One of the biggest challenges in totally rehabilitating a traffic lane on a busy interstate is to find a way to minimally impede traffic flow during the project work. Caltrans and Security Paving Co. found a way to do just that on the I-5 Lebec Project near the Tejon Pass Rest Area. The result is shown above: The brand-new northbound Lane 3 of diamond-ground and grooved Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement.

Lane Split Plan

By utilizing the interior and exterior shoulders to shift traffic lanes, adequate space was created in the Lane 3 Construction Area for K-rail to be installed and also give the paver two ledges on which to operate.

To enable that, the scope of the project work included strengthening the interior and exterior shoulders with HMA. With the new shoulders in place, Security Paving began work on the reconstruction of 4.5 miles of the No. 3 travel lane with Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement.

Before: Interstate 5 is an Essential Freight Corridor and Lane 3 on the right in the photo shows the cracks in the old pavement caused by years of heavy truck traffic.

With the new shoulders in place, reflective markers, barrels, and signage all safely divert Lane 3 traffic to Lanes 2 and 4 in the approach to the Construction Zone.

With Lane 3 safely isolated with K-rail and Lane 4 closed to traffic overnight, the Security Paving crew removed the old, damaged concrete pavement.

 

Traffic Split Highway Stage

The K-rail splits the approach to the Lane 3 Construction Area. With Lane 3 safely isolated from traffic, the paving equipment can remain in place during the day, while traffic continues to flow unimpeded in Lanes 1, 2, and 4.

During the paving work at night, Lane 4 is closed to traffic, enabling the feeder trucks to deliver the concrete over the K-rail in front of the paver.

Thanks to the fact that Lane 3 was isolated completely from traffic by K-rail, plain concrete versus rapid set was able to be used, saving money. The isolation of the new lane provided all the time required for the plain concrete to cure. Once that took place, the K-rail was removed and R E Mason Engineering came in and diamond-ground the new Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement in Lane 3.

The innovative traffic diversion method used in this project sets a great example of how the total rehabilitation of a traffic lane can be performed while only minimally impeding traffic on a busy interstate highway.

Big thanks and a tip of the hard hat to Tony Rosas, Project Engineer with Security Paving, and James Burford, Senior Construction Engineer with Caltrans for their contributions to this article, and to SWCPA Executive Director Charles Stuart for his photos and insight.