Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/440012
January 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com 48 ROAD SCIENCE | continued and construction. Provo River Constructors (PRC), a Fluor Corporation-led joint venture, designed and reconstructed the 24-mile-long stretch of I-15 south of Salt Lake City. The design phase of the $1.1 billion project laid out an ambitious agenda for such a short time period: More than 200 lane- miles of general purpose lanes; 42.5 lane-miles of new express lanes; seven new interchanges; four modified interchanges; ramp modi- fications; new auxiliary lanes; and new concrete pavement along the entire corridor (except the last two- mile transition on the south end) that will last 40 years. In addition, 63 bridges along the corridor were restored or replaced. Famously, PRC also used Accel- erated Bridge Construction tech- niques to expedite the schedule. Under ABC, four bridges were con- structed on the side of I-15. These bridges are as heavy as 3.8 mil- lion tons, and as long as a football field, including end zones. With the use of a remote-controlled, self- propelled modular transporter, the bridges were be moved into place overnight, allowing for full free- way closure without impacting the safety or travel times of motorists using the interstate. Expediting tollway construction Toll authorities have also weighed in on the future of environmental streamlining in highway legisla- tion. Michael Kraman, acting CEO, Transportation Corridor Agencies, Irvine, California, which is respon- sible for a network of congestion- reducing toll highways in Orange County, gave Congress several recommendations for future legisla- tion, including these: • Allow projects in states with stringent environmental re- view laws, such as California, to meet federal environmental review requirements through compliance with state laws. While this provision was in the House bill in 2009, it was relegated to a study in MAP- 21. • Require that all federal agen- cies responsible for funding, permitting or approving a project collaborate on, use and adopt a single National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document for that project. • Impose limitations on scope of resource agency review. Legislation could limit re- source agency comments to issues within the jurisdiction and expertise of the resource agency, and could require resource agencies to accept the evaluation of the Federal Highway Administration on traffic, engineering and cost issues instead of disputing them. • Speed up deadlines for the NEPA review process and add requirements to render timely decisions including technical studies, environmental impact statements and permits. • Combat bogus challenges and delaying tactics. Environmen- tal opponents want to be able to indefinitely stall projects subject to NEPA reviews and federal permits. NEPA should be amended to require chal- lengers to prove an agency did not use the best available information and science; re- quire that opponents exhaust their administrative remedies; and require new rules for standing and impose a 180- day statute of limitations. With HCSS GPS you can... Did you know that HCSS sells GPS hardware with service plans as low as $10/month? § Capture meter readings automa cally § Analyze cycle mes to reduce bo lenecks § Calculate and report mileage by state § Reduce fuel costs by monitoring idle mes § Alert when drivers enter off -limit areas § Recover stolen equipment quickly with instant the alerts § Use along with other HCSS so ware to verify equipment hours on the me card, automate your preventa ve maintenance, and much more! 800-683-3196 at www.HCSS.com/GPS Learn More