The National Asphalt Paving Association (NAPA) has announced the winners of its 2003 Quality in Construction Award for excellence in construction of a hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavement. The presentations were made at a special ceremony at the association’s 49th annual convention in Phoenix, AZ.
“NAPA selects the award recipients using a known set of standards that have been shown to give good results,” commented Peter A. Wilson, chairman of the NAPA board of directors. “This award demonstrates the high quality of work that the HMA industry is achieving.”
Some Winners and Projects
Arizona
FNF Construction Inc. of Tempe
• Milling and overlay of approximately 10 mi. of Interstate 40 in Coconino County.
The company partnered with the Arizona Department of Transportation on the project, which was completed ahead of schedule.
To accommodate the traveling public, one lane of the road was always open during paving. Because of the site’s remote location, FNF set up a mobile plant to provide the HMA for the project. The company used special paving techniques to ensure the smoothness of the road, receiving bonuses for quality.
Colorado
Brannan Sand and Gravel Co. of Denver
• Milling and overlay of Arapahoe Road.
This nighttime paving project was the first Stone Matrix Asphalt project for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).
Despite the cold autumn weather, Brannan Sand and Gravel was able to produce a high-quality pavement, earning a smoothness incentive for its work.
• Overlay of a 3.3-mi. section of C-470.
The contract called for milling of an extremely bumpy 2,000-ft. road section, but the company suggested an alternate method using a profilograph and grade control system for paving and leveling.
Brannan Sand and Gravel Co. obtained the desired result with this alternate method, achieving over 65 percent improvement in the road’s smoothness.
Brannan Sand and Gravel Co. of Lafayette
• Improvements to Firestone Boulevard.
Some areas of the existing road were incorporated into a new, wider road. The company had to maintain traffic flow at all time. Despite technical difficulties, the company successfully achieved the correct elevations for the road and met the required smoothness specifications.
Kiewit Western Co. of Littleton
• Construction of Northwest Parkway, a 70-mi.-per-hour toll road that runs with the E-470/ Interstate 25 interchange to State Highway 128.
This road — approximately 11 mi. in length — was funded through the use of bonds that will be paid off by toll revenues; there were no federal funds involved. This was a fixed-price contract, with the contractor guaranteeing completion by a certain date.
Kiewit Western achieved a smooth-riding, high-quality road for this innovative project.
Lafarge West Inc. of Ft. Collins and the Colorado Department of Transportation (DOT)
• Cold recycling and resurfacing of approximately 20 mi. of U.S. 40.
The partnering between the contractor and the state DOT resulted in the successful, early completion of the project. Lafarge West received bonuses for pavement smoothness and asphalt material quality.
Nielsons Skanska Inc. of Cortez
• Milling, overlay and leveling of Durango-La Plata County Airport Runway 2/20.
The company limited impacts to the community by cooperative project planning and construction. The crews worked 14- and 15-hour single shifts, double shifts, and Sundays to further accelerate an already shortened paving schedule.
Nielsons Skanska used asphalt paving to correct the grade problems with the existing runway, allowing the runway to meet current FAA safety standards without total reconstruction. The runway also met all smoothness criteria.
Oldcastle SW Group Inc., dba Four
Corners Materials, of Durango
• Construction of Arizona Boulevard in Tuba City, AZ.
Three different entities — Four Corners Materials, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Silver State Construction (a Navajo-owned prime contractor) — coordinated quality control, scheduling and construction to provide the Navajo Nation with a significant new road.
The partners overcame numerous challenges to produce an extremely high-quality HMA roadway.
Oldcastle SW Group Inc., dba United Companies
of Mesa, of Grand Junction
• Reconstruction and widening of Taylor River Road.
When the gravel source for the project was discovered to have too much clay in it, the company used innovative crushing techniques to prepare the materials for the HMA mixture.
The project also involved close partnering among departments, and scheduling challenges.
Despite all the obstacles, United Companies produced a high quality, smooth asphalt pavement.
Oklahoma
Cummins Construction Co. Inc. of Enid
• Milling and overlay of approximately 4.5 mi. of Interstate 40 east of the Oklahoma/Texas state line.
Cummins Construction Co. completed the project without closing the road to traffic, earned an excellent smoothness rating, and met all quality control/quality acceptance specifications.
The cooperation between the contractor and the state Department of Transportation helped ensure the project’s success.
• Construction of State Highway 7 and State Highway 3 starting at the intersection with State Highway 69 in Atoka County.
Despite scheduling that required the company to pave in the winter, it achieved a ride bonus with a high-quality mat. Company employees worked on this job under traffic, with the job completed in stages.
The company used a Superpave HMA for the project.
• Construction of 5.33 mi. of State Highway 7 and State Highway 3.
This stretch of road is located approximately 7 mi. east of Atoka and 3.3 mi. west of Lane in Atoka County. The company used a milling machine with a traveling ski to ensure there were no bumps or dips in the base HMA.
Cummins Construction Co. met all specifications for the asphalt and won a bonus for the smooth ride of this road.
• Construction of State Highway 7 and State Highway 3 in Atoka County.
This winning stretch of road begins 2 mi. east of the road’s intersection with State Highway 69 and extends east 5.18 mi.
The company laid the aggregate base with a paver, helping to ensure a uniform ride even before laying the asphalt. It partnered with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, sharing ideas and working together to complete the job on time and minimize inconvenience to the traveling public.
The company built the road meeting all requirements for the asphalt and earning a bonus for the ride quality.
Haskell Lemon Construction Co. of Oklahoma City
• Construction of the Union Pacific Railroad’s Midwest City Rail/Auto Transfer Center.
In just four months, Haskell Lemon Construction Co. placed 412,000 cu. yds. of excavation, stabilized 325,000 sq. yds. of subgrade, then constructed 45,945 tons of high-spec HMA.
The result was a smooth and attractive pavement.
Texas
Hunter Industries Ltd. of San Marcos
• Milling and overlay of U.S. 59 in Jackson County.
This was the first project in this corridor to receive a porous friction course (PFC) overlay. The PFC overlay reduces water spray, improves wet weather visibility, and reduces noise levels.
The paving job, which won an award from the Texas Department of Transportation, improved the ride quality of the road by 50 percent.
For more information, call 888/468-6499 or visit www.hotmix.org.
Today's top stories
