I-35 Unbonded Concrete Overlay
Location
- I-35 between Scanlon and Esko
Schedule
- May 14 to Nov. 4, 2012 and April to Oct. 2013
Cost
- $30,107,574
A large concrete saw cuts through the bottom edge of a bridge rail. Each bridge in the project area will get new concrete railings.
Traffic impacts
- There are no traffic impacts on I-35 in the project area. All lanes and ramps are open.
- Hwy 2 is also open.
- Stage 2 of this project,between Esko and Proctor, will be constructed in 2013. Work is expected to begin in April.
The railings have already been completed on northbound I-35 bridge.
Project includes
- Approximately 10 miles of new concrete surfacing and drainage repairs in both directions
- Reconstructed underpass at Hwy 61 and Guss Road
- Hwy 2 complete reconstruction from Boundary Avenue to Skyline Parkway
- Pavement resurfacing at the intersection of Mesaba Avenue/Superior Street and Michigan Avenue
MnDOT District 1 recently completed two other major projects on I-35 using unbonded concrete overlay. Unbonded concrete overlay is roadway resurfacing process in which a new layer of concrete is poured over an existing layer of pavement with an interlayer between them to break the bond between the two layers. The interlayer allows the layers to expand and contract independently of each other. By allowing the layers to move freely the new concrete surface is less prone to cracking and pavement deterioration..
Benefits
- Replaces worn-out concrete with new concrete
- Reuses old concrete base so there is no need to haul away old material
- Long term improvement, will last more than 20 years.
- Includes new paved shoulders and guardrail
- Includes drainage improvements
- Includes bridge improvements
- Improves safety and provides a smoother ride.