ACPA Quarter 2 2016

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Quarter 2, 2016 9
Pr jectSnapshot
» » Work completed by Trierweiler
Construction & Supply Co.
» » Over 320,000 square
yards of concrete
planned for full project
» » $280 million total project cost
» » 180,000 vehicles travel
through construction site daily
» » Construction began in 2014
with completion set for 2020
» » 3,000 Facebook followers;
2,600 on email list for
regular updates
» » Project website: »
Wi scons i n i nterchange
Originally built in 1957, the Madison Beltline
(U.S. 12/14) and Verona Road (U.S. 18/151)
interchange in Madison, Wisc., is a major route
for commuters, freight, and regional traffic from
Dubuque, Iowa, and southwest Wisconsin to
elsewhere in the state. The original concrete
pavement handles approximately 120,000
vehicles per day on the Beltline and about 60,000
vehicles per day on Verona Road.
This multi-year project includes two newly-
designed single-point urban interchanges, a
diamond interchange, a jug-handle intersec-
tion, and two roundabouts to improve traffic
flow and enhance access to local businesses and
neighborhoods. The project also includes a pe-
destrian underpass and a newly-replaced bridge
to improve safety for pedestrians.
The 2.5 miles of Verona Road and the two miles
of Beltline construction are paved with concrete.
About 202,000 SYof concretewill be used in Stage
1 of the project, said Chris Fredrick, Wisconsin
DOT (WisDOT) construction project manager.
“Concrete was chosen based on the Life-Cycle
Cost Analysis for this project. Also, Verona Road
and the Beltline are heavily-used truck routes
warranting the use of concrete pavement.” Al-
though the project design is not yet complete,
Fredrick anticipates the use of about 126,600
SY of concrete for Stage 2.
Several new approaches to construction of con-
crete barriers were necessary in the Wisconsin
project, said Fredrick. The barrier wall height
varies on the Beltline, between Whitney Way
and Seminole Highway, and the contractor, Tri-
erweiler Construction Company, used slipform
paving to adjust to these elevation changes. “The
footer was poured simultaneously with the bar-
rier wall,” he said. “Crews also used a slipformed
wall over a pre-formed rebar cage.” Trierweiler
successfully handledmultiple transitions for the
concrete barriers, such as near sign structures,
he added. “Some of these transitions were over
7 ft high, which required the contractor to use
a belt placer to place the concrete in the forms.”
The other major challenges faced by WisDOT
and contractors was the expedited construc-
tion schedule, the need to keep traffic moving
Concrete Headlines Major
Interchange Redesign in Wisconsin
By Sheryl S. Jackson; Photo(s) courtesy of Wisconsin Department of Transportation
continues »
W i s c o n s i n I n t e r c h a n g e