Ohio is among the many states redoing their sidewalks to include curb ramps with a special truncated dome pattern that improves accessibility for people with disabilities. A major contractor, Shelly & Sands Inc., is using flexible PolyMeta Forms to simplify and standardize forming of the curb radius at the crosswalks where these ramps are being constructed.
Shelly & Sands Inc. serves eight major markets in Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia and paves more roads in Ohio than any other company. In addition to paving and other concrete work, the firm’s materials divisions supply aggregate and asphalt.
Recently, the firm received major contracts to install the new curb ramps in several Ohio cities. At the crosswalks where they are installed, it is necessary to create curves in the curbing that are adjacent to the ramps and blend in with the adjacent straight curbing. Previously, the company used wood and Masonite to construct the curve forms, but these had some shortcomings. Superintendent Terry Parry explained, “Wood was inflexible, and on the tight curves, where we had to use Masonite, we had to pin it every 6 in. It was hard to clean up, and we were constantly piecing it back together because it would break.” He added that the cost of lumber for wood forms was constantly increasing.
Recently, Shelly & Sands started using PolyMeta Forms from Metal Forms Corp., Milwaukee, a specialist in manufacturing forms, screeds and stakes for the concrete construction industry. The high-density polyethylene (HDPE) forms are light yet durable, are easy to clean and transport and can be used over and over. The cost of wood and Masonite forms was ongoing because of breakage and the limited number of times they could be used. Cleaning them was time consuming, while the PolyMeta forms are easy to clean.
The forms incorporate sliding pin pockets that can be placed easily wherever they are needed, which is a big advantage when working with curves. Parry noted that they are using radius forms, and they plan to add straight forms to match up with them next year. “From my experience so far I can’t say enough good things about the forms,” Parry said.
—contributed by Tom Miller, president, Metal Forms Corp.
