,500-foot section of Peanut Drive was paved by placing RCC with high-density paving equipment, and it was finished with double-drum rollers. To facilitate comparisons, one phase of the 2013-14 project was completed using traditional hot-melt asphalt (HMA), while the other featured RCC. At the time, the RCC project required PennDOT's prior approval. The state financed the project so it could acquire real-world data about the viability of RCC for future road construction projects.
Norfolk Southern Railway used RCC to pave a 170-acre area at the Franklin County Regional Intermodal Facility just south of Greencastle. Just two lifts were required to place 16 inches of concrete. RCC was also used to repave a shoulder of State Route 910 in Allegheny County -- 5.5 inches of existing asphalt was milled and replaced with 5.5 inches of RCC.
Particularly when all lifecycle costs are considered, RCC is a cost-effective alternative to other forms of paving. It is notable that PennDOT now includes RCC standards in Publication 408 (Sections 502, 323 and 658).
Our mission at the Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association (PACA) is to educate, promote and market. Please contact us for assistance if you require additional informational resources about roller-compacted concrete.
February 22, 2024
Proficient carbon calculations are increasingly important as “Buy Clean” legislation proliferates. New York and Colorado are among the states that now require carbon calcs for public projects. An estimated 40% of emissions are from the built environment. According to one estimate, the planet’s total building floor area will double by 2060. This makes the concrete industry a key player in the quest for net-zero emissions products and projects.
February 15, 2024
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) notes that cement production is “so carbon intensive that even though cement makes up less than 15% of concrete by weight, it accounts for 90% of concrete’s carbon footprint.” The use of fossil fuels to fire cement kilns is a key source of these carbon emissions.
February 08, 2024
In the quest for reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, everyone has a role to play. In the concrete industry, this includes everyone from manufacturers to contractors, and from trade associations to governments. Here is a review of some of the major initiatives impacting concrete’s sustainability.
February 01, 2024
Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) requires high-temperature calcination of limestone. It is possible to use various emissions-reducing pozzolans in concrete. Fly ash comes from coal-fired power plants. Ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) comes from steel mills. Another SCM is metakaolin derived from kaolin.
The program is delivered in one (1) module and it should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. You will receive a certificate of completion once you pass the quiz. The bookmarking feature will allow you to leave the course and resume where you left off when you return.