The reconstruction of I-70, Saline County, Kansas was a challenging project that required a major commitment from Koss Construction Company, our subcontractors, and the owner, the Kansas Department of Transportation.  The task given to the Koss Construction team was the reconstruction of 10.5 km (6.5 miles) of divided 4-lane roadway, under traffic.

Partnering and careful management was essential to the success of the project. Partnering principles were employed early in this project and a relationship based on trust and mutual respect was quickly established. Well attended weekly partnering meetings between Koss Construction Company, the Kansas Department of Transportation, and all subcontractors were held on the project throughout the construction season. These meetings were essential in quickly resolving problems and keeping everyone informed of the current tasks. A high level of project-level management involvement was also critical to success. Koss Construction Company provided 19 experienced supervisors to manage a work force that numbered 165.

Koss Construction Company was able to partner with Kansas Department of Transportation and pave 4 miles of the east bound roadway using a 2-lift concrete paving process with 7 different surface texture types.  The 2-lift paving process is commonly used in Europe but has had very limited use in the United States.

The paving mix for the bottom lift was the standard paving mix used on the project. The top lift used two different mix designs with rhyolite aggregates and 20 percent Durapoz to mitigate ASR. The traditional surface and grind sections used a maximum aggregate size of ½” with a ratio of 50/50 coarse to fine. The Exposed aggregate section used a maximum aggregate size of 3/8” with a 70/30 ratio of coarse to fine.

Koss Construction Company used a dual 15yd3 drum Johnson Ross Central Mix Plant to mix both the top and bottom lift concurrently. Delivery to the belt placers was done using a color coded card system that allowed the use of one haul road and maximum efficiency of delivery trucks.

Quality control for Cement Treated Base and Portland Cement Concrete Pavement was Koss Construction Company’s responsibility. Koss used their own mobile quality control laboratory and highly qualified personnel to administer the QC plan as approved by the owner.  The owner’s specification for concrete quality is a percent within limits specification, which emphasizes consistency.

All members of the team rose to the challenge and produced a high quality, smooth pavement that the citizens of Kansas can be proud of for many years to come.