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Show U. S. 89 To Recycle Job The Utah Department of Transportation will soon recycle a section of "S-89 from Bryce Junction to Hatch in Garfield County. This project utilizes funds from the two-cent-per-gallon gas tax increase which the 1981 Utah State Legislature approved and which became effective last July 1. Bids were opened on a contract to use the recycling method for resurfacing the nine mile section of highway which is badly deteriorated and cracked. The apparent low bid of $1,963,333 was turned in by L.A. Young Sons Construction of Richfield. The official engineer's estimate was $1,905,270. Plans call for tearing up all of the existing asphalt pavement, crushing, heating and, with appropriate additives, replacing it on the road base. The road base will be regraded to smooth and prepare it for the new surface. Additives may be additional aggregates (gravel), new oil and a softening agent. The recycled mixture may vary from 70 30 to 40 60 percent old new material. Also included in the contract will be some safety modifications. Slopes will be flattened and there will be some modification to the guardrail. UDOT has used recycled asphalt on several test projects in the past. Engineers are impressed with savings in both cost and natural resources. A savings of 40 to 50 percent is expected on the asphalt treatment for this project. Performance of the earlier test sections has been as good or better than new pavement. Recycled asphalt does not deteriorate as rapidly as new materials because chemical changes in the asphalt that occur some time after the original pavement is placed won't be repeated. Ted Christensen, UDOT District Three construction engineer, said he anticipates construction will begin as soon as weather permits in the spring. Motorists should anticipate major traffic interference throughout the construction period which is scheduled to be completed by August 31, 1982. |
