J.A.McDonald,Inc. performed the reconstruction of US Route 7, "Shelburne Road", while maintaining two traffic at all times, for 35,000 vehicles daily, over a two mile stretch of Vermont's busiest highway corridor. The timely success of this project was centered around the successful design and implementation of a highly functional Traffic Control Plan. Local residents and media heralded the success of the traffic control plan and the rate at which progress was achieved throughout the duration of this multi-year project.
The project entailed a "Total Reconstruction and Widening" of US Route 7. All new underground utilities were installed, to include, water, sewer, underdrain piping, storm drainage, sewer manholes, stormwater catch basins, electrical vaults, etc. One of the major installations on this project involved the installation of a 10ft x 16ft precast concrete box culvert section, to carry an unnamed tributary beneath Shelburne Road. This highly skilled installation had to be performed in phases, complete with steel sheeting driven to support traffic, while adjacent sections of the new structure where placed.Coordination of this installation, within the confines of the established traffic control plan, was just one more of the many challenges experienced through out the construction of this project.
Once all underground utilities were installed a mass excavation was initiated that removed all the existing subbase materials to a depth of five feet below newly designed finish grades. At some locations, this mass excavation required mass excavation of soild rock, with required drilling and blasting within a highly confined and restricted area. The rock excavation was excavated and processed through J.A.McDonald's specialized crushing and processing equipment to produce subbase material that was incorporated into the new roadway as new subbase material. J.A.McDonald's crushing/processing equipment and personnel were able to produce products that met contract specifications via processing the on-site rock excavation vs having to import this material from offsite commercial sources.
Upon completion of the mas excavations, and the replacement of new subbase materials, new curb and sidewalks were installed. Two new signal systems were installed, complete with loop detectors imbedded into the final layer of bituminous pavement. New street trees were planted and all greenbelt areas were loamed, with a special modified topsoil mix, and seeded.
The Shelburne Road Project was a very high profile project, that was completed ahead of schedule, within budget, and showcases the highly skilled capabilities of J.A.McDonald, Inc.