LL Pelling Encounters Paving in Tight Spaces, Limited Entry Points

This article describes a recent project to pave a 7 mile, 10-foot wide bike path in Linn County, Iowa. The project was located on an old railroad bed and had seven different sections intersected by gravel roads. Limited access as well as the size and weight of the equipment were the biggest challenges of the project. Prior to completing the paving work, a crew came to the site to clear the path of any obstructions. The paving work was completed in two phases. The general contractor completed all of the subgrade work while a subcontractor completed the paving portion of the project. Crews laid 9,000 tons of hot mix asphalt in one, 4-inch lift at a rate of ½ to ¾ mile per day. Since various locations of the path were susceptible to flooding, two 500-foot sections of porous asphalt were laid. These sections were located in low-lying areas that were banked on both sides.