Working a Year Ahead

"The ROTA-VIBE [and 5-ft. roller-enhanced paving system] finished well, even on the crowned surfaces," says Winkler.

Double flighting on the paver's dual spreading augers provided more accurate concrete strike-off, which also saved manpower. "With the 4800's extended augers, we didn't have as many people pulling material from the machine," says Winkler.

Charging forward
With both eastbound and westbound expressway lanes now open to traffic, Hawkins can shift its focus to the last phase of the project: the at-grade reconstruction of Dodge Street from Old Mill to 120th Street. Originally slated for 2008, this project will begin a full year ahead of schedule.

Once the project is complete, the upper and lower lanes of Dodge Street will be capable of efficiently channeling up to 200,000 vehicles per day between Interstate 680 and 126th Street. This should be sufficient capacity to handle projected traffic loads well into the second half of the century.