2004CONSTRUCTION REVIEWS

ANNUAL REPORT

Paul D. Johns, P.E.Construction Standards Engineer

June 8, 2005

Table of Contents

Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1

Bridges and Structures .......................................................................................................... 3

Concrete ................................................................................................................................ 11

Grading ................................................................................................................................. 17

Bituminous ........................................................................................................................... 24

Personnel .............................................................................................................................. 27

Work Zone Safety ................................................................................................................. 28

Innovative Contracting ......................................................................................................... 29

Index of Figures

Figure 1 Form travelers being used to construct the westbound bridge spans of the WakotaBridge project over the Mississippi River.

Figure 2 Temporary pedestrian bridge that was built over T.H. 52 in Rochester on the ROC52design/build project.

Figure 3 Main Avenue Bridge (T.H. 10 Minnesota side) over the Red River between Fargo andMoorhead.

Figure 4 Overview of the Main Avenue Bridge constructed over the Red River between Fargoand Moorhead.

Figure 5 Canadian Pacific Railroad Bridge and East Bush Lake Road Bridge constructed overT.H. 494 in Bloomington.

Figure 6 T.H. 100 bridge over Twin Lakes channel in Brooklyn Center.

Figure 7 T.H. 53 (Piedmont Avenue) in Duluth overlooking Lake Superior.

Figure 8 Old stone arch bridge in Duluth that was simulated on the Piedmont Avenue project.

Figure 9 Twin bridges on T.H. 53 north of Virginia being constructed over the Duluth,Winnipeg and Pacific Railroad tracks.

(cont’d)

Index of Figures(cont’d)

Figure 10 Transverse deck cracking on the Lexington Avenue Bridge (I-35E) south of St. Paul.

Figure 11 “Soff Cut” early entry sawing problems on T.H. 694 in Brooklyn Park.

Figure 12 Concrete belt placer on T.H. 212 in Glencoe. Dowel baskets placed behind beltplacer allowing concrete trucks to use the mainline grade as a haul road.

Figure 13 Grade being built for a new alignment of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad.Once the railroad tracks have been relocated the old tracks will be removed and thenew alignment of T.H. 12 will be built.

Figure 14 50-foot deep muck excavation hole being dug and filled in for the new alignment ofT.H. 14 near Janesville.

Figure 15 Machine Grade Control equipment being used on the T.H. 23 project near Spicer.

Figure 16 Taconite tailings being used as an economical alternative to granular fill on T.H. 53north of Virginia.

Figure 17 70-ton capacity mine trucks hauling taconite tailings from the MinnTac mine site tothe T.H. 53 project north of Virginia.

Figure 18 Geofoam (lightweight fill) being placed on the T.H. 59 project south of PelicanRapids.

Figure 19 Geofoam being placed and used as a lightweight fill material at the Edgerton StreetBridge approaches.

Figure 20 Intelligent Compaction equipment being demonstrated at the MnROAD ResearchFacility.

Figure 21 Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA) being used on 117th Street in Inver Grove Heights.SMA was placed in the mainline while conventional hot mixed asphalt was used inthe shoulders.

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INTRODUCTION

The construction season of 2004 was filled with many challenges for Mn/DOTconstruction personnel and its contractors. In 2004 Mn/DOT completed its largesthighway construction program in state history. There were over 75 projectscompleted by the department and well over $1 billion worth of construction wasbeing worked on. The season was wet and cool for most of the summer with nearall time record precipitation in the months of May and September. In the southernpart of the state on S.P. 8103-47 (T.H. 14 east of Mankato) the corridor receivedover 50 inches of rain throughout the construction season. The dry unseasonablywarm weather in the fall however enabled contractors to catch-up and completeoperations and/or projects before the end of the season.

The year also brought with it tight operating budgets, however Mn/DOT was stillable to complete work on some of the biggest projects that it has ever undertaken.Some of the major projects completed around the state in 2004 include:

- T.H. 53 Piedmont Avenue reconstruction in Duluth- 4-Lane expansion of T.H. 371 south of Brainerd to Fort Ripley- 4-Lane expansion of T.H. 23 between Waite Park and Richmond- The T.H. 10 Main Ave. bridge between Fargo and Moorhead- The T.H. 63 interchange in Rochester- Concrete Unbonded Overlay on I-35 SB from Elko to Millersburg- Final stages of the T.H. 100 reconstruction project in the western suburbs- The T.H. 62/T.H. 55 interchange in Mendota Heights- The T.H. 52/117th St. interchange in Inver Grove Heights- Widening of I-694/I-94 in Maple Grove and Brooklyn Park- Reconstruction of T.H. 58 in Red Wing

Major carryover projects around the state include:

- Widening of I-494 from France Ave. to Valley View Road- ROC52 Design/Build project on T.H. 52 in Rochester- Design/Build widening project on I-494 between I-394 and T.H. 5- Reconstruction of T.H. 23 between Willmar and New London- Reconstruction of T.H. 12 in Wayzata, Long Lake and Orono- 4-Lane expansion of T.H. 14 between Janesville and Waseca- Wakota interchange projects at I-494 & T.H. 61- Reconstruction of T.H. 55 in Buffalo- New Interchanges on T.H. 169 at Anderson Lakes Pkwy. and Pioneer Trail- Reconstruction of T.H. 47 between Ogilvie and St. Francis- New Interchange on T.H. 53 & T.H. 169 in Virginia

New innovative construction contracting methods such as design/build, A + B,pay for performance, warranties, lane rentals, HOT (high occupancy toll) lanesand FAST (freeing alternatives for speedy transportation) lanes are being used asa way to better construct our highways. There are also new innovative ways to

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test our materials including the use of intelligent compaction equipment, theGeogauge, the Trident Moisture Meter and a Moisture + Density Indicator (M+DI).PDA�s and web based contract administration software is being used to help in thedocumentation of the testing and inspection efforts of the department.

The position of �Construction Standards Engineer� requires the review of federallyfunded projects that are listed under the Minnesota Acceptance Plan/StateAdministered Federal Oversight (MAP/SAFO) and the Minnesota TransportationPlan/State-Local Administered Federal Oversight (MTP/SLAFO). State, county andcity transportation departments administer federally funded highway constructionprojects under these two programs. I review all state administered projects. Ialso had the opportunity to review other projects not funded by these two programs.I was able to do over 110 official project visits and reviews with written reportsand/or final acceptance forms prepared for each of them.

As part of this position I was able to participate in the following:

-AGC/Mn/DOT Construction Committees-Construction Managers Group (CMG)-Resident Engineers Group-Materials Engineers Organization (MEO)-Construction Practices Advisory Committee (CPAC)-Final Design Advisory Committee (DAC)-2004 Bituminous Pavement Rating Panel-Design/Build Project Participant-2005 Spec. Book Committee-CMG Streamlining Committees-Pre-Qualification Consultant Selection Committee for CEI/Contract Admin.-Bi-weekly Construction Reviews with Concrete Office-Bi-weekly Construction Reviews with Bituminous Office-Presentations to the Technician Conference, Construction EngineersWorkshop, Resident Engineers, Inspector Academy and other ConstructionOffice meetings.

The objective of my position has been one of support and communication betweenthe Office of Construction and Innovative Contracting and the district residentoffices. The position serves as a support to field personnel, to relay information,and to find ways to improve quality and efficiency in construction operations. Italso provides a field review and compliance check with all applicable standardsand specifications used in the State of Minnesota.

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In summary, Mn/DOT had many challenges and accomplishments in 2004. Fromthe wet, cool summer to the dry unseasonably warm fall, Mn/DOT again rose tothe challenge to deliver the largest construction program in state history. All thiswas done at a time when budgets were tight and positions were left opened or notfilled at all. Maintaining a quality workforce is still one of Mn/DOT�s greatestchallenges. With a younger less experienced work force and the hiring of consultantsto do some of our work, training will again be a very important component to oursuccess in the future.

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BRIDGES AND STRUCTURES

There were a high number of interchanges being constructed around the state in2004. Incorporated into these projects were a number of bridges. The followingare examples of some of these bridges:

C. S. McCrossan andLunda ConstructionCompanies areconstructing theWakota interchangeprojects at T.H. 61 andT.H. 494 in South St.Paul and Newport. Thisis $225 million worth ofwork that has 23 newbridges and 7temporary bridges and/or bridge widenings.The project includestwin bridges over theMississippi Riverutilizing cast-in-placep o s t - t e n s i o n e dconcrete segmental boxgirders. The westboundbridge is beingconstructed first andwork on the eastboundbridge is scheduled tostart in 2006. Theexisting bridge built in1959 will remaininplace until thewestbound bridge iscompleted, whichshould be in the fall of2005. Three of the

westbound bridge spans are being constructed using a balanced cantilevermethod of construction with form travelers (Figure 1).

The twin bridges will be 5 spans, 1890 foot long and have a maximumcenter span of 465 feet. Each bridge will be able to accommodate 5 lanes oftraffic. The westbound bridge will have a 12-foot pedestrian walkway. Theproject also includes an extensive use of cast-in-place concrete retainingwalls. Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2008.

Figure 1: Form travelers being used to construct the westbound bridgespans of the Wakota Bridge project over the Mississippi River.

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Zumbro River Constructors (ZRC) is constructing the $232 million design/build best value project on T.H. 52 in Rochester (ROC52). Edward Kraemeris constructing all of the 24 bridges on the project (20 permanent and 4temporary bridges, (See Figure 2).

The project expands T.H. 52 from 4 lanes to 6 lanes for approximately 11miles. There is a completion date set for August 31, 2006 however, thecontractor will most likely complete the project one year ahead of schedule.The project is already over 80% complete. ZRC was also recently awardedthe TH 212 design/build project for $238 million. That project will have 7new interchanges and 5 new bridge overpasses constructed along the corridor.

Figure 2: Temporary pedestrian bridge that was built over T.H. 52 in Rochester on the ROC52design/build project.

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Industrial Builders constructed the T.H. 10 Main Avenue Bridge betweenMoorhead and Fargo (See Figure 3 & 4). The $14 million bridge is a 5-span,807 foot long steel girder bridge. It is longer, wider, and taller than the old1936 built bridge and will reduce the potential damage from debris duringspring floods on the Red River. The bridge has some unique aesthetic featuresincluding a midspan plaza that will provide an overlook of the Red River andboth downtowns. End plazas are being built by both the cities of Moorheadand Fargo. The new bridge was opened to traffic on November 24, 2004.

Figure 3: Main Avenue Bridge (T.H. 10 Minnesota side) over the Red River between Fargo andMoorhead.

Figure 4: Overview of the Main Avenue Bridge constructed over the Red River between Fargo andMoorhead.

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C.S. McCrossan has thetwo projects wherebridges are beingconstructed along T.H.494 in Bloomingtonand Eden Prairie. Newbridges are beingconstructed at the T.H.494 interchanges withWest and East BushLake Roads, CanadianPacific Railroad, andT.H. 100 (See Figure5). The projects willconstruct 3-lanes ineach direction alongT.H. 494 with additionalauxiliary and bus lanes.These two projectsamount to over $63

million worth of construction and should be completed in the fall of 2005.

Lunda and AmesC o n s t r u c t i o nCompanies builtthe last two stagesof the T.H. 100recons t ruc t i onprojects in thewestern suburbs.The 6-milehighway corridorhas converted a 4-lane highway withstoplights and at-g r a d eintersections, intoa 6-lane freewaystyle highway withd i a m o n dinterchanges. Thebridge over theTwin Lakes

Channel won a 2004 Bridge Construction Award due to the overallworkmanship and quality of the simulated stone masonry on the abutmentwingwalls (See Figure 6). As well as the large number of new bridges beingconstructed, the corridor is lined with wood noise walls that help separate

Figure 5: Canadian Pacific Railroad Bridge and East Bush Lake RoadBridge constructed over T.H. 494 in Bloomington.

Figure 6: T.H. 100 bridge over Twin Lakes channel in Brooklyn Center.

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the adjacent neighborhoods from the highway. The majority of the work iscompleted with a small amount of work still to be done on the final stage.

Ames Construction Company also built the five bridges on T.H. 53 (PiedmontAvenue) in Duluth (See Figure 7).

The project extends the 4-lane highway from I-35 to Skyline Boulevard.Along with the bridges, Ames constructed numerous retaining walls. Thearchitectural surface finish simulates the surrounding stone arch bridges inthe area (See Figure 8).

The $25 million projectrepresents the first stage of atwo stage upgrade project ofT.H. 53. The second stage willextend the 4-lane two milesfrom Piedmont Avenue up thehill to T.H. 194 along TrinityRoad. This second stage waslet on April 22, 2005 for $12.5million with the low bidderbeing Ulland Brothers.

Redstone Construction is thesubcontractor building 4

Figure 7: T.H. 53 (Piedmont Avenue) in Duluth overlooking Lake Superior.

Figure 8: Old stone arch bridge in Duluth that was simulated onthe Piedmont Avenue project.

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bridges and 2 large box culverts at the interchange of T.H. 53 and T.H. 169just north of Virginia (See Figure 9). The interchange replaces an existingsignalized intersection. Taconite tailings are being used as a granular fill onthis project. The 4 bridges being built will allow T.H. 53 to travel over T.H.169 and the DWP (Duluth, Winnipeg and Pacific) railroad tracks. All 4 bridgeswill be built with prestressed girders. Construction should be completed bySeptember 2005.

Deck cracking wasprevalent on a numberof bridge projects in2004. The LexingtonAvenue Bridge on I-35E(See figure 10), theMain Avenue Bridgebetween Moorhead andFargo and the 75 th

Street Bridge inRochester are a fewexamples. Theproblems occurredmore frequently withlarger steel girderspans and wide bridgepours.

Figure 9: Twin bridges on T.H. 53 north of Virginia being constructed over the Duluth, Winnipeg andPacific Railroad tracks.

Figure 10: Transverse deck cracking on the Lexington Avenue Bridge(I-35E) south of St. Paul.

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Flexural cracking is occurring when full length pours are being constructed. TheBridge Office would like to begin using deck staged pours (checkerboard pours) tooffset the flexural cracking problems. Wisconsin used this method on the HudsonBridge and they experienced no flexural cracking. Also, some specification changeswill be made for cold and hot weather pouring. Contractors may be asked toproduce pouring sequence plans prior to deck placement and a pre-wetted wetburlap or burlene 20 minutes after final strike-off. The fineness of the cement anddeck curing may also be contributing to deck cracking in our bridge decks.

In 2004 there were two bridge decks in District 1, one in District 4, and one inDistrict 3 that used a mix design calling for a full 9-inch depth deck using 30% flyash substitution for cement. Fly ash is a byproduct of the electrical power industry.The fly ash particles are left over after coal is burned in power plants. Fly ash canincrease workability, strength and provide more durability in our concrete mixes.The results of using 30% fly ash in these decks so far have been very good. Thecuring compound used was changed on these decks to a similar one that is usedfor concrete paving. The decks also require a 7-day wet cure. In 2005 there willbe a number of bridges utilizing this specification. There will be 4 bridges usingthis specification on S.P. 4912-48 along T.H. 371 north of Little Falls and another4 bridges utilizing this specification on S.P. 6283-170 along I-94 east of St. Paul.This specification may also be used on the T.H. 212 design/build project. Fulldepth micro-silica decks are being phased out.

Mn/DOT has reinstated the welding certification program for field welders on Mn/DOT projects. The department will be certifying the field welders. Welders employedby the fabricator will be required to be certified through the American WeldingSociety (AWS) certification process.

A new painting specification will be coming out this year that will require all paintcoats (primer, intermediate and final) to be supplied by the same paint manufacture.No longer will it be allowed to use paint from different manufactures.

C.S. McCrossan was the low bidder May 20, 2005 on S.P. 2771-31 along T.H. 610.This project will require the contractor to use precast stay-in-place deck panels.The project is located in Brooklyn Park and Maple Grove and should expediteconstruction. If this method of construction performs well, future projects will beoffered with this method as an acceptable alternate.

Inverted T-beams will be used on S.P. 1301-91 (Bridge No. 13004) along T.H. 8near Center City and on S.P. 0413-29 (Bridge No. 04002) along T.H. 72 in Waskish.The inverted T-beams will typically be used in place of cast-in-place slab spans.The benefits for using T-beams will be a more rapid type of construction (stay-in-place forms) while providing for increased load carrying capacity. The negativewill be that this type of superstructure could be more expensive.

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The Bridge Office will be coming out with new standards for two new I-girdershapes for the 45-inch and the 54-inch prestressed girders. The two new shapesare due to come out in the middle of this year and will be similar to the Iowa andWisconsin shapes. They will have the same depth as the current design however,the flanges will be wider. The new girders will be 10% heavier but will provideincreased load carrying capacity.

In the northeastern part of the United States asbestos has been found in bituminouswaterproofing membranes behind bridge abutments. Mn/DOT has thereforedeveloped procedures for handling asbestos and regulated wastes on bridges inMinnesota. Assessment contracts will need to be done for any bridge demolition6 months to 1 year prior to construction so that they can be executed in a timelymanner. Contracts of this type have been running around $5000 per bridge andusually take around 4 weeks to set up. If asbestos or other regulated waste isfound on the bridge, contractors will need to provide a 10-day notification to theMPCA and/or the Minnesota Department of Health prior to abatement activities.A copy of this notification must also be sent to Mn/DOT. If asbestos or regulatedwaste is found in utilities located on the bridge, an invoice of the abatement costscan be sent to the utility company for reimbursement to Mn/DOT. There hasalready been assessment contracts done on several bridges within Minnesota andonly one bridge was found to contain asbestos. This was on a railroad bridgereplacement project in District 3 where asbestos was found in the fireproofingmembrane.

This is the third year Mn/DOT and the AGC Bridge Committee have put togetherbridge construction awards for excellence in bridge construction. The awardswere given out at the AGC annual meeting held on January 20, 2005 at the St.Paul River Center. The bridges were rated on quality of material, innovations,complexity of project, timeliness, cooperation, safety, and general appearance &workmanship. The award winning bridges were as follows:

Bridges < $1.5 millionThere were no candidates in this category.

Bridges between $1.5 million and $8.0 millionMetro District Bridge No. 27288 on T.H. 100 over Twin Lakes Channel in Robbinsdale.S.P. 2735-159Prime: Shafer Contracting Co.Bridge Subcontractor: Lunda Construction Company

Bridges > $8.0 millionThere were no candidates in this category.

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CONCRETE

There were many concrete paving projects under construction in 2004. Thefollowing are examples of some of them:

PCI and Shafer were concrete paving the final stages of the T.H. 100reconstruction projects in the western suburbs. The 5-stages of T.H. 100resulted in more than $135 million worth of work and upgrades the 6-milecorridor to 6-lanes. This has become a more freeway style roadway withinterchanges and no at-grade crossings.

McCrossan is completing the concrete paving on the two T.H. 494 projectsfrom Valley View Road to France Avenue. These two projects reconstructover 5 miles of T.H. 494 and expand the highway from 4-lanes to 6-lanes.The project will improve existing interchanges and construct bus onlyshoulders.

Shafer, PCI and McCrossan completed the concrete paving for thereconstruction of the I-94 corridor from the Mississippi River to the I-94/T.H. 494 interchange. The 5 major stages of reconstruction resulted in over$65 million worth of work and completed the widening of the highway to 6-lanes in the northern metro. On one of the stages an early entry �Soff-Cut�joint sawing process was used to dry cut transverse joints in the highperformance (60-year life) concrete pavement. This �Soff-Cut� equipmentwas used on every third or second joint. Parallel cracking developed onboth sides of the joint about 2 inches from the joint (See Figure 11).

Figure 11: �Soff Cut� early entry sawing problems on T.H. 694 in Brooklyn Park.

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The deterioration went down to a depth of around 2 inches.

The contractor has injected epoxy sealant in some of the joints however nofinal decision has been made on a solution to this problem. Similar cracking,from using the �Soff-Cut� equipment, has also developed on one of thestages of the Wakota interchange projects in Newport. Presently the �Soff-Cut� equipment is not being used on any metro highway. There is aNovember 8, 2004 report written by ERES Engineering investigating thecracking issue and providing recommendations.

In Glencoe a complete reconstruction of 2-lanes of east bound T.H. 212 was beingdone. McCrossan performed all the concrete paving as a second tier subcontractorto PCI. PCI crews were very busy during most of the 2004 season. PCI did supplythe cement, some equipment and many of the supplies for the concrete pavingoperation. A belt placer was supplied by PCI to deliver concrete on a conveyorbelt over the top of the machine and onto the grade, in front of the paver. Thistype of belt placer is used when there is limited room for a truck haul road (SeeFigure 12).

Figure 12: Concrete belt placer on T.H. 212 in Glencoe. Dowel baskets placed behind belt placer allowingconcrete trucks to use the mainline grade as a haul road.

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McCrossan and Shafer are performing the concrete paving on the 4 stages of theWakota interchange. Located on I-494 and T.H. 61 in South St. Paul and Newport,the 4 stages will result in over $225 million worth of construction work. The scopeof these projects is bigger than any other project Mn/DOT has undertaken. Therewill be a total of 9 separate construction projects let as part of this interchangereconstruction with 4 being state projects and the other 5 locally let projects.

Shafer constructed an unbonded concrete overlay on southbound I-35 fromElko to Millersburg. This project was delayed and running behind schedulebecause of an alleged cement shortage. The northbound lanes of I-35forproject were constructed in 2003 with an unbonded concrete overlay. UllandBrothers was the low bidder at $13.2 million on the next unbonded concreteoverlay on I-35 from I-90 to the Iowa boarder.

PCI is still concrete paving the design/build project on T.H. 52 in Rochester(ROC52). The 11-mile long project is already over 80% complete and shouldbe completed by November of 2005 (one year ahead of schedule).

PCI completed the paving for the T.H. 53 Piedmont Avenue project. Concretepaving was originally attempted to pave up hill but because of the nearly7% grade, downhill paving presented a lot less problems.

The availability of stainless steel clad dowel bars became a huge issue in 2003. In2004 there were still problems especially when the stainless steel starting showingsigns of rust. There are still 6 dowel bar options available for contractors to usewhen they construct Mn/DOT�s high performance concrete (HPC) paving projectsincluding design/build projects. The 6 options are as follows:

1) Stainless Steel Clad Bar - (SMI Inc. informed Mn/DOT that they will notproduce these bars for at least one year.

2) Stainless Steel Thin Wall Tube � Carbon Filled (some company�s fill thetube with epoxy coated rebar)

3) Stainless Steel Thin Wall Tube � Grout Filled

4) Stainless Steel Pipe � Ends Plugged (Current �Minne-Alf� study at U of M)

5) Solid Stainless Steel Bar

6) Zinc coated dowel bar

Contractors in the metro are mostly supplying the stainless steel thin wall tube(carbon filled) and the stainless steel pipe (ends plugged). All other concretepaving projects that are not using the high performance concrete specificationincorporate epoxy coated dowel bars into the pavement.

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There are 5 smoothness devices that contractors and Mn/DOT are presently usingto measure the ride quality of our pavements:

· the McCracken and Ames device is essentially a 25-foot rolling straight-edge

· the LISA is a light weight profiler

· the high speed devices

· the Australian Walking Profiler.

In 2004 the Concrete Office researched how texture affects the Profile Index (P.I.)value and subsequently the overall ride quality of concrete pavements. Theconclusion was that the texture of the pavement does affect the overall P.I. valuesby as much as 8.8 inches per mile. The International Roughness Index (IRI) willbe used in the future to more closely simulate the ride inside a vehicle. However,texture affects IRI values as well. The IRI values are used by the Mn/DOTPavement management system to evaluate the condition of our roadways (todetermine PSR). The use of IRI to measure the ride quality of pavements may bein our specifications as early as 2006.

The 5 different smoothness devices need to be certified every year typically inMay. Certification stickers are given to machines that pass the certification andstickers are only good for the calendar year issued. Inspectors need to checkeach machine to insure that it has a current certification sticker. If ride qualityneeds to be measured prior to certification dates (spring of the year) then theengineer should notify Joe Thomas of the Bituminous Office and he can provideduplicate measurements with Mn/DOT�s LISA. The contractor�s machine wouldstill need to be certified in May. The changes that are being made in the certificationprocess are an attempt to standardize the way ride quality is obtained for bothconcrete and bituminous pavements.

In 2005 there are a few notable changes to the concrete specifications and otherconcrete issues. They are as follows:

- The Concrete office has an updated web site (www.mrr.dot.state.mn.us/pavement/concrete/concrete.asp). This site contains a wealth of up-to-date information regarding concrete issues.

- Certified ready-mix changes (go into effect on projects let after September1, 2004.

o A standard computerized certificate of compliance or batch ticketis required for all concrete mixes (Spec. 2461). This applies to allcertified ready-mix concrete even small quantities less than 20cubic yards. If the distance of the certified plant does not allow fordelivery of the concrete within 60 minutes (90 minutes if airentrained at job site) then the contractor can obtained concretefrom a non-certified plant provided less than 20 cubic yards ofconcrete is produced each day and a hand written certification ofcompliance is provided. This is the only exception.

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o The certificate of compliance will also electronically compute thewater available to add in gallons. It must also contain standardizedlabels and abbreviations.

o A Mn/DOT certified technician representing the producer mustreview the first certificate of compliance for each mix type, eachday, for accuracy and hand sign the certificate.

- The new concrete specification no longer allows an additional 0.5 percenttolerance on concrete air tests of one per day. To get full payment, the aircontent must be between 5 and 8 percent (6.5% +/- 1.5%).

- Extra compensation will no longer be given to a contractor requestingthe use of high early strength concrete.

- Spec. 2301 the minimum flexural strength requirement for openingpavements to construction and general public traffic has been changed. Itis now based on pavement thickness and could significantly reduce thenumber of days before the pavement is opened to vehicular traffic.

- Spec. 2301 definitions have been revised for method of measurement forstandard width and irregular width concrete pavement. Standard widthmeasurement will be all uniform width pavement. Irregular width pavementwill include all tapers and irregular shapes.

- Movement of the dowel bars (misaligned) within the basket assemblies duringconcrete pavement placement has resulted in full-depth spalling of concretepavement joints due to locking of the joints. Two causes of this problem areinadequate pinning of the basket due to cutting of the tie wires that hold thebasket together and anchor stakes (pins) not properly embedded andattached to the bottom rung of the assemblies. Therefore from now on thedowel bar assembly tie wires must not be cut. Anchor stakes will also be10-inch minimum and connected to the bottom rung of the assembly.

- Starting in 2003 additional fly ash could be used as a Portland cementsubstitute in concrete paving and some bridge decks. In previous years,25% was the maximum fly ash allowed. Research has shown that 30 percentfly ash substitution produces the optimum mix for both concrete strengthand permeability values.

- To reduce greenhouse emissions limestone additions to Portland cementwill be entering the market. Look for this in the future.

The annual concrete paving seminar awards program this year was held inconjunction with the 44th annual CPAM conference that was held at the AirportHilton Hotel in Bloomington, on March 16, 2005. The 2004 concrete paving awardsthat were given to state projects were as follows:

Divided Highways - Rural: District 6 - RochesterS.P. 2510-30 on T.H. 58 from CSAH 5 to 7th Street in Red WingPrime Contractor: Hoffman Construction Co.Concrete Paving Contractor: PCI

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Divided Highways � Urban: Metro District � Golden Valley NorthS.P. 2786-115 on I-94 from T.H. 169 to Zane Ave. in Maple Grove and BrooklynParkPrime & Concrete Paving Contractor: Shafer Contracting Co.

State Roads: District 2 � Thief River FallsS.P. 5401-29 on T.H. 200 in AdaPrime Contractor: Spruce Valley CorporationConcrete Paving Contractor: Northern Improvement

Urban Arterials and Collectors: District 1 � DuluthS.P. 6915-123 on T.H. 53 (Piedmont Ave.) from 4th Street to Skyline Parkwayin DuluthPrime Contractor: Ames Construction Co.Concrete Paving Contractor: PCI

Municipal Streets and Intersections - 4 Lane: District 6 - RochesterS.P. 5509-69 on T.H. 63 at the 48th Street Interchange in RochesterPrime Contractor: Ames Construction & Ed Kraemer & Sons (Joint Venture)Concrete Paving Contractor: PCI

Concrete Pavement Restoration (CPR) � Highways: Metro District - OakdaleS.P. 2783-104 on I-35W from Stinson Blvd. to T.H. 36 in Minneapolis & RosevillePrime & Concrete Rehab. Contractor: PCI

Concrete Overlays: District 6 - OwatonnaS.P. 6680-96 on I-35 southbound from T.H. 19 to CSAH 2 north of MillersburgPrime & Concrete Paving Contractor: Shafer Contracting Co.

Highway Support Facilities (Ramps, Rest Areas, Parking Areas) District 3�BaxterS.P. 0502-0089 on T.H. 10 at CSAH 33 near SartellPrime Contractor: Riley Brothers ConstructionConcrete Paving Contractor: PCI

2004 National Concrete Paving Award � Concrete Overlays: District 3 �Baxter�Runner-Up�S.P. 7702-41 on T.H. 10 from Staples to MotleyPrime & Concrete Paving Contractor: Shafer Contracting Co.

In 2004, Mn/DOT � District 3 received a national concrete pavement award from theAmerican Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) for the second best concrete pavingproject in its category in the nation. The T.H. 10 project between Staples and Motleywas runner-up in the ACPA category of �Concrete Overlays�. The award was given atACPA�s annual convention held on December 3, 2004 at the Marco Island MarriottResort in Florida. The ACPA National Pavement Awards Program is designed to honorhigh quality constructed concrete pavements in the United States and Canada. Theproject was completed in 2003 and used a 7-inch concrete unbonded overlay torepair a 6-mile section of T.H. 10.

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GRADING

Because of the large number of mega projects that were under construction in2004, the grading items on those projects quite often involved a majority of thework. Contractors around the state were working on grading projects that involvedlarge amounts of excavation and borrow. The following are a few examples ofthose contracts and the contractors that were involved in them:

Ames is building the first stage of the 5-mile long new construction of T.H.12 through Wayzata, Long Lake and Orono. This $40 million project willgreatly improve the traffic flow in a corridor that has experienced largegrowth in population, commercial development and commuter travel. Thehighway will be realigned along the existing Burlington Northern Santa FaRailroad and 4 miles of new railroad track will be built to accommodate thenew highway alignment. The design is an access controlled super-twohighway (See Figure 13).

Figure 13: Grade being built for a new alignment of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. Oncethe railroad tracks have been relocated the old tracks will be removed and the new alignment of T.H. 12will be built.

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Ames has also been grading the $232 million T.H. 52 design/build project inRochester (ROC52). Ames along with its partners ( Zumbro RiverContractors) has recently been awarded the $238 million design/build projectalong T.H. 212 in the southwest metro. This 10-mile, 4-lane freeway will beconstructed on new alignment through the cities of Carver, Chaska,Chanhassen and Eden Prairie. It will be the largest project ever let andconstructed by the department.

Mathiowetz is gradingthe 12.3-mile long newconstruction of T.H. 14between Janesville andWaseca. This $34.3million project is a 4-lanedivided highway builtmostly on newalignment. The projectreceived over 50 inchesof rain last season.There are a number ofmuck excavations on thisproject with the biggestone being over 50 feetdeep (See Figure 14).

R & G Construction is stillgrading on the T.H. 23project between NewLondon and Spicer. Theproject has beenprogressing well and thisis the first large gradingproject in the State to usemachine grade control(See Figure 15). Thecontract originally calledfor 5 ponds to be gradedusing machine gradecontrol but that has quicklyspread to doing all theponds nd eliminating bluetops while using machinegrade control.

Figure 14: 50-foot deep muck excavation hole being dug and filledin for the new alignment of T.H. 14 near Janesville.

Figure 15: Machine Grade Control equipment being used on theT.H. 23 project near Spicer.

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C.S. McCrossan has started grading on the 7.8-mile I-494 design/build projectin the western metro. The $136 million project will add one additional lanein each direction going from 4-lanes to 6 traffic lanes from I-394 to T.H. 5though the cities of Minnetonka and Eden Prairie.

C.S. McCrossan has also been grading some of the Wakota interchangeprojects at T.H. 61 and T.H. 494 and they are just completing the two T.H.494 projects in Bloomington between France Avenue and Valley View Road.

Hoover is constructing the new $14.4 million interchange on T.H. 53 andT.H. 169 north of Virginia. Taconite tailings have been used on this projectas an economical granular fill. T.H. 53 is being built over T.H. 169 and overthe Duluth, Winnepeg and Pacific (DWP) Railroad (See Fig. 16).

Taconite tailings (a waste product derived from turning iron rich mineral into orepellets) are being used as a granular fill on the T.H. 53 and T.H. 169 interchangenorth of Virginia. The taconite tailings are a clean fill material with only 2-3%passing the #200 sieve. It requires continuous watering however to reach itsoptimum moisture content for compaction. The Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP)is about the only way in which the inspectors can measure the compaction of thismaterial. This marks one of Mn/DOT�s most substantial uses of taconite tailingssince the 1960�s. There are roughly 20 to 30 million tons of taconite tailingsproduced every year as a result of the iron ore business in northern Minnesota.The taconite tailings are being hauled by 70-ton capacity mine trucks that travel adistance of only 1.5 miles from the MinnTac mine to the job site on a special haulroad (See Figure 17).

Figure 16: Taconite tailings being used as an economical alternative to granular fill on T.H. 53 north ofVirginia.

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The taconite tailings are comparable in price to that of standard granular fill andbecomes more economical when the low trucking costs for this project is considered.

Geofoam is being used more widely across the State as a light weight fill materialfor embankments. Geofoam is an expanded polystyrene (EPS) that is molded intoworkable block units (i.e. 4� X 3� X 8�).

Some of its advantages include the following:

-It�s lightweight at 1 to 2 pounds per cubic foot compared to 120 ponds percubic foot for compacted soil.

-It�s placed very fast at around 100 cubic yards per hour.-It�s non-biodegradable when in contact with soil.

Figure 17: 70-ton capacity mine trucks hauling taconite tailings from the MinnTac mine site to the T.H.53 project north of Virginia.

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Some of its disadvantages include the following:

-It�s expensive ranging from $35 to $65 per cubic yard.-It requires a large staging area because it must be placed within one weekof delivery. Geofoam is susceptible to ultra-violate light.-Geofoam is an insolating material that requires between 18 to 24 inches ofmaterial cover so that differential icing does not occur across the pavementsurface.-Geofoam is buoyant in water and requires a certain number of inches ofmaterial covering it so that the embankment doesn�t begin to float duringflooding.-Geofoam is susceptible to chemical attack and needs to be covered witheither a geomembrane or a concrete slab span.-Geofoam is also susceptible to flames. Most of the failures that have occurredin the United States have been the results of the EPS catching on fire.

Geofoam was used on the T.H. 59 project for slope stability of the embankment(See Figure 18).

Figure 18: Geofoam (lightweight fill) being placed on the T.H. 59 project south of Pelican Rapids.

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Geofoam is also being used under the bridge approaches at Edgerton Street overI-694 in Ramsey County (See Figure 19). Geofoam has been used in many otherprojects throughout the State.

The Grading & Base Unit has been working on a revised version of the pilot modifiedPenetration Index Method specification. This method uses the Dynamic ConePenetrometer (DCP) test procedure. The goal is to adopt this test procedure asMn/DOT�s standard test procedure for the 2006 or 2007 construction season.

The Grading & Base Unit has also revised the Full Depth Reclamation specificationthat will replace the current Bituminous Pavement Reclamation specification. Therevisions give the contractor more responsibility for gradation control. The planis to go from a method specification to an end result specification.

Figure 19: Geofoam being placed and used as a lightweight fill material at the Edgerton Street Bridgeapproaches.

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In 2005 many District offices will be implementing new field moisture testingtechniques and devices. The Trident Moisture Meter was used by Districts 1 and 2in 2004 and will be used much more widely this year. It was used alongside theHumboldt Geogauge to obtain moisture readings of the inplace granular soils.District 7 will be using the Durham Geo Moisture and Density Indicator (M+DI).This device uses Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR), developed through PurdueUniversity, that measures the travel time of an electromagnetic step pulse through4 soil spikes to obtain moisture and density readings. A demonstration of thisequipment was given at the Maplewood Lab on February 16, 2005 with promisingresults. The Metro District will be using a Kessler Field Moisture Oven, whichallows an inspector to obtain moisture readings while doing other duties. Thesenew technologies in moisture and compaction verification will help Mn/DOT becomemore efficient and produce a better product in the future. The goal is to havethese new technologies incorporated into our specification within the next fewyears.

Another very interesting immerging technology is Intelligent Compaction (IC) alsoknown as Continuous Compaction Control (CCC). Gary Thompson has started anIC task force that has been given the charge of assessing this new technology.Bomag Corporation gave a demonstration of this new technology on September27-29, 2004 at the MnROAD Research Facility (See Figure 20).

Figure 20: Intelligent Compaction equipment being demonstrated at the MnROAD Research Facility.

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IC systems automatically measure and control the energy output of a roller�sdrum. Bomag used a single smooth steel drum roller for the demonstration.Caterpillar, Dynapac, Amman and other manufactures have similar devices theyare using on their compactors. First developed in Europe over 10 years ago therollers measure and react to the changing stiffness of the material being compacted.The rollers use a set of accelerometers to measure both horizontal and verticalreaction of the drum to the material it�s compacting and thus automatically adjuststhe direction of the roller drum. This automatic stiffness measurement and controlof drum output goes a long way toward taking the guesswork out of compactionhelping to ensure optimum density results while preventing material damage.The manufactures are developing this technology for both soil and bituminousmaterials. Global Positioning System (GPS) will be used to map the location of theroller while it�s compacting. There will be three Mn/DOT IC evaluation sites thissummer to assess this new technology. The three sites are as follows:

1) S.P. 6915-125 (T.H. 53) Trinity Road in Duluth, District 12) S.P. 3404-52 (T.H. 12) East of Willmar, District 83) S.P. 8103-47 (T.H. 14) Janesville to Waseca, District 7

Each site has its own unique characteristics with the site on T.H. 12 being readyfirst. Willmar is set to have demonstrations during the weeks of June 13 to June30, 2005.

Automated machine control technology is predicted to quickly become commonplaceon Mn/DOT�s construction projects. There still exist however many issues thatneed to be resolved before this technology is widely used. Issues such; as whowill build the 3D computer models, how will the grades be checked in the field,how will field changes be made, and what projects should this technology be usedon? These are just a few of the many questions yet to be answered. There arepresently 10 projects that have either started or will start this summer withspecifications requiring the use of some type of automated machine control. Theequipment increases productivity and improves efficiency of the earth movingequipment. This is why many of the grading contractors within Minnesota wouldlike to begin using this technology. An automated machine control task force hasbeen put together to address many of these issues.

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BITUMINOUS

The Bituminous Office has completed the combined 2350/2360 (Gyratory/Marshalldesign) specification for the 2005 construction season. This new specification willbe included in the 2005 Standard Specifications for Construction set to come outin the summer of 2005. All state aid and federal aid projects let after January 1,2005 must use this specification. Guidelines for the use of Gyratory or MarshallDesign on projects for the 2005 construction season are as follows:

2360 Gyratory DesignUse on all traffic levels for new construction and all mid and long life overlays.This is optional for short life, less than 5 years, and/or small quantities lessthan 5000 tons.

Mixture Traffic Level Traffic 20 Year ESAL�sSP 2 less than 1 millionSP 3 1 � 3 millionSP 4 3 � 10 millionSP 5 10 � 30 million

2360 Marshall DesignUse on short life overlays less than 5 years and/or small quantities lessthan 5000 tons.

Mixture Traffic 20 Year ESAL�sLV less than 1 millionMV 1 � 3 million

On October 13, 2004 the Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association (MAPA) hostedan open house on the use of Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA) in our bituminouspavements for the T.H. 52/117th street project. SMA is a high traffic volumepremium surface mixture. It is a rut-resistant hot mix asphalt pavement thatrelies on stone-on-stone contact to provide strength. SMA has its origins in Germanyin the 1960�s. Minnesota�s first experience using SMA was on two projects in1994. They were on T.H. 169 near Jordan and on T.H. 63 near Lake City. The mixuses a higher asphalt content (around 6 � 6.2%) for film thickness, 100% crushedgap graded aggregate, mineral fillers and fibers of either mineral or cellulose tostabilize the mix and prevent drain-down. SMA was used on two Mn/DOT projectsin 2004. They are as follows:

1) S.P. 1906-46 T.H. 52/117th Street Interchange in Inver Grove Heightsand Rosemount. The bituminous contractor wasBituminous Roadways, Inc (See Figure 21).

2) S.P. 7305-86 T.H. 23 reconstruction project between Cold Spring andRichmond. The bituminous contractor was BauerlyBrothers.

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The fibers cost from $2 to$2.50 per ton of mix. Thereis usually around 6 pounds offiber used in one ton of mix.The mix densifies and losestemperature quickly. On theT.H. 52/117th street projectthe mix was observed to lose50 degrees F in 50 feet. Onthis project the contractor alsohad problems getting themineral filler to feed uniformlyinto the mix. This resulted insome high and low air voids.The contractor eventuallyreplaced this section ofroadway. SMA can be aneconomical alternative toconcrete in heavily traveledinterchanges because of itshigh rut-resistancecharacteristics. It is usuallyplaced in the upper few inchesof the bituminous pavement.

The most common PG(Performance Grade) asphaltgrades are 64-34, 64-28, 58-34 and 58-28. They occur inover 95% of Mn/DOT�s mixes.

Mn/DOT specifications presently allow up to 10 different PG grades in our projects.If 10 different PG grades are specified on a project the contractor will quickly runinto storage problems and ask for a change to reduce that number. Mn/DOTshould, if at all possible, use no more than two PG grades per project. RecentlyPG plus specifications have been provided in Mn/DOT projects. On S.P. 4908-18(T.H. 371) the PG plus specification is being used. This new specification requiresadditional testing and polymer modified asphalts.

There were 3 pilot projects in 2004 that utilized a percent improvement specificationto evaluate ride on single lift overlays. The projects were located on T.H. 55, 78and 40. Ride is evaluated by the International Roughness Index (IRI), before andafter construction to determine the percent improvement for the calculation ofincentive/disincentives. The IRI will be the standard method to measuresmoothness in the future. The results from IRI are more repeatable and easier toobtain than the Profile Index (P.I.) numbers.

Figure 21: Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA) being used on 117th Streetin Inver Grove Heights. SMA was placed in the mainline whileconventional hot mixed asphalt was used in the shoulders.

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Mn/DOT is continuing to look at three ways to improve the performance of ourlongitudinal joints. These methods include joint adhesive, echelon paving andlongitudinal joint density requirements. Echelon paving continues to be thepreferred method but this method is not always practical because it cannot bedone under traffic..

The standard method of measurement for bituminous items is by the ton wheneverpossible. Square Yard Inch is being used as a method of measurement in someof the northern districts. However, this method should only be used on the finalwearing course lift where there is a uniform thickness. Square Yard Inch hasmainly been used in the past to control cost overruns of bituminous quantities.

I had the opportunity this year to be on the 2004 bituminous pavement-ratingpanel. This year we rated 25 projects around the state that included state, county,city and airport projects. Ratings were conducted in 8 different categories. Theawards this year were passed out at MAPA�s 2004 awards banquet held on December7, 2004 at the Northland Inn.

The 2004 bituminous paving awards that were given to state projects this yearwere as follows:

New Construction: District 1 - DuluthS.P. 0906-42 on T.H. 33 in the city of Cloquet, from 0.730 miles north ofCloquet Avenue to 0.136 miles north of C.R. 116.Prime: Contractor: Reuben Johnson and SonBituminous Paving Contractor: Hardrives Inc.

Re-construction: District 1 - VirginiaS.P. 3108-55 on T.H. 38 from T.H. 2 to 0.2 miles north of CSAH 49Hawkinson Construction Co., Inc.

Resurfacing > 3 million ESAL�s (High Traffic Volume): Metro � GoldenValleyS.P. 2735-183 on T.H. 100 from Cedar Lake Road to Glenwood Ave. and onI-394 from I-494 to Bridge No. 27770Hardrives Inc.

Resurfacing < 3 million ESAL�s (Low Traffic Volume): District 1 - DuluthS.P. 0901-73 on T.H. 23 from the south county line to St. Louis RiverBauerly Companies

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PERSONNEL

A comprehensive training and development program was developed to maintainan experienced work force and to prepare Mn/DOT for future construction programs.Bill Servatius, along with others, helped develop this statewide three-year rotatingprogram called the Construction Inspector Academy. The third and final year ofthe program was held this past winter with over 100 participants involved in threesessions held at the Arden Hills Training Center. This three-year program attemptedto supplement the many years of on-the-job training needed before an inspectoris ready to become a chief inspector. The Inspector Academy will no longer beoffered. However, other classes have spun off from this training. This trainingincludes Inspector 101, Contract Administration 101, plan reading and others.With the high number of vacancies occurring in the inspector job classificationsthis type of training is a very important component to Mn/DOT�s future success inthe construction field.

The FHWA is currently conducting a process review of Mn/DOT�s staffing ofconstruction projects. Studies of this kind have been done in the past by internalsources but this review is being done by the FHWA. Many of the resident officeswill be interviewed and asked questions about how they are staffing projects.Inspection staff in the field will also be interviewed. A final report should be out inthe fall of 2005.

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WORK ZONE SAFETY

In 2004 Mn/DOT used a dynamic merge system on the I-35 unbonded concreteoverlay project north of Faribault. The southbound lanes of I-35 were closedduring the five-month construction project. The system was added as aSupplemental Agreement (SA) to help reduce backups, crashes, and road rage inthe construction work zone. Microwave detectors placed in advance of the laneclosures detect when traffic speeds are reduced to 40 mph or less. Variablemessage signs are activated miles ahead of the work zone to warn motorists ofslow traffic ahead and instruct them to stay in both lanes. When motorists reachthe merge point a variable message sign instructs them to merge over and useone lane. Crashes and road wage has been reduced on this project compared toa similar project on the northbound lanes done two years ago. This dynamicmerge system was also used on other metro projects in 2004.

The program for providing extra ordinary enforcement on Mn/DOT constructionprojects has been a success and districts are encouraged to use this even moreoften. The Minnesota State Patrol (MSP) not only enforces speed limits but theyprovide an increased awareness of the work zone. Truck inspection by the MSP ishandled in much the same way as extra ordinary enforcement. Both of theseenforcement tools should be used whenever the project warrants a need.

There were many projects in 2004 that had good traffic control within their workzones. Work zone safety awards are given out every year to contractors and Mn/DOT personnel for innovations and commitment to safety by protecting workersand the traveling public.

The 2004 work zone safety awards on state projects were as follows:

Static Low � Volume: District 8 - WillmarS.P. 3408-14 on T.H. 23 from Jct. T.H. 71 to 0.14 miles south of CSAH 31Rt.This project was cited for reduced speeds on the project, good coordinationbetween the contractor and the MSP, and good cooperation between thelocal agencies and businesses.

Dynamic High � Volume: Metro District � Golden ValleyS.P. 2735-183 on T.H. 100 from Clear Lake Road to Glenwood Avenue & onT.H. 394 from T.H. 494 to Bridge No. 27776This project was citied for aggressive scheduling, using full closures onweekends, and innovative use of barrier separated HOV lane as a trafficbarrier.

Static High � Volume: Metro District - OakdaleS.P. 2785-301 & 2785-327 on T.H. 494 from 0.5 miles east of West BushLake Road to France Avenue in Bloomington.

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Static High � Volume: District 6 - OwatonnaS.P. 6680-96 on T.H. 35 southbound from 1.6 miles south of T.H. 19 to 0.3miles north of CSAH 2. This project was sited for using the dynamic mergesystem to minimize traffic delays.

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INNOVATIVE CONTRACTING

The Innovative Construction Initiative (ICI) office officially joined the Office ofConstruction on July 14, 2004. The new office is now known as the Office ofConstruction and Innovative Contracting. The ICI office was originally establishedto look at new ways to deliver construction projects faster, standardize the design/build process, strengthen relationships with the department�s partners, and improvethe quality of transportation projects. Some of the innovative contracting methodsthat are presently being looked at or have been looked at within Mn/DOT includethe following:

-Design/Build. The design/build contracting method is a project delivery methodthat overlaps the phases of design and construction. The legislature in 2001 gaveMn/DOT approval to do up to 10% of its projects using design/build contracting(no more than 20 projects per year). Some of the advantages for using design/build include faster delivery time, best value instead of low-bid, reduced road usercosts, and promoting contractor innovations. There have been seven projects letthus far under Mn/DOT�s design/build program. They are as follows:

1) Hiawatha LRT Project2) S.P. 7408-29 (T.H. 14) in Owatonna. $10,044,000. Let 5/25/01.3) S.P. 2735-172 (T.H. 100) in Golden Valley. $15,426,239. Let 2/8/02.4) S.P. 5502-85 (T.H. 52) in Rochester. $232,036,980. Let 11/1/02.5) S.P. 2785-304 (I-494) in Western Suburbs. $135,623,997. Let 5/14/04.6) S.P. 1401-150 (T.H. 10/32) in Hawley. $8,632,001. Let 11/19/04.7) S.P. 1017-12 (T.H. 212) in Western Suburbs. $238,104,000. Let 3/4/05.

There will be one more design/build project let this year on October 28, 2005.It is S.P. 5508-84 (T.H. 52) in Oronoco for an approximate cost of $36,000,000.

-Warranties. Mn/DOT has used warranties for several years now. Warrantiesrequire contractors to guarantee their work to be free of defects in materials andworkmanship for a period of time. Warranties can cover all or portions of the workand require failure thresholds to be met on specific items. Most warranties thatMn/DOT has used vary in length from between 2 to 5 years. There is a push to getlonger warranty projects in our program. Koch Performance Roads proposed a20-year warranty project where they would do the pavement design andconstruction management and then be responsible for maintaining the qualityand durability of the pavement for 20 years. This was proposed on T.H. 371 southof Fort Ripley but never was implemented. A warranty task force has been set upby the Construction Management Group (CMG) to implement a process formanagement of warranties.

-FAST (Freeing Alternative for Speedy Transportation) Lanes. Fast lanesare lanes that are added to an existing roadway but financed and built by privatecompanies in partnership with Mn/DOT. Tolls are taken from motorists to pay for

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the facility. These lanes will provide for congestion relief on some of the statesmost highly traveled roadways. The tolls taken will also provide a new self-sustaining revenue source for corridor improvements.

-HOT (High Occupancy Toll) Lanes. MnPASS is Mn/DOT�s first HOT lane projectlocated along I-394 in the western suburbs of Minneapolis. This project convertsthe I-394 high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane to a high occupancy toll (HOT) lane.Currently and in the future, carpools, motorcycles and buses can use the lane forfree. The HOT lane facility became operational on May 16, 2005 with single-occupant vehicles able to use these lanes by paying a toll. The tolls are collectedelectronically and no tollbooths will be used. The project will serve as a congestionmanagement tool for the I-394 corridor. MnPASS is being developed through apublic/private partnership involving the State of Minnesota and the consortium ofWilbur Smith Associates, SRF Consulting, and Raytheon.

-Lane Rental. Lane rental is a concept used to encourage contractors to scheduletheir work in a way that keeps traffic restrictions to a minimum both in terms ofduration and number of lanes. The contractor is charged a rental fee every timehe closes a lane to perform work. The amount of the rental fee is based on roaduser costs. A lane rental was used on two Mn/DOT projects in 2004 and will beused on one in 2005. In 2004 lane rental was used on S.P. 6915-122, which is amill & overlay project on T.H. 53/194 near Miller Hill Mall in Duluth. This is a highcongestion area with many vehicle turning movements. Lane rental was alsoused on S.P. 0416-39 along T.H. 197 in Bemidji. The project was a bituminousoverlay project. In 2005 a lane rental will be used on S.P. 6212-9212, which is abridge painting project on T.H. 36 from Rice Street to T.H. 61.

-A + B (Cost + Time). This method of contracting has been used on many Mn/DOT projects for several years. It involves a combination of the cost of contractbid items with an associated cost of time in the low-bid determination. Under thismethod each bid submitted consists of two components. The first component �A�is the traditional low-cost bid dollar amount for the contract bid items. The secondcomponent �B� is a dollar amount bid from the total number of calendar days thecontractor will take to build the project multiplied by the road user cost per day,furnished by Mn/DOT. Components �A� and �B� are added together to determinethe low-bid for award and is not used to determine payment to the contractor.This contracting method is used for critical projects that have high road user delayimpacts and can be an effective technique to significantly reduce these impacts.

-Pay For Performance. This contracting method pays for work on a graduatedscale based on the quality and longevity of the work over time. This method isbeing used on the design/build project (S.P. 2785-304) along I- 494 between I-394 and T.H. 5. A specification was written for pay-for-performance on permanentpavement markings. An initial payment after installation will be made to thecontractor and then annual payments are made for up to 5 years based on retro-reflectivity readings. If minimum performance criteria for retro-reflectivity arenot met, corrective action is required before payment is made.

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