Saint Paul’s Asphalt Plant Opens for the Season; Mayor Her Tours Facility Operations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 5, 2026

Lisa Hiebert, APR
City of Saint Paul, Public Works Department
651-266-6129 (office) 612-850-0102 (cell)
Lisa.hiebert@ci.stpaul.mn.us 

SAINT PAUL - Media are invited to attend an educational event tomorrow, Friday, March 6 at 8:30 a.m. at the city’s asphalt plant with Saint Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and Public Works Director Sean Kershaw. The 64-year-old Saint Paul asphalt plant opened to the public for the season on Wednesday, March 4. They will give an update on the city’s current pothole patching efforts in Saint Paul.

Saint Paul’s asphalt “batch plant” is one of the few remaining municipally-owned asphalt plants in the United States. The city’s plant is typically the first to open in the season to produce “hot mix,” as well as the last one to close for the season (usually late November or early December, depending on weather). More than 100 municipalities from around the state and western Wisconsin often get their spring “hot mix” for pothole patching from Saint Paul.

There will be a demonstration of the asphalt plant operations.

Who: Saint Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and Saint Paul Public Works Director Sean Kershaw

When: TOMORROW, Friday, March 6, 2026
8:30 a.m. – Mayor Kaohly Her and Public Works Director Sean Kershaw, comments about Saint Paul’s 2026 pothole patching plan 
8:45 a.m. – Demonstration and explanation of how the city’s asphalt plant works

What: The Saint Paul Asphalt Plant is one of the few municipally-owned and operated asphalt facilities in the United States. The city has owned and operated the plant since 1912. The present plant was built in 1962.

The facility is a "batch" plant, supplying several grades of custom mix asphalt for customers use on public streets and roadways. The plant can produce a variety of mixes by using different size aggregates and different types of asphalt cement. Batches of one to three tons are mixed for customers as they are needed.

Last year, the asphalt plant produced 47,000 tons of products, and of that, Saint Paul Public Works used 24,036 tons for mill and overlay, skim paving, and pothole patching efforts across the city. In 2007, the plant received the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Green Star Facility Award for its successful participation in its Environmental Audit Program.

Saint Paul Public Works pothole patches year-round. Before closing the plant for the season, Saint Paul produces 300 tons of “cold mix” for the city to use for winter pothole patching. This season, due to wet weather and the numerous freeze-thaw cycles, the city has been experiencing a higher number of potholes, compared to the last two years of mild winters. Saint Paul Public Works has been triaging pothole complaints, as well as doing proactive pothole patching throughout the city since the start of the year.

Where: 456 Burgess Street, Saint Paul. Please park vehicles on Burgess Street in designated areas.

Note: Media event is outside at a working asphalt plant site. Please dress appropriately for the weather and conditions. The asphalt plant does produce strong smells.