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Published Nationally ®
Western Edition
July 5 2020 Vol. IX • No. 14
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded 1957.” 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215-885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com
Inside
GOMACO Slipform Paver: Project ‘Workhorse’ By Irwin Rapoport CEG CORRESPONDENT
Road Machinery Names New President, CEO...8
Area Contractors Win Pavement Awards...36
Volvo Donates Gold Rush Dollars to Nonprofits...49
Table of Contents ............4
The replacement of aging infrastructure that has maximized its lifespan, particularly bridges, in the Greater Amarillo Area is a major priority for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). In February 2018, J. Lee Milligan Inc. (JLM) was awarded a $50.4 million contract for the reconstruction of six bridges on I40, just east of downtown, at Whitaker Road, State Loop (SL) 355 (Lakeside Drive) and FM 1258 (Pullman Road). Construction Progress So far, J. Lee Milligan has completed the following elements: the WB bridges at Whitaker, Lakeside and Pullman and the EB bridge at Pullman, and the concrete paving the approaches at Whitaker and Lakeside. The benchmarks for the remainder of the work are switching traffic and starting on the EB bridges at Whitaker and Lakeside in early August. Current activities include paving the WB on and off
The GOMACO 2800 Slipform paver was used for the reconstruction of six bridges on I-40. According to the general contractor, J. Lee Milligan, it is the go-to piece for concrete paving.
ramps with 13-in. CRCP and placing rip rap on the west side of Whitaker and the installation of guardrail east of Whitaker. “I-40 is a major freight corridor and the challenge is keeping the impact to our customer and stakeholders to a minimum is vital,” said
Roy “Corky” Neukam, TxDOT’s Amarillo Area Engineer. “The overall work is good, high quality in terms of workmanship.” Access to the various work sites (road and bridge) is limited due to the one-way frontage roads, but TxDOT is doing what it can to help
the general contractor bring materials and equipment in and out of the job sites. “The working relationship is built on partnering and common goals for achieving a good quality product,” said Neukam. see PAVER page 31
Smart Move: Embracing New Tech for an Edge Technology Gives Contractors Better Results in the Field
Paving Section...........19-30 By Lucy Perry
Wheel Loaders, Tool Carriers & Attachments Section.......................37-48 Auction Section.........51-53 Business Calendar..........51 Advertisers Index ..........54
CEG CORRESPONDENT
Implementing new technology into construction is a smart decision, but it’s a process. The technology must present tangible value from Day 1, and it has to make sense for the job site. It must work as well in the field as it did at the tradeshow. Smart contractors choose products or platforms with the worker in mind. Peter Maglathlin, CFO of Trade Hounds, an app and social network that connects U.S.
construction workers, said “a product or platform that is geared toward the worker, not management, will be most widely adopted and engaged with, and therefore have the most impact.” Three types of smart data collection technology trending in the construction sector right now — drones, wearables and machine automation — are moving the industry forward in a big way. Contractors who have put Dozer blade and bucket are controlled with these tools into the hands of their employees automation, aligning material movement to are seeing success in the field through design decisions with Komatsu’s intelligent see TECHNOLOGY page 32
Machine Control technology.