Quarter 4, 2017

Concrete Pavement Progress www.acpa.org 6 F R O N T C O V E R SEVEN MILES OF PAVEMENT, which accounted for two of the three highway lanes carrying 70,000 vehicles per day were scheduled for removal and replacement. For commuters, this would be a formula for frustration, but for MillstoneWeber and the Missouri DOT, this was a challenge that simply needed to be met. State Highway 65 is one of the busiest stretches of roadway in Springfield, MO. The three north- bound and three southbound lanes handle 35,000 vehicles in each direction for 3.5 miles. Two of the three lanes in both directions required re- construction. Because there were three on- and off-ramps in the area where the lanes needed to be removed and replaced, and because there are local roads that could be used to divert traffic, the decision was made to completely close the highway between ramps to fast-track the pave- ment reconstruction. Splitting the project into six segments of complete closure between on and off ramps enabled the contractor—MillstoneWeber—to work 24 hours per day and seven days eachweek to complete the work. With no commuter or commercial traffic present, it was also a safer worksite, points out StevenCampbell, P.E., District Construction and Materials Engineer for the Southwest District of the Missouri DOT. “Our biggest challenge after the award was communicating the road closures to the public,” he says. In addition to news coverage, a website and social media, signage directing travelers to detours was changed everyweek to reflectHighway 65 closures. “The weekly traffic pattern then changed every day each week—with the heaviest congestion on the Fast-Paced Concrete Pavement Project Highlighted by Bus Tour Seven Miles of Two Lanes of Highway Removed and Replaced in 42 Days By Sheryl S. Jackson continues on page 8 »