HIGHWAYS, STREETS, AND BRIDGES

From road surfaces below to signage above, Government Product News offers the scoop on the newest products to keep highways, streets, and bridges in top condition. To get specific information, circle the corresponding number on the reader card, or enter the individual URL into your Web browser to visit the manufacturer's Web site. For additional products, visit the Public Works Zone at www.govpro.com.

Using Alternative Subgrade Conserves Aggregate Resources

California is one of the largest users of aggregate for all types of growth and construction in the United States. An example is the 2.5-mi. Santa Monica Boulevard Transit Parkway, between Interstate 405 and Moreno Drive at the Beverly Hills city limits. To execute the $68.5 million paving project, the largest in the City of Los Angeles in a decade, the state mandated that the construction both conserve aggregate commodities as well as reduce the negative impact on traffic flow in the area.

Contech Construction Products, Inc., West Chester, OH, provided the answer to the State's concerns with Tensar BX1200 Biaxial Geogrid. One layer of the polypropylene reinforcement grid used throughout the entire project allowed reductions in base course thickness and aggregate fill materials over conventionally designed pavement. It enabled project engineers to bridge shallow utilities that otherwise would have required expensive relocation to minimize disturbance of potentially contaminated subgrades from an old rail line. The Tensar reinforced alternative also enabled faster construction time and reduced the impact of traffic disruption on area commuters and businesses.