Prepared by Kory Keller of Allen Keller Company, this presentation discusses the process and issues involved in widening highway shoulders. Please remember to cite this research if the information you find here is used.

1. Narrow widening projects
Kory Keller
Allen Keller Company

2. Intro
• Ranch Road, and Farm to Market
experience.
• Parameters
• Constructability
• Efficiency
• Construction Safety

3. Topics
• Safety Slopes
• Flex Base vs. HMAC
• Aggregate Prime
• Widening vs. Rehabilitation

4. Safety slopes – the enemy
• Work that is not gainful to the progress
of the project.
• Quality Control issues
• Permeates Runoff

5. Slopes (cont)
• While safety slopes are an obvious and
necessary hazard abatement, the
elimination of the hazard is even
better.

6. How can we avoid the safety slope hazard?
• Avoid the use of multiple layers in
pavement design
• Multilayer Example: 6 in flex base, prime,
and 2”hmac

7. How can we avoid the safety slope hazard (cont)?
• Consider using a single layer, or
“monolithic” approach.
• Monolithic example, 6 or 8” of flex
base over subgrade, or 4-8’’ of hmac
that fills to final surface.
• The need for the safety slope is
eliminated.

8. Flex base vs. hot mix
• Flex base is considerably cheaper,
especially as we move farther away
from the hmac plants.
• HMAC is seasonal
• Unsuitable subgrade risk

9. Benefits of aggregate prime
• Quick and reliable protective cover
• Finished base under Traffic
• Adheres very well to base course
• Low maintenance under traffic in
comparison
• Protects ride quality on finished base

10. Benefits of aggregate prime (cont)
• Traffic uses the widened road
immediately
• Cheap base slope protection
• All season application

11. Aggregate prime recommendations
• RC-250 with Grade 5 aggregate
• 0.2-0.23 g/sy
• Grade 5-Grade 6
•dry screened
•Non-coated

12. Widening vs. Rehabilitation
• Benefit/Cost Ratio
• Labor
• Equipment
• Project Duration
is comparable between widening and
Rehabilitation

13. Widening vs. Rehabilitation
• Major components of increase
• Cement
• extra base
• second full width chip seal

14. RM 336 Real

15. Completed Project RM 783 Gillespie

16. Rehabilitation Project US 83 Kerr

17. Widening RM 336 –Post Agg. Prime

18. Widening RM 336 –Post Agg. Prime

19. Widening RM 335 –Before Agg. Prime

20. Typical Milling Machine

21. Finishing Base RM335 Real