Precast Solutions - September/October 2008 - (Page 19) that is cast in place is susceptible to the weather,” he added. Averaging about 15 to 19 loads delivered per day to the project site, Hancock got all of the pieces on site for installation within six days. “The contractor was very happy with that speed, and the owner was pleased with the quality of the work,” Schmidgall said. “It’s not as impressive to look at now that it’s covered by 3 feet of dirt, but we’ve since had a few follow-up requests on other items that may also be specified as precast.” THE OBVIOUS CHOICE As a frequent user of precast culverts, the Minnesota DOT (Mn/DOT) considered other options before selecting the precast box culverts for this particular project. “We knew that precast would be a good option for this because of the speed of installation and the quality producers we had to choose from,” said Kevin Western, associate state bridge engineer for Mn/DOT. “We knew we’d get a good product from those precasters, and within a reasonable timeframe.” The selection process paid off for Mn/DOT, which, according to Western, is pleased with the results. “It looks very good, and stands out as the first 20-foot-wide box culvert in the state,” he said. The roadway that will lie over the pedestrian tunnel hasn’t been built yet and the tunnel will not open to pedestrian traffic until the fall of 2008. “There’s a connecting path on paper, but it hasn’t been built yet,” Western said. “The city now knows that it can put the tunnel into service without having to dig up the roadway at a later date.” READY TO GO Scott Kerzman, earthwork manager for Meyer Contracting in Minneapolis, served as project manager for the pedestrian tunnel installation and also helped with several design meetings. Kerzman coordinated with Flatiron to lay the groundwork for the project, which he calls “intriguing” due to its size and scope. “It took a lot of long hours of planning and design,” Kerzman said. “Making it especially challenging were the time constraints and the size of the box itself.” Finished, waterproofed, covered under 3 feet of dirt and waiting to be backfilled, the pedestrian tunnel will soon serve as an important conduit between the university and the city of Minneapolis, thanks to the benefits of precast concrete. BOOTH 1735 THE PRECAST SHOW SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 | PRECAST SOLUTIONS 19 http://www.xypex.com http://www.xypex.com
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