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Midwest Edition
October 30 2010
Vol. XVII • No. 22
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded 1957.” 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215/885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • Fax 215/885-2910 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com
Inside
New Bridges Will Ease Twin Cities Congestion By Dick Rohland
CEG CORRESPONDENT LeeBoy, McLean Enjoy Day at the Races...8
Rep. Roskam Visits IED Meeting...16
Bridge crews are on schedule to complete a series of three new bridges along a 20 mi. (32 km) stretch of I35, a high volume freeway linking the Twin Cities of St. Paul/Minneapolis metro region north to the city of Duluth, a busy international shipping port and tourism destination, and south to the Texas coastline. Located in the cities of Lino Lakes, Forest Lake and North Branch, just north of the Twin Cities metro area, all three are in various stages of progress. The bridges will be constructed for nearly $31 million. Lunda Construction out of Black River Falls, Wis., is the primary contractor for the Lino Lakes and North Branch bridges. Robert R. Schroeder Construction, Glenwood, Minn., is building the Forest Lake bridge. The bridges in North Branch and Lino Lakes are rebuilds while the Forest Lake bridge is a new structure. Geographically, the majority of the business, commerce and residential areas of Forest Lake and North Branch lie on the east side of the freeway. The overpass at Lino Lakes and its immediate neighbor to the west, Centerville, links those residents to Hugo on the east side of the freeway. see CONGESTION page 12
Ohio CAT Hosts Annual OEDA Conference...26
Table of Contents ........4 Paving Section ......33-45 Trailers Section ....49-61 Parts Section ..............78 Auction Section ....84-91 Business Calendar......88 Advertisers Index ......90
Two of the half-dozen cranes that Lunda moved in for the bridge removal and construction phases of the project. Because of the strong demand on the overpass, bridge removal and construction was carefully staged to keep traffic flowing across the freeway.
Indiana Spending $77M to Swiss Celebrate Decrease Highway Impact Digging World’s OAKLAND CITY, Ind. (AP) Indiana plans to spend about $77 million to preserve forests, streams and wetlands along part of the Interstate 69 extension to reduce the impact of a 142-mi. project opponents warn will damage fragile ecosystems. The state’s plan aims to preserve forests, recreate wetlands and protect endangered species along the Indianapolis-to-Evansville highway, said Thomas Cervone, director of environmental studies for state contractor Bernardin, Lochmueller & Associates. “This is an effort that goes beyond the norm,” he said. Cervone joined Indiana Department of Transportation officials Oct. 22 in announcing the plan at a 20-acre mitigation site near
Oakland City about 25 mi. north of Evansville. The Evansville Courier & Press reported Oct. 23 that INDOT intends to protect nearly 10 sq. mi. at 40 to 50 sites between Evansville and Bloomington. The agency said that amounts to as much square mileage as the roadway itself. Cervone said INDOT is doing all it can to limit the $3.1 billion project’s impact on wildlife and nature. Environmentalists oppose the new highway’s construction because forests, wetlands and farmland will be bulldozed to make way for it. They also warn that runoff along the finished road from automobiles and road salt will harm sensitive caves, sinkholes and springs. see IMPACT page 30
Longest Tunnel By Frank Jordans
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
SEDRUN, Switzerland (AP) Workers hugged, cheered and set off fireworks as the huge drill broke through the last stretch of rock deep in the Swiss Alps. There was delight at the end of the tunnel — the world’s longest — when it was completed Oct. 15. The $10 billion, 35.4-mi. (57-km) tube will connect Europe’s high-speed rail network and is part of a larger effort to cut in half the number of trucks — now at 1.2 million — that thunder through the Alps each year. The joy and pride felt throughout Switzerland see TUNNEL page 16