KDOT Neosho Co Hwy 169

Project OverviewDescripción del proyecto

This $33.8 million project was contracted by the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) to provide travelers on US-169 with a smoother and safer path through the state. Supporting more than 5,000 vehicles and 1,100 trucks per day, this jobsite was located on eastern Kansas’ busiest highway. Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS) reconstructed 13.5 miles of pavement, creating wider shoulders, improved drainage, and new intersections and interchanges.

As the General Contractor, ESS performed the necessary earthwork and roadway reconstruction, excavating nearly 250,000 CY of dirt before paving more than 340,000 SY of concrete. Crews then rehabilitated six bridges and constructed six new cast-in-place box culverts. Additionally, upgrades were performed on three interchanges and five roadway intersections.

The previous US-169 surface consisted of 8-inch, non-reinforced pavement above layers of untreated subgrade– leading to severe deterioration and unsafe conditions. ESS crews worked meticulously to improve the design and construction of each project detail, including underdrains, subgrade stabilization, separation fabric, reinforcement wicking fabric, base rock, cement-treated base, and 9.5-inch dowel-reinforced concrete. These upgrades, combined with the use of stringless trimming and pavement controls, created a much smoother surface and significantly longer-lasting pavement.

The site experienced a tremendous amount of rain in 2022, causing delays of up to five days at a time. Upon discovering a section of rain-damaged concrete, protective measures were taken to mitigate the risk of further erosion. Crews performed a petrographic analysis before removing the eroded edges, ultimately returning the pavement to the appropriate thickness.

In the face of challenges, ESS finds innovative solutions. Crews managed to provide aggregate at a more competitive price than our quarry source by crushing pre-existing concrete and adding it to the cement-treated base of Phase 2. ESS’ resourceful use of kiln dust and cement in our subgrade stabilization resulted in more than $140,000 in savings for our client. Despite various setbacks and delays, this project was successfully completed on schedule in less than 2 years.