By Diane Calabrese

Three colleges, an aviation museum, and a diversified industry make Kalamazoo, Michigan, a busy place. Home to 80,000 people, Kalamazoo is the vital center of a county with nearly 250,000 residents. Interstate 94 (I-94), which serves the city region and the state, gets heavily used in the east-west traffic flow between Detroit and Chicago, not to mention stands up to some fierce winter storms blowing in across Lake Michigan from the northwest.

When the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) committed to repairs and updates along segments of I-94 in and around Kalamazoo, it had high expectations. Ajax Paving Industries, Inc., which got involved in three recent projects, was ready.

So many people live and work near I-94 in the southwest corner of the Wolverine State that progress on any construction project gets monitored by many casual — and serious — onlookers. Noise abatement and aesthetic considerations take center stage whenever a segment of the roadway is rehabilitated.

MDOT has a Context Sensitive Solutions (CCS) process that addresses concerns of neighbors by working with local partners. Contractors are involved, and Ajax has been part of the process by offering suggestions and solutions.

Ajax also collaborates with MDOT and other contractors on projects to develop the optimum traffic patterns during construction. The ideal patterns cause the least inconvenience to commuters and travelers, help expedite construction, and enhance safety.

Some outcomes MDOT requires are spelled out in bidding specifications. Three projects on I-94, in and around Kalamazoo, all include a five-year materials and workmanship pavement warranty.

Kalamazoo to Portage

As a Tri-Venture with Kamminga & Roodvoets (K&R) and C.A. Hull Company, Ajax is part of a nearly $68 million effort to widen I-94 from west of US-131 to east of Oakland Drive in the cities of Kalamazoo and Portage in Kalamazoo County. The comprehensive MDOT project includes reconstruction of the I-94/US-131 and I-94/Oakland Drive interchanges and 2.61 miles of freeway reconstruction and widening.

The actual MDOT award to the Tri-Venture was $67.9 million with the Ajax portion at $10.4 million. The project started in early September 2006, and it will be completed by May 2009 with substantial completion by the end of 2008. Ajax will place approximately 238,800 square yards of 13-inch, non-reinforced concrete pavement on the project.

“While the work on this project is not out of the ordinary, the fact that this is an old freeway with a limited amount of property makes it a challenge to perform all the work items, sound walls, bridges, drainage, and concrete pavement without one contractor infringing in the area another is working,” says Hugh R. Luedtke, Project Manager for Ajax. The work areas are broken up in terms of accessibility and reduced in size so that traffic patterns remain consistent and safe.

Experience working together as a team on previous complex projects helps the Tri-Venture partners work together and stay on a schedule. Of course, space is not the only limiting factor.

“The I-94/US-131 interchange is one of West Michigan’s most heavily traveled roadways,” Luedtke says. “It also has the highest percentage of commercial truck traffic on it.” The current average daily traffic count is 40,000 vehicles per day with 30 percent commercial truck traffic.

Traffic pattern changes must be carefully planned with as many as possible made at night when traffic is lightest. “The safety of the motoring public and highway workers has always been our first concern,” Luedtke says.

Safety in construction is just part of the risk-reduction story on I-94. Mix powerful winter wind with the moisture it pushes from the lake and a nasty icing scenario follows. The finished surface texture on the stretch of I-94 uses longitudinal tining, Luedtke says. The textured surface is not only quieter, but it also reduces the amount of de-icing material needed in winter.

Phase one of this project presented a few unexpected developments, such as the need to close Oakland Avenue to demolish the Oakland Avenue Bridge. When construction started around the bridge piers, the bridge structure started to lean, thus requiring the full closure of the interchange to traffic. Even so, the phase of construction was completed two weeks ahead of schedule.

I-94 in Calhoun County

As prime contractor, Ajax recently completed a $7.9 million contract for MDOT on I-94 (east of Kalamazoo) in Calhoun County, home to Battle Creek. It included 5.44 miles of concrete reconstruction, pavement replacement, shoulders, guardrails, interchange work, fencing, and ramp work on I-94 eastbound from 17 ½ Mile Road east to 23 Mile Road.

Working between April 2 and August 17, Ajax placed 111,300 square yards of 11-inch, non-reinforced concrete pavement. The project was expansive and the schedule was aggressive, says Pete Mann, Project Manager for Ajax. To meet the schedule, it was crucial that proper planning was done prior to the start of the project. A good team of subcontractors with the ability to work together was organized by Ajax to construct this project on time.

“We were able to complete the mainline concrete paving and shoulder construction ahead of schedule,” Mann says. “As an incentive to the contractor, MDOT included a potential penalty of $10,000 per day liquidated damages if the completion date was not met.”

Ajax stayed on schedule. “The key to this project was all of the subcontractors and MDOT working together towards the goal of a successful, timely completion,” Mann says. “But working the amount of time needed to get the job done is what did it. The prior history that the main subcontractors had with each other made the project come together smoothly.”

Ajax completed ramp construction in Marshall, Michigan.

Ajax used a patented dowel bar inserter (DBI) and paver manufactured by CMI Corporation for the mainline concrete paving on I-94. The paver and DBI is able to allocate the proper amount of concrete, consolidate it with internal vibrators, release it to the correct depth, and also place dowel bars that transfer load from point of contact along concrete panels.

From the rear of the screed, a dowel bar feeder drops dowel bars onto the surface of the concrete. The bars are then mechanically driven into the concrete to a specified depth. On this project, the bars were dropped in a straight line pattern to form the transverse joints, but the machine also can create a skewed pattern by dropping bars individually. Without a dowel bar inserter, the dowel bars would be manufactured into frames, also called baskets, and set out and secured to the sub-base ahead of the paving operation, thus creating an extra step in the paving process.

Ajax mobilized one of its portable, central mix concrete batch plants near the project site. These plants produce a large volume of concrete to consistent specifications. A computerized dual drum Erie Strayer plant was used on this project. Mann says the concrete plant was able to produce up to 5,000 cubic yards per day, as needed. The Erie plant that was used was set specifically for this project and then disassembled and mobilized on to the next project site.

I-94 in Van Buren County

The eastbound lane of I-94 west of Kalamazoo (from east of M-40 in Van Buren County to east of the Kalamazoo County line in Mattawan) also received attention. Between June 4 and November 10, Ajax worked in a joint venture with K&R to complete a $10.7 million project for MDOT. The Ajax portion of the contract was $3.9 million. Traffic began flowing along its final configuration on November 3, a week earlier than the formal completion date.

Mann, who also served as Project Manager for this project, says the paver and dowel bar inserter used on the earlier I-94 Calhoun project was called into service again. “We used the same CMI paver,” he says. “The construction of one lane at a time instead of two lanes was the sequence for the placement of concrete. By constructing this project in this manner, we were able to keep 2 lanes of traffic open in each direction at all times.”

Ajax first constructed a 12-foot median lane and then a 14-foot outside lane. In total, 90,611 square yards of 12 ½-inch, non-reinforced concrete was placed on the six-mile-long segment of I-94.

The on-site Erie Strayer batch plant also was used for the manufacturing of concrete for this project. Again, limestone, sand, and cement were delivered to the plant site, and the concrete was produced in volume for the project’s specification. The process saved time, simplified logistics, and ensured consistent quality.

“Both the Calhoun and the Van Buren County projects have an exceptional smoothness profile index,” Mann says. “The Calhoun County project was 24 inches per mile; Van Buren was 19 inches per mile. Anything lower than 32 inches per mile is good. The lower the number the better.” The smoothness profile index is the measurement that MDOT specifications require to ensure a smooth ride in the final product.

	Ajax’s portion of the contract on I-94 in Van Buren County was worth $3.9 million.

The Tri-Venture also looked at the intermittent lane closures planned by MDOT on the project and envisioned a more feasible alternative. “We approached MDOT with a Value Engineering Cost Proposal,” Mann says. A Value Engineering Cost Proposal, or VECP, allows the contractor the opportunity to propose an alternative idea to MDOT pertaining to the construction of a project and share in the benefits that the idea may bring to the project.

“MDOT accepted our proposed scheme — keeping two lanes open at all times,” he says. “By coming up with this traffic scheme, we were able to work at all times.” The project originally specified restricted hours of construction to facilitate smooth traffic flow during peak travel hours. The ability to work when weather conditions were best kept the project on pace, making optimum use of the time of employees and support crews. The high quality of the pavement speaks to results.

Whether working for MDOT as a prime contractor or in a joint venture, Ajax meets exacting criteria and produces results. These results are transparent to drivers after a road project is completed. Smooth interaction, smooth construction days, and, ultimately, a smooth, safe riding pavement is a nice symmetry, and that is what Ajax is all about accomplishing.