The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has launched a project to widen and reconstruct grading, drainage, base and plant mix resurfacing on 9.091 mi. (14.4 km) of U.S. 1/SR 4 beginning at the Bacon County line and extending north of SR 15. It also includes the construction of a total of four bridges.The project began on Jan. 20, 2010.
For GDOT, Matthew McKenzie serves as the area engineer, and Ron Salter and Brandon Griffin serve as construction project engineers.
The contract, which includes 305,000 cu. yds. (233,189 cu m) of embankment to be placed, 20,000 cu. yds. (15,291 cu m) of concrete to be placed, and 170,000 tons (154,221 t) of asphalt to be placed, was awarded to McLendon Enterprises Inc., Vidalia, Ga. The company will perform all clearing and grubbing, earthwork, utility installation, concrete work, and project management. The project manager for McLendon is Sean M. Scott. He has worked for the company for more than six years, and has served as project manager on large GDOT projects for more than 16 years.
“McLendon uses their own engineering and surveying department to create the 3D surface files for use with the Topcon GPS+ system and machine control equipment being used on the project,” explained Craig Solomon, GDOT communications officer. “They also provide the construction layout for storm, sewer, water, and force main with RTK rovers.
“This project is different from most widening projects in that there are rural and urban aspects within the same contract,” Solomon said. “Both of these types of construction produce a roadway for the traveling public, but the similarities stop there. The procedures in which these roadways are constructed differ greatly, and the staging of the construction for urban work is much more tedious than the rural roadway. Making both of these construction types tie together on schedule is another challenge.”
Solomon noted that a total of eight GDOT inspectors are currently assigned to the project. In addition, the prime contractor has assigned 20 employees to the job, and there are 46 employees from subcontractors.
The current equipment list for McLendon Enterprises for the project includes a Komatsu PC-400 excavator, a Komatsu PC-220 excavator, an Hitachi 330 excavator, three Cat 321 LCR excavators, a Cat D6N dozer, a Cat D6M dozer, a John Deere 750J dozer, and four Komatsu 250 front end loaders.
Major subcontractors are as follows:
Everett Dykes Grassing, Inc., Cochran, Ga., will supply and place all soil cement base and all hot mix asphalt. There are approximately 12 employees daily. The equipment list includes two Cat 140H motorgraders and two CMI 14-ft. (4.7 m) fine graders equipped with Topcon GPS+ machine control systems.
Southern Concrete Construction Co. Inc., Albany, Ga., will build all box culverts and bridges. There are approximately 15 employees daily.
Corbett Electrical Construction Inc., Lake Park, Ga., will install all traffic signal and overhead sign-related facilities. They will be working approximately three to five employees when they are present on the project.
SABE Inc., Vidalia, Ga., will perform all erosion control items with the exception of temporary and permanent grassing and mulch items. They are working approximately four employees daily.
Moses Grass Company, Uvalda, Ga., will complete all grassing items and mulching, including matting. They work approximately eight to 10 employees daily when they are needed on the project.
The project is currently on track to meet the Aug. 31, 2012 deadline. CEG
Brenda Ruggiero
Brenda Ruggiero has written for CEG for over 20 years. She lives near the town of Accident in far western Maryland. Her favorite assignments so far involved interviews with Survivor’s Boston Rob and hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut. Both were involved in construction at one time.
Brenda holds a BA in Mass Communication with a writing focus from Frostburg State University and minors in Public Relations and Political Science. She works full time as a staff writer for a weekly newspaper, the Garrett County Republican. She enjoys feature writing the most, which gives her the opportunity to talk to people and share their stories.
Brenda and her middle school sweetheart, Reuben, have been married for over 34 years and have three grown children and four cats.
Read more from Brenda Ruggiero here.
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