FECON BULL HOG HELPS UNEARTH SIDEWALK AFTER 10 YEARS

Fecon’s Bull Hog mulcher has the ability to mulch up to 6 in. material with ease due to its bite-limiting rotor design and a variable speed motor, which automatically adjusts to maximize rotor-speed and torque to changing material loads.

The housing community of Connection, Fla., planned to connect the community's pond to the community through boardwalks. Unfortunately, after cutting the path and putting the sidewalk in, the rest of the project was put on hold.

You may have heard about a bridge to nowhere, but what about a sidewalk to nowhere?

This was the predicament one community north of Tampa, Fla., was facing. After making a 1,500-ft. sidewalk on the back side of a pond, the community couldn’t build the accompanying bridges to connect the sidewalk to the rest of the complex.

Battling Brazilian Peppertree

The housing community of Connerton, Fla., north of Tampa had grand plans for putting in a sidewalk around the back side of the community’s pond and then connecting it to the community through boardwalks at each end. Unfortunately, after cutting the path and putting the sidewalk in, the rest of the project was put on hold. Over the next 10 years, the sidewalk was overtaken on both sides by the Brazilian Peppertree, vines, crepe myrtles, and other undergrowth.

When the project got enough interest to start the second phase of work, Clear Cut Forestry Mulching owner Tim Hileman got the call.

“We had a drone out looking for the sidewalk and you couldn’t see it,” Hileman said, explaining the degree of overgrowth present. Collectively working off blueprints and with the engineers, the team believed they knew where the sidewalk was hiding. Now they just needed to find a way to get to it.

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. So Hileman started at one of the community’s access points and cut himself a half mile long trail through the woods to the suspected sidewalk location.

“We never would’ve been able to get in there any other way…Then we saw the beginning of the slab and started following it.”

Around 1,500-ft. later Hileman found the other end.

After freeing the sidewalk, Hileman cleared 10 ft. of room on either side. This allowed the engineers to finally access the sidewalk to assess it before working on the connecting bridges. Two and a half days of work gave a community their sidewalk back.

The Brazilian Peppertree is so invasive and common in Florida that Hileman encounters it at nearly every job site. Thankfully for Clear Cut and its clients, this undergrowth is easily tamed by Hileman’s Fecon Bull Hog mulcher.

How It Works

Fecon’s Bull Hog mulcher is an extremely durable mulcher with the ability to mulch up to 6 in. material with ease due to its bite-limiting rotor design and a variable speed motor which automatically adjusts to maximize rotor-speed and torque to changing material loads.

Thirty double-sided, Samurai knife edge cutting tools are mounted onto the FGT style rotor, creating a 61 in. cutting width. The attachment requires 30 to 45 gpm flow at up to 6,000 psi, which is delivered by a Caterpillar high flow skid steer.

The FGT rotor system features a smooth rotor surface, spiral tool pattern and innovative tool shape for efficient cutting. Hileman sharpens his blades twice a week and flips them after every 15 running days.

When it comes to mulcher attachment maintenance, Hileman greases the head every morning with four pumps and then another four pumps at lunch on the bearings.

Hileman had such a good experience building his business with his Fecon mulching attachment that he decided to stick with the brand when it came time to grow his equipment arsenal. Pairing another used Fecon Bull Hog mulcher with a brand-new 299D2 XHP Caterpillar, Clear Cut continues to serve the Tampa area with its reliable and durable equipment built to deliver in the toughest working conditions.

Over 10 years, the sidewalk was overtaken on both sides by the Brazilian Peppertree, vines, crepe myrtles and other undergrowth. Clear Cut Forestry Mulching owner Tim Hileman started at one of the community’s access points and cut himself a halfmile long trail through the woods to the suspected sidewalk location.

Durable Mulcher

Launches Two Businesses

Some say word of mouth is the most effective marketing. When someone is so moved by their experience with a brand that they must tell someone else about it, it can be a very persuasive sales tactic. A personal rec-

PARKWAY from page 1 Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray. “It’s a familiar corridor for visitors traveling to eastern Kentucky to enjoy our world-class hiking and rock climbing. The parkway also serves as an important driver of economic development in the area as we continue to attract new investment.

“We’re opening up the region for economic opportunity. More economic opportunity leads to more economic vitality and more economic prosperity for the people of Appalachia, and the Mountain Parkway is a key piece of unlocking the region’s full economic potential.”

The Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway opened in 1963 and stretches 78 mi. across central and eastern Kentucky. The ongoing construction fulfills a promise to complete a four-lane, high-speed corridor linking the Appalachian region with the Bluegrass region and beyond. Gov. Andy Beshear has identified this effort as one of his top transportation priorities to support economic development, tourism and quality of life for Kentuckians. Prior to the start of the Mountain Parkway Expansion, only 46 mi. of the parkway had four lanes. Other portions are two or three lanes with some substandard curves.

“Building better roads is at the heart of strengthening eastern Kentucky communities by making the region more attractive for future companies to build and grow their businesses,” said Gray. “Wider roads mean easier access for trucks to travel back and forth across the state, increasing the potential for freight companies to do future business in this region.”

Construction began in 2015. The work is divided into six segments, from west to east. They include Wolfe County, Morgan County, Magoffin County West, Magoffin County Central, Salyersville Restaurant Row and KY 114 Segment. Morgan County, Magoffin Central and Salyersville Restaurant Row are now complete, which represents roughly a third of the total project miles.

The 4.6-mi. Magoffin County West segment is currently under construction at a total cost of $75 million and is scheduled for completion in 2023. The 11-mi. Wolfe County segment began construction this summer. Final planning for the KY 114 segment is actively under way.

“This transformational project spans 46 total miles over mountainous terrain and requires a considerable amount of planning and coordination before construction can even begin,” said Gray. “Construction segments were established to advance the project as funding is available through the State Highway Plan, which is enacted every two years by the Kentucky General Assembly. Bids for the Wolfe County segment were opened in April, six months ahead of our anticipated schedule.”

The Mountain Parkway Expansion project team has identified an estimated more than $130 million in cost savings for the Commonwealth through value engineering, stream mitigation banking and federal grants. A $24 million TIGER grant was awarded to expedite the Salyersville Restaurant Row Segment, and KYTC won a $55 million INFRA grant to support the Wolfe County Segment.

While much construction remains before workers cross the finish line, significant progress continues to be made.

“The Wolfe County segment is the fifth and longest construction segment to date,” said Gray. “There is an anticipated completion date of 2027. Environmental and archaeological fieldwork is under way for the final construction segment. Governor Beshear is committed to seeing the Mountain Parkway Expansion to its full completion.”

According to Mountain Parkway Expansion Project Manager Aric Skaggs, working on a multi-year undertaking requires both patience and planning.

“Most members of the project team have been with the Mountain Parkway Expansion since its beginning, and many of us grew up in this area, so it’s a corridor we’re all very familiar with. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet works closely with a general engineering consultant, Qk4, to help oversee the many moving parts of this project, including design, engineering, right of way acquisition, utilities relocation and construction delivery. Communication and coordination are essential to making sure the Mountain Parkway Expansion stays on track.

“Large, complex projects such as this require a lot of coordination with multiple team members, from KYTC personnel, engineering and other professional consultants to contractors and suppliers. It’s important that we effectively manage project costs, timeline, quality control and potential environmental impacts. We continually stress the importance of work zone safety for both workers and the traveling public.”

Skaggs noted that work on the 4.6-mi. Magoffin West segment has gone smoothly since commencing in 2019.

“This segment involves a new cross-country alignment over creeks and mountainous terrain. The new parkway elevation is now visible from the existing roadway and new bridges are taking shape. A new interchange also will be constructed for this segment. We remain on schedule for a 2023 completion date.”

Because construction on the current Mountain Parkway segment is largely cross-country, there have not been many traffic impacts. Kentucky State Police are responsible for speed enforcement. Traffic alerts and project updates are sent to local media and shared with the community through the Mountain Parkway Expansion social media channels.

Skaggs said the project includes significant bridge work, which is going well, to date.

There are two sets of bridges currently under construction. The two larger bridges over Johnson Creek leading to the new alignment are both 380 ft. long. Construction on these structures began last year.

“The piers of both bridges are founded on drilled shafts,” said Skaggs. “Steel casing pipe was installed from the top of ground and seated into solid rock. The rock is up to 25 feet below the top of ground at some locations. A rock socket was then drilled, up to 12 feet below the top of rock. A reinforcing steel cage was then installed, and concrete poured from the bottom of the rock socket to the top of the steel casing to become an underground column to

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet photo Manitowoc 2250 Series 3 and Manitowoc 2250 Series 2 cranes set concrete girders.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet photo A Furukawa rock drill is used to dig for foundations.