The project location was on SR-44 between the SR-191 Greendale Junction and FR-094. Work was performed by Staker Parson Materials & Construction, UDOT, Wall Consultant Group, CIVCO Engineering, Jones & DeMille Engineering, and Coughlin Company.

The cracked roadway was rough, and the asphalt was thin (1.5-inches to 5-inches). Budget constraints meant the asphalt could not be removed and replaced with a 4.5-inch overlay. The team used a profile mill with a maximum depth of 1-inch to improve smoothness. The team applied a scrub seal to help fill the cracks and used a spray paver to apply a 2-inch SMA overlay. They laid 35,665 tons of asphalt.

This project was Coughlin Company’s first project using Lidar and Topcon software to analyze, design, and grind the pavement surface to improve both profile and cross-slope at the same time. It was also the first project to use a spray paver for Burdick Materials. Crew challenges included learning the process, cleaning the paver more than usual, and maintaining a consistent paving speed.

Since belly dumps were not allowed, Burdick Material used live bottom dumps and end dumps. Live bottom dumps and end dumps provided a cleaner project with less tracking and asphalt chunks off the project. Starts and stops had less effect on the smoothness because the spray paver is heavier than standard pavers. The section’s smoothness was improved from an initial MRI of 165 to a final MRI of 58.5.

According to projects and studies from the Midwest, underseals and spray-paver-applied overlays reduce cracking, improve impermeability, have longer than typical service life, and lower life cycle costs. This project should last longer and perform better than a standard mill and overlay for less overall life cycle cost.