Dive summary:

• California wants to join 48 other states in fully implementing the Superpave method of specifying asphalt mixes based on data about the location and expected uses of a project, but a government industry committee has not yet ironed out all the "items of concern" on a list that began with 105.
• The list is down to 14, and the state Department of Transportation—​Caltrans—would like to get things squared away so it can begin specifying the SUperior PERforming asphalt PAVEment in bids let by the beginning of next year so the agency can meet its self-imposed deadline for projects on July 1, 2014.
• The specification method developed by state transportation agencies to replace methods that used less accurate testing is in full use in all states except California and Nevada, Caltrans said.

From the article:

The current "Hveem" mix design method was originally developed in the 1930s by Francis Hveem, an engineer with the California Department of Public Works, Division of Highways, as Caltrans was known at the time.  ...