Value engineering proposals to crush the concrete on grade, and to substitute geotextile for the lime-stabilized subgrade, not only saved money for the agency, but also allowed the project to be completed quickly. The project was the first in Wyoming to feature a longitudinally tined texture.   Innovation, hard work, and attention to detail allowed the contractor to finish the project early … and to earn 100-percent of available incentives for thickness and 63% for smoothness.

Silver: Interstate-70 Reconstruction, Saline County, Kansas

Contractor: Koss Construction Co.

Owner: Kansas Department of Transportation

Many people talk about partnering, but this contractor and agency once again demonstrated how mutual trust, respect, and communications can produce high quality, smooth pavement that will serve the citizens of Kansas for many years to come. 

Reconstructing 26 lane miles of a divided, four-lane highway can be a daunting task to complete in any circumstances, but when the project involves new technologies and several surface textures, the challenges can be almost incalculable.  

Not so for Koss Construction, which partnered with the Kansas DOT to build 4 miles of the eastbound roadway using a two-lift. concrete paving process with seven different surface types   Although two-lift. paving process is common in Europe, it has had extremely limited applications in the United States. If this were not challenging enough, there were seven different surface types.

Innovation was a key emphasis, not only because of the two-lift. construction and different surfaces, but also because the top lift. used two different mix designs. The contractor also used rhyollite admixtures with a special interground performance enhanced pozzolan made from Class F fly ash to mitigate alkali-silica reactivity on the top lift.’s mix design. Other innovations included an exposed aggregate section, in addition to the traditional surfaced and ground sections. Another innovation was a knife mounted under the paver pan to create a center line joint that did not require sawing or sealing. 

In support of this project, Koss provided 19 experienced supervisors to manage a workforce of 165, underscoring the company’s serious commitment to quality and workmanship. Koss used its own quality control laboratory and highly qualified personnel to administer the QC plan that was approved by the owner. As a result of this teamwork, backed by experience, expertise, hard work, and extra effort, the citizens of Kansas now have an innovative, high quality, smooth pavement they can be proud of for many years.

 Divided Highways – Urban

Gold:  Interstate-75, Birch Run Creek to Bridgeport Interchange, Saginaw Country, Mich.

Contractor:  Interstate Highway Construction, Inc.

Owner:  Michigan Department of Transportation

Engineer: Rowe Professional Services Co.

Removing and replacing an urban pavement is challenging, but when the project also involves bridges, storm sewer pipes, and other elements, the project becomes even more complex. None of the challenges was a match for the innovation, experience, and skill of the people involved in this difficult project.

The $50 million Michigan DOT project involved reconstruction of 6.5 miles from Birch Run Creek to the Bridgeport Interchange. The contractor removed and replaced three lanes of existing concrete pavement, but the project also involved widening to the median, adding a fourth lane, valley gutter, and a permanent barrier wall; and reconstruction of a park-and-ride facility. Adding to the complexity was the removal, replacement, and widening of four bridges.