Fall/Winter 2011 Highlighted Projects

• Interstate 55 over Interstate 74 and Business 55
• Caterpillar Building SS Test Track in East Peoria
• Drainage Improvements Underway in Fisher
• Veterans Parkway and Morris Avenue Reconstruction Update
• Tanner Street Reconstruction Complete
• County Highway 11 Bridge in LaMoille
• Stark Responds to Blaze in Minonk
• Buchanan Street Reconstruction in Heyworth

Interstate 55 over Interstate 74 and Business 55

Stage 1 beam removal over Business 55 (March 2011)

Stage 2 deck pour over Business 55 (September 2011)

This $7.6 million Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) project consisted of replacing two structures carrying Interstate 55 northbound traffic over Interstate 74 and Business 55 as well as raising the profile of I-55 to allow appropriate clearances under the new structures. In addition to the bridgework, the project includes 23,000cy of furnished excavation, 7,384sy of Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) pavement, 3,688sy of PCC shoulder and over 3,200 tons of asphalt pavement. The project began in March 2011 and successfully wrapped up on December 2, 2011.

Project Manager Nate Miller described a couple of interesting project challenges. Miller says one challenge was the limited access to the work, mainly because this section of I-55 is elevated and Stark crews were replacing two structures. The bridgework had to be completed before roadway improvement could begin.

Another big challenge, Miller adds, was the extremely tight schedule for completion of the work. IDOT's contract required all work to be completed within nine months. In addition to the contractual time constraints, the project endured delays in structural steel delivery due to extraordinary winter weather conditions experienced by the Lake Michigan area where our steel supplier is located. IDOT also delayed the project start date by one month as a safety precaution due to the possibility of snowfall on I-55, which would make it dangerous for the traveling public if construction was in progress with the barrier wall in place.

Both Nate Miller and Superintendent Kevin Pribble are proud of the commitment shown by the crews. Pribble describes that with the late start on the project and delay in the delivery of the structural steel, crews worked as many hours as possible and there were many late nights needed on this project to get it back on schedule. "They worked hard with no complaints, knowing that we had to get back on schedule due to situations beyond our control." says Pribble.

Pribble adds "I am very impressed with the coordination of all the crews that made this project happen. Crews were led by Greg Neal (bridge), Barry Claypool (bridge), Scott Rakers (dirt/grading), and Lou Huff (pavement). My hats off to these crews for getting the project back on schedule and doing a quality job. IDOT is very impressed with the quality and timely fashion of Stark's work on this project."

Caterpillar Building SS Test Track in East Peoria

Superintendent Mike Kruse's concrete crew making a concrete pour for the base where the railroad rails will be set (October 2011)

Concrete crew making a trap rock pour between the railroad rails set by Mark James' ironworker crews (November 2011)

Stark was contracted with Caterpillar Inc. to start work on this $1.2 million project in September 2011. Briefly described, Building SS is where Caterpillar has final assembly of their big track-type dozers. The test track is used to test drive the dozers after assembly. The project consisted of removing existing pavement; pouring a 10" reinforced base slab; installing over 5-½ miles of used railroad rails with 10,000 weld points to hold the rails to line and grade on the base slab and then pouring 8-½" of trap rock concrete between the rails in one area and pouring a 4" trap rock slab in another area. The last trap rock pour was made the week before Thanksgiving. The project was completed and turned over to Caterpillar by Thanksgiving — almost one month ahead of schedule.

Caterpillar's decision to have this work done was because the existing slab was well worn and damaged from the large dozers that are run over it on a daily basis. The work Stark performed will help with the wear on the concrete surface as the dozer tracks will wear the concrete down to the railroad rails and then they will ride on the steel rails as they are supposed to, as opposed to tearing up the concrete slab. The area in the plant where this work occurred is just outside the building — at the end of the assembly line where the tracks are put on the machine. Following assembly, they bring the tractors out and run them forward, reverse, left, right and spin them around to be sure there are no issues with the tracks prior to final assembly.

This was the first time Stark has worked on a project of this size for Caterpillar and the first time Stark crews had ever tackled installing railroad rails as we did on this project. There was a lot of research and discussion prior to starting, according to Area Manager, Jeremy Livengood, especially with the installation of the rails to be sure Stark crews had all the tools as well as the best plan of attack to complete the work.

Livengood tells us "Caterpillar wanted the project completed as quickly as possible and it was important to Stark that we make a positive and lasting impression with our performance. In order to jump start the project, we started off working two shifts to get the pavement removed, the dirt work done, and the aggregate base installed while the weather was favorable. This was a good plan that allowed us to complete the project earlier than expected."

Ironworker Superintendent Mark James comments "This was complete teamwork with everyone involved and everyone did an outstanding job. Not just the ironworkers—everyone on the whole job worked so well together. Awesome job, right on schedule." With the ironwork specifically, James describes "There was really a lot involved. For example, we started out with a big pile of used rail. There was a process of shaking out the rail from the stockpile in order to inventory what could be salvaged, then cut it to length, load, haul, unload the rail, then set and weld to line and grade. The whole job was a very big undertaking and really interesting. Working with the 8" rail as opposed to the 4" — this was new not only for Stark, but for Caterpillar as well. Caterpillar's representatives and several others commented on how quick and professional Stark was."

Drainage Improvements Underway in Fisher

Stark crews dig west end of basin (October 2011)

"Mount Fisher" (September 2011)

As the Village of Fisher has grown and expanded toward the west with the Heritage Estates subdivision development, the area has encountered some ongoing drainage problems. Stark's work on this $1 million project, designed by the engineering firm Berns, Clancy and Associates, is expected to resolve the issues by slowing down surface drainage from the west and north side of the Village on its way to Owl Creek. The project is funded through the Village TIF district funds and includes a 76,000cy detention basin, 2000 ft. of swales, several cast-in-place structures and a pedestrian bridge. Work began on this project in August 2011 and is expected to be completed in June 2012.

When asked about an interesting challenge, Project Manager Brad Jameson described the following. The project area accepts drainage from nearly 400 acres, so keeping the project on track during and after rain events has been a challenge. Jameson says that Project Superintendent Todd Baker has overcome this obstacle by methodically excavating the basin with several intermediate drainage swales that kept the work progressing.

Jameson adds "Something interesting and fun about the project — The Village provided a dumpsite for all excess dirt on the east side of the town (pictured right). This has been nicknamed as "Mount Fisher" by the Village residents and the area children are looking forward to the first snowfall."

"I've really come to like working in Fisher" adds Baker. He adds "The Village employees and area residents are really nice and welcoming to their town."

Veterans Parkway and Morris Avenue Reconstruction Update

Six Points Road facing east toward Morris Avenue intersection (November 7, 2011)

Since project work began in March 2011, Stark crews have successfully completed Stages 1 & 2 of this $10 million multi-year project. Sections of roadway fully completed include Six Points Road, Springfield Avenue and Greenwood Avenue West. Temporary traffic signals are in place at the Morris Avenue intersections with Six Points and Veterans Parkway. Stark crews have placed approximately 70% of the 14,000cy of concrete scheduled for the project. Grading and paving operations have been suspended until the 2012 spring season, however sewer and water main installations will continue as weather permits this winter.

One of the major obstacles of the project has been working around the utility company relocations. Power poles, gas mains, telephone and TV cables all needed to be relocated before our work could progress in any given area of the project. These relocations forced grading and paving operations into the fall season with the final sections of Stage 2 pavement completed in late November 2011. The final three stages of this project are scheduled to start in March 2012 with completion by November 2012.

Project Manager Don Colclasure tells us "Nearly 44,000 man-hours have gone into the work so far with as many as forty Stark employees working the project on a given day. Everyone involved with this project is to be congratulated on the amount of work accomplished this season."

Tanner Street Reconstruction Complete

In May of 2011 Stark entered into an agreement with the City of Bloomington to perform the work for the Tanner Street Reconstruction Project in Bloomington. Located just south of the Miller Park dam, this approx. $1.1 million street project was designed to connect Lake Drive on the east side of Miller Park lake to Morris Avenue while providing access to Forrest Park (located adjacent to Miller Park) from Morris Avenue. Stark crews completed work on this new section of roadway in November 2011.

In addition to the roadway that includes a round-a-bout and decorative street lights, the project also required repair work on the Miller Park earth dam. The dam, built in the early 1900's had developed seepage leaks. To address this, Stark crews lowered the lake level by 8 feet, placed bentonite clay to seal the leaks and additional earth to reinforce the dam.

County Highway 11 Bridge in LaMoille

Crews driving sheet pile for the abutments

Crews setting the first of five 100' long girders

Crews beginning work on the abutments

Stark Responds to Blaze in Minonk

On Wednesday, October 26, 2011, Stark received an emergency call from the City of Minonk Fire Chief requesting Stark perform emergency demolition work in downtown Minonk after a fire destroyed six buildings earlier that morning.

Stark crews were immediately dispatched to the area and were able to carefully and safely demolish and remove a significant amount of debris without creating additional damage to the building structures connected to the areas destroyed by the fire. The City was very pleased with Stark's quick response, dedication and the quality of work Stark crews performed.

At the time when demolition work was being performed the cause of fire was unknown.

Buchanan Street Reconstruction in Heyworth