Honorary Member Since 2020

Dale S. Harrington, P.E., is Senior Engineer-Snyder & Associates; Founding Director-Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Technology Center-Iowa State University; and the Iowa Statewide Urban Design and Specification Program. Dale has more than 50 years in the transportation engineering industry, has provided exemplary service to the Society, and to the improvement of concrete pavement technology.

Dale Harrington co-authored the “Guide to Concrete Overlays” (National Concrete Pavement Technology Center (CP Tech Center)–Iowa State University)—a technology partner of the International Society for Concrete Pavements (ISCP) and the American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA). Harrington said that thin concrete overlays can extend performance life up to 20 years on existing concrete, asphalt, or composite pavements. New developments include 1.5- to 2.25-inch-long macro-synthetic structural fibers that strengthen the concrete.

Some of Harrington’s work experience includes Polk County, Iowa; Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT); Founding Director-National Concrete Technology Pavement Center (CP Tech Center); Founding Director-Iowa Statewide Urban Design and Specifications (SUDAS) Program; Iowa Concrete Paving Association (ICPA); HCE Services; and Snyder & Associates. Harrington has a broad range of experience in which has given a unique impact in the concrete pavement industry. His experience, combined with an ability to collaborate across the engineering and contracting industries, has allowed him to be a part of many noted publications, guides, technical briefs, workshops, and webinars on concrete overlays and preservation—has helped practitioners to better understand the state of the art in concrete pavement technology.

After discussion in the late 1980’s, the CP Tech Center was created in 2000 as the Center for Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Technology, and assumed the name National Concrete Technology Pavement Center (CP Tech Center) in 2005. Both the CP Tech Center and SUDAS are housed under the Institute for Transportation at Iowa State University (InTrans) umbrella—InTrans also maintains Iowa’s SUDAS manuals for public improvements…

Developing and maintaining Iowa’s unique SUDAS manuals is the result of a lengthy and painstaking effort by more than 300 stakeholders across the state. Dale was honored by the American Public Works Association (APWA) Iowa Chapter, and presented with the “Chapter Service Award” to recognize his contribution to Iowa public works, particularly his work in creating the SUDAS Program.

The APWA statement on Harrington’s award reads:
“In 2000, Dale began the adventure of expanding the central Iowa manuals to
statewide manuals, which we now call the SUDAS manuals. He worked
tirelessly to convince cities and consultants to buy into the SUDAS program.
The program provides tremendous efficiencies and cost savings for all
public agencies of the state, and engages public agency engineers,
consultants, contractors, and suppliers in this effort,
and Dale was the program champion.”

Along with colleagues, Harrington has trained thousands of contractors and engineers in about 30 different states since 2008, and stated that for contractors, priorities include:
• Training for installations
• The way projects are constructed
• Having adequate vertical clearance
• Traffic maintenance during construction

In addition, a document, currently being developed, titled “Development of Concrete Overlay Construction Documents” could help contractors get uniformity in plans so they know how to best bid overlay projects.