Page 84 • May 16, 2012 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT GUIDE
Improvements Coming After Decades of Discussions INTERCHANGE from page 1
-mately two years from the construction start date. Funded by state sales tax money, the project is budgeted at $24.5 million. Improvements to the state Road 436-Red Bug Lake Road interchange have been discussed since the 1980s. With a current traffic count of 68,000 — which is expected to increase to 78,000 by 2020, according to County Engineer Co-Co Wu — the heavily traveled intersection is one of the busiest in Seminole County. As such, it sees a lot of congestion, further complicated by an intricate layout that is confusing to navigate. While many central Florida drivers say they avoid the area as much as possible, back-ups frequently occur even between rush hours. Congestion and confusion have led to 96 accidents reported at the intersection last year, ranking it seventh in the county for the number of accidents. Even fire trucks have difficulty getting onto Red Bug Lake Road from a nearby station. Overview Project boundaries extend on SR 436 from Lake Howell Road to Wilshire Boulevard; Red Bug Lake Road from SR 436 to Eagle Circle; and Winter Park Drive from Red Bug Lake Road to just south of Cannon Way. Planned improvements include widening SR 436 from six to eight lanes in both directions, widening Red Bug Lake Road from four to six lanes in both directions (although only five lanes from Mark David Boulevard. to Eagle Circle); widening Winter Park Drive to four lanes; addition or extension of turn lanes at multiple intersections throughout the project limits; construction of a major four-span steel flyover bridge for southbound vehicles on SR 436 turning onto eastbound Red Bug Lake Road; upgrading the existing storm water drainage system throughout the area; construction of three retention ponds on SR 436 and two retention ponds on Red Bug Lake Road; replacement of the existing brick wall adjacent to the Sommerset neighborhood, installation of mast arm traffic signals at the intersections of SR 436 and Lake Howell Road, SR 436 and Sausalito Boulevard, SR 436 and Red Bug Lake Road/Winter Park Drive; addition of landscaping and irrigation; reconstruction and repaving of the roadway; replacement and addition of roadway lighting throughout the project and adjacent to the ponds; and reconstruction of curb ramps to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Middlesex Corporation of Massachusetts is the general contractor for the 1.3-mi. long (2.09 km) project. Middlesex’s regional office in Orlando is responsible for managing all work on the
project and will perform the excavation, embankment, base work, bridge work, MSE walls, CIP retaining walls, box culvert extension, milling and paving. Other work to be completed includes relocation and installation of water and wastewater infrastructure utilities by Interlocal agreement with the city of Casselberry and South Seminole North Orange County Water Transmission Authority and relocation and installation of water and wastewater infrastructure utilities for Seminole County Environmental Services Department. Dewitt Excavating is performing the storm and utility pipe work, along with constructing curbs and sidewalks. To divert potential problems and engender cooperation, Megan Olivera, area manager and public information officer for Quest Corporation of America, said the project team meets weekly with utility companies. Meetings for community outreach also are held. Due to the complicated nature of the project, she believes it’s important to keep locals informed through flyers, a Web site and an office on site to answer questions that arise.
(738,448 kg) of structural steel supplied by PDM Bridge of Palatka, Fla. Another 850 cu. yds. (649 cu m) of concrete and 285,000 lbs. (129,273 kg) of reinforcing steel will be used in the superstructure. For safety purposes, the structural steel girders will be erected in accordance with a signed and sealed erection procedure that indicates the proper size rigging, crane selection and positioning. As the girders are erected, a beam safe system will be installed to allow the workers to be tied off while they begin construction of the bridge superstructure.
completing the pond earthwork. Special fencing will be added around the ponds.
Work in Progress Work is progressing according to schedule, Olivera reported. “There have been no weather issues and not many challenges with utilities … but it’s always a concern. Sometimes we find unmarked utilities.” Utility coordination and installation has been a challenge, Carr admitted. “The utility company relocations, such as Progress Energy, Brighthouse, Century Link, Level 3, FPL and Teco Gas need to be completed in a coordinated fashion with the storm and utilThe Road to a Better Intersection ity pipe work.” Road work begins with approximately PAH Constructors is performing the elec77,000 cu. yds. (58,870 cu m) of regular trical work, including signals, signs, ITS and excavation and 23,000 cu. yds. (17,584 cu lighting. The existing water and force main m) of embankment. systems will be modified and 13,900 ft. “There is a net volume of soil leaving the (4,236 m) of new utility pipe will be project after the on-site needs are satisfied,” installed. Trench boxes and slide rail systems Carr said. are utilized while installing deep pipe to Once the earthwork is completed, 37,000 ensure safe trenches and protect the workers and inspectors. Two hundred structures — inlets and manholes — and 17,000 ft. Under the contract, the existing brick (5,181 m) of new reinforced concrete Bridge Work storm drain pipe will collect storm privacy walls will be replaced with “SR 436 will be widened to the water and convey it to six new storm outside of the existing SR 436 to 12,000 sq. ft. (10,033 sq m) of new water ponds, three each on SR 436 accommodate the bridge being posiand Red Bug Lake Road. tioned in the median,” explained Jim walls on Red Bug Lake Road by Old Due to utility installation, intersecCarr, Middlesex Corporation project World Masonry. tion geometry and high traffic volmanager. “Red Bug Lake Road is umes, the sequence of the bridge widened on the north side again to work on this project is performed in accommodate the bridge positioning phases, rather than continuously. in the median of Red Bug Lake Road. tons (33,565 t) of limerock will be spread Middlesex received approval of alternate Winter Park Drive is widened to facilitate over 63,000 sq. yds. (52,676 sq m) of new traffic control plans in an effort to build the the connection at the intersection.” roadway base. Next, 74,000 sq. yds. (61,873 bridge in a more continuous, shorter time The 650-ft.-long (198 m), four-span sq m) of milling of existing asphalt roadway frame. This allows more of the contract bridge will carry two southbound SR 436 will be done and 33,000 tons (29,937 t) of work to be constructed in multiple phases lanes of traffic over the intersection to Red new asphalt paving will be laid. concurrently, helping to keep work on Bug Lake Road eastbound. “Much of the existing roadway is over- schedule. While the anticipated completion “The substructure consists of three inter- built with asphalt to obtain the correct pro- date for the project as a whole is October mediate hammerhead-type piers and two posed roadway elevations and cross slopes,” 2013, Olivera said the bridge is expected to end bents built integrally with 15,000 square Carr explained. open a little earlier, probably in the summer feet of MSE wall,” Carr explained. Under the contract, the existing brick pri- 2013. Approximately 9,000 cu. yds. (6,880 cu vacy walls will be replaced with 12,000 sq. However, safety isn’t sacrificed in the m) of select fill will be excavated from the ft. (10,033 sq m) of new walls on Red Bug name of speed. As Carr indicated, “TMC’s proposed stormwater ponds and used as the Lake Road by Old World Masonry. goal of zero incidents and accidents is the MSE wall backfill. Roughly 11,000 ft. Five existing signalized intersections will most important goal we have on this proj(3,352 m) of hpile 12 x 84 driven into the be reconstructed with new mast arms and all ect.” ground will serve as bridge foundation. the intersections will be interconnected with To achieve that goal, Middlesex imple“This amounts to 924,000 pounds of steel adjacent Seminole County Traffic systems. ments and enforces its comprehensive health piling,” Carr noted. After the existing street lighting system is and safety plan. Overnight lane closures are The substructure will consist of 550 cu. removed, 46 new streetlights will be scheduled so milling and paving work in yds. (420 cu m) of concrete and 130,000 lbs installed. Bowyer Singleton is providing the heavy traffic areas can be completed when (58,967 kg) of reinforcing steel. Reinforcing alternate traffic control design services. traffic volume is low. Adherence to FDOT steel installation and bridge girder erection is Lake Conway Landscaping will plant 380 Index 600 MOT standards when performing being performed by V & M Erectors. trees and install irrigation systems through- this work ensures safe work zones. “The superstructure consists of four out the project, including around the six Middlesex is performing the QC/QA on the curved steel plate girders on a 9-inch-thick stormwater ponds and throughout the medi- milling and asphalt paving work, all other concrete deck,” Carr said. an areas of the roadway, with A 1 Florida QC inspection and testing is being perSuperstructure girders consist of 1.6 lbs. Sod laying sod. D & D Truck and Tractor is formed by PSI. CEG