Around the clock

I-10 project moves at brisk pace near Sulphur, La.

By Karla Wall

Despite delays of three to four months caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the $42.4 million project to widen a 10-mi. stretch of Interstate 10 west of Sulphur, La., is proceeding at a brisk pace.

Crews are in place around the clock in order to meet project schedules and deadlines, said Marc Dinnat, project manager with Diamond B Construction of Alexandria, La., general contractor for the project.

Work began in June 2005 and should be finished by October.

The project calls for the addition of a 12-ft. lane and a 10-ft. shoulder on each side of the interstate.

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The existing shoulders have been removed, requiring the demolition and removal of about 66,000 sq. yds. of concrete and asphalt.

Roughly 100,000 yds. of dirt were removed in the process.

Embankment for the new lanes required bringing in 300,000 sq. yds. of dirt from a local borrow pit, Dinnat said. A subgrade layer consisting of 322,000 sq. yds. of bulk Portland soil cement, supplied by Southwest Louisiana Cement in Moss Bluff, La., was cut into the embankment using three CMI 650 stabilizers. About 80,000 tons of Class Two stone base supplied by Port Aggregates of Lake Charles, La., was then applied. The stone base is being compacted onto the soil cement layer using steam drum rollers.

Roughly 360,000 tons of Superpave asphalt, produced on-site using an Aztec six-pack plant, will be used for the overlay.

The project also calls for the widening of four bridges. Subcontractor for the bridge work is T.L. Wallace of Columbia, Miss. Two of the bridges are 180 ft. in length, and two are 140 ft. in length. All four bridges are roughly 12 to 13 ft. in height.

Guard rails were removed from the bridges, the existing 4-ft. shoulder, was removed, and the outside lane in each direction is being extended to 12 feet, Dinnat said.

Roughly 100 precast concrete piles measuring 68 and 75 ft. in length, are being used in the bridges, said Joe Garner, project superintendent for T.L. Wallace. In all, the project calls for 7,200 linear ft. of piling. Piles are formed with Class P concrete supplied by Port Aggregates and are being sunk to depths of 50 to 60 ft.

Caps measuring 30 in. wide, 2 ft. deep and 24 ft. long are being formed using 205 cu. yds. of Class A ready-mix concrete, Garner said. Caps are being placed with 50-ton and 70-ton cranes.

Decks were poured using a large-panel flying form, roughly 8 by 17 ft., with a 20-ft. span, Garner said. Roughly 814 cu. yds. of Class AA concrete, supplied by Port Aggregates, was used for the decks. The deck is reinforced using 87,274 pounds of metal rebar.

The nearly back-to-back punches of Katrina and Rita posed many problems for the project.

"The hurricanes affected every aspect of the project," Garner said. "I would say Rita and Katrina delayed us about six to eight weeks."

Increased traffic flow has been a problem, says Dinnat.

Out-of-state emergency relief workers and contractors, as well as evacuees from coastal towns in Southwest Louisiana and the New Orleans area, have meant a significant increase in the number of vehicles on I-10.

Concrete barriers have been placed at the work site to leave two lanes open for traffic.

While the storms led to an increase in traffic, they also caused a significant decrease in the available workforce, Garner said. "We've been shorthanded since the storms," he added. "Most of that's due to the fact that lodging for employees is still scarce. Once more housing becomes available, the problem should start easing somewhat."