We recently announced which firms operating in the Southwest have participated in the annual Contractors Survey. Now, we're happy to announce our Contractor of the Year: Las Vegas Paving.

 

Las Vegas Paving Corp. was started in 1958 by Robert Mendenhall and has grown from one hot-plant to nine as well as becoming the busiest road builder and heavy construction firm in Nevada. Along the way, the firm revolutionized asphalt recycling.

 

In 1974, the company “re-made” a one mile stretch of highway, by using the same materials used in the initial paving. It was the first time anywhere that a highway was reclaimed and recycled, ushering in the worldwide acceptance of asphalt recycling. Over the succeeding decades, Mendenhall and his firm promoted hot-mix recycling to universities and public agencies and helped the Federal Highway Administration with specifications and guidelines.

 

Recently past project-based achievements include a $33.1 million job at McCarran International Airport. Work included demolition and replacement of 255,297 sq. yds of deteriorated asphalt pavement with PCC pavement on a runway and a variety of taxiways.

 

The firm is now the largest contractor by revenue in Nevada.

 

The firm’s most high-profile current project is I-11 Phase 2: 12 miles of new freeway around the southern and eastern perimeter of Boulder City from I-515 to US-93. The $225 million project includes the design and construction of a four-lane access-controlled freeway with a new interchange at US-95 and a reconfigured interchange at the US-93/SR-172 Hoover Dam Exit. Major project elements will include extensive rock excavation, nine bridges, a scenic view parking area overlooking Lake Mead, drainage culverts and environmental mitigation. A portion of the project will be constructed through a ridge of the El Dorado Mountains.

 

The Mendenhall’s are active in the community as well as in the LDS church. They are also long-time and avid supporters of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, having donated substantial funds to both the basketball program and the construction school.

 

We will have much more on the firm in the July issue of ENR Southwest.