Designs that bring travelers home safely, every day.
The I-90 unbonded overlay project extends the life of the existing highway while improving the quality of the ride experienced by travelers. In this episode of Screen to Streets, Alliant’s I-90 Design-Build Team shares their experience designing 20 miles of Interstate 90, located in Blue Earth Minnesota.
The Opportunity
As part of the PCiRoads Design-Build team, Alliant is enhancing this 20-mile segment of interstate highway using digital delivery and a commitment to innovative ideas. I-90 is a critical east/west artery to the state of Minnesota, the region, and the county. The highway serves an important role in moving people and freight. The pavement on this portion of the interstate was in poor condition requiring substantial maintenance each spring.
The improvements started with a detailed survey by Alliant’s survey team. This provided the data necessary for our engineers to design models used in automated machine control for the grading, bituminous milling, and concrete paving through the lifespan of the project.
“People think built roadways will last forever, and that’s just not the case. This project is important because it maintains the level of quality on this road.” Said Sarah Barnett, water resources engineer on the project.
Named as the fourth busiest highway in America, this stretch of I-90 sees around 10,000 vehicles per day. It was imperative that I-90 was usable for the entirety of the construction phase of the project. Nicole Wilson’s team designed maintenance of traffic plans that allowed for uninterrupted access for local communities, as well as commuters and goods. The team created innovative ideas to allow access and create a safe work zone and safe additional routes.
With the west bound lanes complete, spring of 2024 brings the construction of the east bound lanes.
What’s next?
With aging infrastructure and additional funding, the future of our industry is very busy. However, with that comes a need for interest in this field that is currently lacking. We as an industry need to inspire the next generation to participate in building our communities and futures, through designing infrastructure useable for all.
Alliant young professionals observing the paving model they created being used to improve road quality.
Concrete paving the westbound side of I-90.