Browsing by Subject "Road construction"
Now showing 1 - 16 of 16
- Results Per Page
- Sort Options
Item An Addendum to: Geology and Sulfide Content of Archean Rocks Along Two Proposed Highway 169 Relocations to the North of Sixmile Lake, St. Louis County, Northeastern Minnesota and Geologic Investigations in the Armstrong Lake Area(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2012) Severson, Mark J; Heine, John JThis report summarizes the geochemical results pertaining to the sulfur contents of rock samples collected in the Sixmile Lake area, and thusly, serves as an addendum to a previous report by Severson and Heine (2010). Geologic mapping in the Sixmile Lake area was initiated at the request of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) and concentrated on areas where Highway 169 could potentially be re-routed. The second purpose of this addendum is to provide the appropriate GIS-related shape files that were omitted from the initial report by Severson and Heine (2010). These shape files have been finalized and are provided in this report. In addition, reconnaissance geologic mapping took place along other Highway 169 relocations in the Armstrong Lake/McComber Mine area. The results of that endeavor are provided in this report. The results of sulfur analyses for samples collected from the Sixmile Lake area show that most of the samples with ≥ 0.15% analyzed sulfur contents were correctly mapped as “anomalous sulfide zones” by Severson and Heine (2010). However, there were several instances where the visually-estimated pyrite contents did not compare well with the actual sulfur contents due to a “nugget effect” variation in the third dimension. This “nugget effect” variability is troublesome and suggests that some form of drilling should take place in the areas of future road cuts in order to obtain more representative S% values. Examination of rock exposures and recent drilling of the iron-formation in the vicinity of Shaft #2 in the McComber Mine area indicates that pyrite is present in much higher amounts when compared to Sixmile Lake. Thus, additional drilling will be needed in the McComber Mine/Shaft #2 subarea, and possibly in the Clear Lake subarea, in order to obtain a better understanding of the amount of pyrite present.Item Autonomous Mobile Asphalt Density Profiling Robot to Reduce Worker Risk(Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2023-06) Morris, Ted; Papanikolopoulos, NikolaosMnDOT pavement construction personnel have lately improved quality assurance (QA) through the use of nondestructive air coupled ground penetrating radar sensors. Although proving to be accurate, the acquisition process can be manually intensive and hazardous especially when deployed adjacent to prevailing traffic. The primary objective of this project was to deliver to MnDOT two low-cost, modular, highly transportable, mobile robot platforms designed specifically for pavement density profile testing. Several field tests were performed to assess feasibility of the platform under different operational scenarios. Modularity was ensured by integrating separate, distributed, plug-and-play modules that could be reused for other mobile platforms, should the need arise for future implementations. By implementing two robots, the transferability of the architecture was demonstrated. The mobile robotic platforms were purposely assembled from widely available, low-cost, commercial, off-the-shelf components to minimize overall cost, recognizing that the landscape for such platforms has been evolving rapidly.Item Documenting the Historical Use of Taconite Byproducts as Construction Aggregates in Minnesota – A GIS-based Compilation of Applications, Locations, Test Data, and Related Construction Information(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2007) Oreskovich, Julie A; Patelke, Marsha Meinders; Zanko, Lawrence MAggregate shortages are causing increasing concern for population centers across the country. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s taconite mining industry generates over 125 million tons of mining and processing byproducts annually that hold aggregate potential of traprock quality. Materials such as blast rock, coarse crushed rock, and coarse tailings (collectively known as Mesabi Hard Rock™) have been staples of northeastern Minnesota road construction for over four decades. Infrastructure is already in place to move these materials to markets throughout the country to augment local aggregate resources. Because these highway construction applications are not widely known outside of northeastern Minnesota, this study was undertaken to: 1) document how and where taconite byproducts have been used; and 2) assemble related test data. Letters, interviews, site visits, and searches of archived records were the primary modes of data collection. The product is a project report with a stand-alone Microsoft Access (or Excel) database and an ArcView GIS product containing mappable Mesabi Hard Rock™ usage locations with accompanying data. Topics that users can query include byproduct type, location, application, date, authority, and contact person. With such information, users can determine the applicability of this resource to their own projects.Item The Effects of Highway Improvement Projects on Nearby Business Activity(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2023-08) Wexler, Noah; Fan, YinglingThis report analyzes how state-funded highway improvement projects in the seven county Twin Cities metropolitan area affected businesses in adjacent Census Tracts. We first identify demographic factors associated with the temporal and financial prioritization of some projects over others, finding that the per capita income of a Census Tract is associated with it featuring more heavily prioritized highway improvement construction. We then turn to the effects of highway improvement construction and operation, using results from the previous analysis to account for endogeneity of improvement timing. While we find largely null results of highway improvement on sales, employment, establishment counts, and turnover for both single-establishment and multiple-establishment firms, we also find that pooling data masks several sources of effect heterogeneity. Specifically, we find that single-establishment firms experience negative sales effects from construction when tracts are affected only by infrastructure replacement projects (improvements that do not affect traffic operations, i.e., a bridge replacement). Furthermore, negative sales and employment effects occur after construction is completed for single-establishment firms in urban areas and in tracts affected by longer bouts of construction. Meanwhile, in suburban areas, some modest gains accrue to multiple-establishment firms. These results suggest that regional planners need to account for potential externalities from highway construction on particularly nearby small business establishments.Item Effects of toll road construction on local road projects in Indonesia(Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2019) Ayu Andani, I. G.; La Paix Puello, Lissy; Geurs, KarstThis study investigates the extent to which the construction of national toll roads in the Jakarta–Bandung region in Indonesia induces the development of local road projects nearby. In doing so, we disentangle the direct and indirect supply effects by considering the year of construction and urban development, respectively. We formulate four binary logit models to examine the direct and indirect relationships between toll road construction and local road projects. The dataset comprises 94 road projects planned or carried out between 2004 and 2016. We conduct interviews with local officials in the Jakarta–Bandung area to obtain data on the projects’ decision-making processes. Our modelling results show that existing and planned toll roads induce the development of local road projects both directly and indirectly. Local road projects tend to be developed in anticipation of the opening of a toll road. The changes in residential area and population around the toll roads also induce local road construction.Item Geology and Sulfide Content of Archean Rocks Along Two Proposed Highway 169 Relocations to the North Of Sixmile Lake, St. Louis County, Northeastern Minnesota(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2010) Severson, Mark J; Heine, John JItem Highway Cost Allocation and Determination of Heavy Freight Truck Permit Fees(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2012-07) Gupta, Diwakar; Chen, Hao-WeiMinnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and other state DOTs periodically carry out studies to assess how highway construction and maintenance (HCM) expenditures ought to be attributed to various vehicle classes. In parallel, each vehicle-class’ contribution to revenues from fuel and excise taxes and permit fees are calculated. Although, the latter are determined by the state legislature, the cost-to-revenue ratio helps inform MnDOT if changes to policy could be justified. A variety of methods have been developed to apportion HCM costs to different user classes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pros and cons of different HCA methods and to identify/develop a methodology best suited for conditions in Minnesota. Researchers also carried out a highway cost allocation study (HCAS) using the latest data from Minnesota. In addition, the methodology developed in this project can be used to evaluate damage costs to the road system from permitting more than 80,000-lb gross vehicle weight trucks on Minnesota roads and the users’ willingness to pay for such permits.Item Minnesota Taconite as a Microwave- Absorbing Road Aggregate Material for Deicing and Pothole Patching Applications(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2004) Zanko, Lawrence M; Hopstock, David MItem Minnesota TH 61 North Shore Scenic Drive(2004) Transportation Research Board; Myrick, PThis report summarizes the reconstruction of TH 61 from Duluth to the Canadian border, and the consultative processes used prior to reconstruction. It takes an engineering perspective and does not include an assessment of water resources or public use of the shoreline, although reconstruction would necessarily have impacts on both. The report casts the reconstruction of TH 61 in a very positive light, and does not contain public commentary. Key segments are extracted and reproduced below. "The Minnesota Department of Transportation's (Mn/DOT's) reconstruction and realignment of TH 61 along Lake Superior's Good Harbor Bay illustrates a context sensitive design approach that balanced transportation, community, and environmental needs without requiring exceptions to geometric design standards. This project also illustrates context sensitive design that did not arise out of contentious public involvement and controversy but rather out of proactive project management and involvement of stakeholders. The specific effects of a lower design speed (55mph rather than the proposed 70mh) were to allow the highway alignment to be shifted and design flexibility to be accomplished without the need for exceptions to geometric design standards. Full lane widths and shoulder widths and appropriate roadside design for safety was possible for the alignment based on the lower design speed. Finally, the effect of the lower speed resulted in Mn/DOT saving considerable construction costs by avoiding extensive rock cuts. Mn/DOT went beyond avoidance, though. Consistent with MNDOT's context sensitive commitments and proactive stakeholder involvement, consensus was reached in determining project purpose and need to balance transportation, community, and environmental objectives. Specifically, a consensus was reached that selecting a lower design speed appropriate for the project characteristics would provide the flexibility to shift roadway alignment and balance project objectives without requiring exceptions to geometric design standards. As part of the overall project, given the vision of the stakeholders and importance of the route as a resource, Mn/DOT seized the opportunity to enhance the environment by the following actions: A. Alignment shift provided additional space to enable the expansion and reconstruction of the Cutface Creek Rest Area; B. Mn/DOT undertook the stabilization of a shoreline erosion problem; C. Cutface Creek bank stabilization was accomplished. The application of appropriate and context sensitive design flexibility during project development led to a successful balance of transportation, community, and environmental needs that are served by the constructed project. The constructed project also met four key measures of design excellence: 1) community acceptance, 2) environmental compatibility, 3) engineering and functional credibility, and 4) financial feasibility.”Item Mitigating Highway Construction Impacts Through the Use of Transit(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2013-05) Becker, CarolHuman beings are creatures of habit. Traveling patterns are routines that we repeat over and over until something disrupts those patterns. When disruption occurs, there is an opportunity to entice travelers into new travel patterns. Surveys found that the highway construction in Duluth disrupted travel patterns for 40% of persons surveyed. During the Duluth Megaproject highway construction project, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) used the opportunity to entice travelers to transit. Additional trips and park and rides were added, which made transit more attractive to more travelers. Also, dedicated bus lanes were added to reduce travel time. Free fares enticed travelers to transit. A large promotional effort was undertaken to let travelers know about these enhanced options. Surveys of transit riders found that all of these efforts helped attract riders to transit. Surveys also looked at what factors were important for keeping riders on transit after highway construction ended. Once new habits are formed, it is likely travelers continue those habits until another event forces them to examine their travel patterns. This research found less than 15% of transit riders changed their behavior within two years and all did due to life changes, primarily job change or finishing school. It appears that once travelers change to transit, riders continue to use transit as long as it is a reasonable option. Increasing fares to normal levels did not create a significant incentive to stop using transit.Item Non-ferrous Geology along the Highway 53 Relocation near Virginia, MN(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2015) Heine, John J; Patelke, Marsha Meinders; Post, Sara P; Maly, Craig CThis report outlines the non-ferrous work done in the area of the Highway 53 relocation near Virginia, MN. At the request of the mineral lease holder (Vermilion Gold Inc.), an examination of the gold potential in the area of the new road was completed. Vermilion Gold Inc. located ten exploration diamond drill hole sites which they believed were necessary to characterize the area. Drilling occurred during fall 2013 and was conducted by Idea Drilling. The drilling and subsequent work by Natural Resource Research Institute, University of Minnesota Duluth (NRRI) was funded by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) as part of the relocation work for the highway. Logging and sample preparation were completed at the NRRI Coleraine Minerals Research Laboratory (CMRL) in Coleraine, MN.Item Optimal Contract Mechanism Design for Performance-Based Contracts(Minnesota Department of Transportation Research Services Section, 2011-08) Gupta, Diwakar; Vedantam, Aditya; Azadivar, JustinThis report explores the possibility of implementing a performance-based contract (PBC) in highway construction and maintenance. PBC allows a state transportation agency (STA) to use an incentive structure to induce the contractor to take a long-term interest in the functionality of the highway without excessive cost to the STA. First, an overview of contract mechanisms and existing PBCs in industry is provided. Then, a summary of performancebased specifications illustrates that contractors can adopt construction and maintenance policies to significantly improve pavement performance. Finally, a framework for choosing PBCs to achieve STAs’ goals is provided, with a discussion of some of the difficulties associated with implementation. It can be seen that, in a competitive bidding process, the additional cost of incentives is not larger than the additional value gained by higher-quality work.Item Performance of Taconite Aggregates in Thin Lift HMA: Final Report - January 31, 2012(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2012) Zanko, Lawrence M; Johnson, Ed; Marasteanu, Mihai; Patelke, Marsha Meinders; Linell, David; Moon, Ki Hoon; Oreskovich, Julie A; Betts, Ray; Nadeau, Lynette; Johanneck, Luke; Turos, Mugur; DeRocher, WillThis project was undertaken to advance the knowledge of the beneficial uses of taconite mining coarse tailings (taconite fine aggregate) for thin lift hot mix asphalt (HMA), to facilitate technical information gathering and marketing of such uses and properties, and to encourage the beneficial use of recycled/byproduct materials like durable and wear- and skid-resistant taconite (Mesabi) aggregates, recycled asphalt pavement (RAP), and asphalt shingles. In combination, the use of each is highly desirable because it promotes resource conservation, safety, and energy-saving. Outcomes of this study suggest that Mesabi rock and tailings products show promise as components of 4.75-mm Dense-graded, Stone Matrix Asphalt, and Ultra-Thin Bonded Wearing asphalt mixtures. Laboratory and field investigations of taconite tailings should continue. The Mesabi rock can be incorporated in standard Superpave, SMA, and fine/sand asphalt mixtures in upcoming construction projects. In each case construction and long term field performance should be evaluated. The investigators conclude that taconite-based thin lift HMA mixes that also incorporate RAP should be recognized as an environmentally sound, i.e., combining the use of byproduct and recycled/reclaimed materials, and high-quality option for HMA pavement rehabilitation and preservation. Collectively, the material testing results suggest that thinner wear-course pavements made from appropriately designed taconite-based mixes can match or exceed the service life of conventional MnDOT Level 4 mixtures. If extended service life is realized, then taconite fine aggregate could be a cost-effective choice at end-user locations where high-quality local aggregate sources are lacking or absent. These enhanced performance attributes can add intrinsic value to taconite materials and make them more desirable to use and more cost-effective to transport longer distances, thereby improving and broadening their near- and long-term potential for regional and national highway infrastructure projects.Item A Second Addendum To: Geology and Sulfide Content of Archean Rocks Along Two Proposed Highway 169 Relocations to the North of Sixmile Lake, St. Louis County, Northeastern Minnesota(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2015-08) Heine, John JThis second addendum to GEOLOGY AND SULFIDE CONTENT OF ARCHEAN ROCKS ALONG TWO PROPOSED HIGHWAY 169 RELOCATIONS TO THE NORTH OF SIXMILE LAKE, ST. LOUIS COUNTY, NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA (Severson and Heine, 2010) examines the bedrock outcrops in the western part of the area along the existing Highway 169 alignment. This area is the western part of the identified “Northern Alignment” alternative. Outcrops were examined to determine rock type, sulfide content, and structural features. Samples were collected of both representative rock types and any rock types with elevated sulfides present. Twenty-six samples were collected during this project, and an additional sixteen samples collected during the 2010 work were included from the area where the areas overlapped. The current map area contains generally higher visual pyrite content and higher sulfur analyzed by Leco technique (AcmeLabs, Canada) than observed along the “Southern Alignment” in Severson and Heine (2010). This elevated sulfur content is due to a number of factors: 1. The presence of the upper black cherty Soudan Iron-Formation, which contains syngenetic disseminated and bedded pyrite (FeS2); 2. The presence of faults in the central part of the area and increased localized shearing; and 3. The new rock units that include the Gray Basalt and Gafvert Lake Sequence, which both contain elevated sulfides. Observed sulfide mineral contents and chemical concentrations are higher in the Northern Alignment than the Southern Alignment, suggesting that based on sulfide mineral contents and sulfur concentrations alone, the Southern Alignment would be the preferred alignment; however, consideration of other factors beyond the scope of this report are also required for determining the final location for the highway. Additionally, should this route be chosen, additional drilling would be needed to supplement the outcrop information in areas with less exposure.Item Validation of Wetland Mitigation in Abandoned Borrow Areas – Phase II(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2016-03) Johnson, Kurt W.Road construction in northeast Minnesota often causes wetland impacts that require compensatory mitigation. Borrow areas excavated for road construction material can be developed into wetland mitigation sites if hydric vegetation, hydric soils and adequate hydrology are provided. Fourteen wetland mitigation sites were constructed north of Virginia, Minnesota along the U.S. Trunk Highway 53 reconstruction project corridor. The sites were established with the goal of mitigating for project impacts to seasonally flooded basin, fresh meadow, shallow marsh, shrub swamp, wooded swamp, and bog wetlands. Monitoring results indicate that the 14 mitigation sites range in their potential to receive wetland mitigation credit. All but one of the sites consistently meet wetland hydrology criteria. The sites contain a variety of plant communities dominated by wet meadow, sedge meadow, and shallow marsh. Floristic Quality Assessment (FQA) condition categories for the sites range from "Poor" to "Exceptional." Invasive plant species, particularly reed canary grass and narrow leaf cattail, are present on a number of sites and should be controlled. Tamarack and black spruce plantings have been successful on some of the drier areas and should be expanded to increase the quality and potential mitigation credit for other sites. These sites have shown the potential for creating mitigation wetlands in abandoned borrow pits in conjunction with highway construction. Adaptive management, particularly water level regulation, early invasive species control, tree planting, and continued long-term annual monitoring can make mitigation sites like these successful options for wetland mitigation credit. Continued site monitoring to determine potential for mitigation credit is recommended.Item Wetland Mitigation in Abandoned Gravel Pits(Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2010-03) Johnson, Kurt W.It is becoming increasingly difficult to provide on-site mitigation for wetland impacts due to road construction in northeastern Minnesota counties that retain greater than 80 percent of their pre-settlement wetlands. Abandoned gravel pits are one of the few remaining areas that can serve as wetland mitigation sites. The overall goal of the project is to develop cost-effective methods for creating functional mitigation wetlands on abandoned gravel pit sites to compensate for wetland impacts due to road construction. Two approximately 1-hectare wetland creation demonstration sites were established in adjacent abandoned gravel pits within the U.S. Trunk Highway 53 reconstruction corridor to evaluate techniques for wetland establishment. Wet meadow and shrub swamp wetlands were attempted on one site, and wooded swamp and bog wetlands on the other. Wetland seed mixes provided both positive and negative effects on the developing plant communities on both sites initially but their effect was limited to the first year. Alder thicket and bog donor soil applications had positive effects but not until the third year of the study. Hardwood willow cuttings were effective for establishing a shrub component. Conifer seedlings did not survive unless planted on soil mounds. Fertilizer proved ineffective for promoting wetland plant growth during the study period. The use of straw mulch is questionable on saturated wetland sites such as those in this study.