Safety has always been the primary goal of transportation agencies since the development of high speed, limited access highways, but in recent years, another priority has gained increasing attention. The busy din of highways, often referred to as “environmental noise,” has increasingly become a concern. This has been a dilemma, since many of the more aggressive concrete surfaces that provided the best traction and safe driving also brought the unintended consequence of increased tire-pavement noise. Now times have changed. Through extensive research and testing, an innovative concrete surface – the Next Generation Concrete Surface (NGCS) – now exists for quieter travel, increased safety and improved ride.