County Roads — Silver

Project: County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 34, Steele County (Minn.) Highway Department

Contractor: C.S. McCrossan, Inc.

Owner: Steele County, Minn.

Engineer: Doyle Conner Co.

Access was one of the biggest challenges on this project. Detailed phasing and scheduling was required to maintain access to existing homes and a residential cul-de-sac whose only access was via CSAH 34.

Access to a gas station and a lawn care business was maintained by constructing temporary access driveways across adjacent properties, via agreements. Several intersections were also required to remain open during construction; therefore requiring temporary detours and/or paving one-half at a time.

Thanks to better than normal weather, the final third of the project was complete and opened to traffic just before Thanksgiving. Given the amount of storm sewer, grading, and paving work associated with this project, we expected a challenge in opening the road by the scheduled opening date of November 13. In the final analysis, cooperation among the contractor and subcontractors allowed the roadway to be opened before winter.

Divided Highways (Rural) — Gold

Project: Widening and Reconstruction of I-95 in Glynn & McIntosh Counties, Ga.

Contractor: APAC-Tennessee, Inc., Ballenger Paving Division

Owner/Engineer: Georgia Department of Transportation

This project involved reconstructing the existing roadway, which was comprised of two 12-ft lanes of 9 in. continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP), a 4-ft inside asphalt shoulder, and a 12-ft outside asphalt shoulder. The new typical section comprises a 12 ft shoulder, three 12-ft lanes, and one 13-ft lane of 12-in, CRCP, as well as an 11-ft asphalt shoulder. The project scope also included reconstruction of eight ramps for two interchanges, as well as two ramps at a welcome center.

A value engineering proposal provided saved $3.7 million. Other highlights included changing the proposed asphalt shoulder to concrete; elimination of a traffic stage; and use of a conveyor to transport concrete over Interstate traffic. Also, a two-track paver was converted to a three-leg paver and existing concrete pavement and reinforcing steel were recycled for other projects.