Positive protection for PUSH project

In August 2017, ITR Concession Co., which operates and maintains the Indiana Toll Road, celebrated the completion of a transformative $220-million project dubbed the 80/90 PUSH Project. The project, which included the rehabilitation of 73 miles of roadway and 53 bridges, was completed in less than two years—ahead of schedule and under budget.

Rieth-Riley Construction Co. Inc., based in Goshen, Ind., was selected to complete the work, and throughout planning and construction, it prioritized safety and the minimization of impacts on users and local communities. Building safe and efficient work zones was imperative, and saving time was a primary goal.

In order to keep at least one lane open for both eastbound and westbound traffic, positive protection was required to keep workers and the traveling public safe. Hill & Smith’s Zoneguard steel barrier system was chosen by Rieth-Riley to serve as the temporary barrier because of its proven performance and a number of cost-saving benefits.

“Being able to save time setting and removing temporary barrier on the bridges was critical to shrinking our schedule,” said Gene Yarkie, vice president of operations, Rieth-Riley Construction Co. Inc. “We also liked the fact that the anchoring system was simpler and more effective than that used for concrete barriers. The cost savings in hauling, placing, removal and anchoring add up to make Zoneguard a great fit for any of our projects.”