By: Waterblasting Technologies
In March 2008, Oglesby Construction of Sanford, Fla., was awarded a high-profile, time-sensitive contract on I-95 in the Miami-Dade area.
This contract was for the removal and replacement of an 8-mile section of traffic markings. The task was to remove the three current travel lanes and one HOV lane and then apply new markings to have, in addition to the three travel lanes, two toll lanes.
The Florida DOT narrowed existing freeway lanes from 12 to 11 ft and eliminated a sizable amount of shoulder space to make room for the HOT lanes and necessary tracking equipment. Eventually, the lanes will stretch from I-395 in downtown Miami to Broward Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. Drivers can take the lanes when they are in a hurry and pay a toll via their SunPass transponder.
The existing road markings were 90 mils of double-applied thermoplastic, and the job specified that the removal could only be done by water blasting so the concrete would not be damaged.
Knowing the sensitive time lines and the performance capabilities of the Stripe Hog Waterblasting System from previous work, Tim Parker of Oglesby contacted Eric Gray, general manager of Waterblasting.com . While other water-blasting contractors could have been contacted, Parker selected Waterblasting.com and their Stripe Hogs because of the reliability of the equipment, simultaneous vacuum recovery and ready availability of multiple units. Simultaneous vacuum recovery was important, because the new markings would be 3M, high-performance tape and they would need to be reapplied in the same night as the existing lines were removed.
The engineer planned this project so the removal and re-striping of the entire width of the roadway from shoulder to shoulder could be completed each night. This was accomplished by closing all but one lane of I-95. Work also was accomplished every weekend when the DOT allowed longer lane closures for the work zone so the disruption to traffic would be as low as possible.
The first phase of this project began in early March and was completed ahead of schedule by July 1, 2008. The second phase is currently being completed.
