In this week’s continuing coverage of Chapter events, we’re pleased to highlight the Indiana Chapter’s annual workshop, which was held in February.  The workshop was attended by 157 people and included a full day of presentations, as well as the Chapter’s annual pavement awards program. Here are some additional details, courtesy of Pat Long.

A third of the Indiana Chapter workshop attendees were from INDOT, and the balance was a mix of contractors, consulting engineers, local agencies, airports, cement and concrete industry organizations. 

We incorporated our annual awards program into the workshop for the first time in over a decade, and we recognized eight projects during a 30-minute presentation that followed lunch. 

The Chapter was pleased to welcome Indiana DOT Commissioner Joe McGuinness and FHWA’s Indiana Division Administrator Mayela Sosa as two of our presenters.

The workshop focused on Indiana’s recent experience with structural fiber-reinforced thin concrete overlays, with presentations by the Indiana DOT’s Pavement Director for the Pavement-Geotechnical Division, David Holtz, P.E.; Milestone Contractor’s Concrete Division Manager, Steve Friess; and Indiana Chapter Executive Director Mike Byers.  (Byers also serves as the 2019 ACPA Chapter Committee chairman.)

The overlay topic was further reinforced during the awards presentation, which recognized three very good thin-overlay projects: a four-lane rural state highway (SR 3), a two-lane highway (SR 9 in Shelby Co.), and a county road (Cannelburg Rd., Phase III).

Gary Mitchell presented an update on the latest revisions to the P-501 airport concrete pavement specifications. 

The event closed with Dr. Jason Weiss, Head of the School of Civil & Construction Engineering/Professor at Oregon State University.  He spoke about performance engineered mixture specifications and held the attendees’ attention to the end with his in-depth research findings, all presented in a very clear and understandable style.

Attendees were also provided with materials that shows some of the excellent work being done in the state.  These included the SR 9 overlay article from the 3rd quarter issue of CONCRETE PAVEMENT PROGRESS; a recent article from CONSTRUCTION DIGEST describing the August 2018 open house the Chapter held with INDOT; and the South Bend/Western Ave. story from ROADS & BRIDGES magazine.  The CONSTRUCTION DIGEST article, “Exceeding Expectations” provides a very good recap of INDOT’s experience to-date.  

Photos: 

(Top Right) Indiana DOT Commissioner Joe McGuinness.

(Middle Right) Mayela Sosa, FHWA Indiana Division Administrator, Mike Nelson, Indiana DOT; and Dave Holtz, Indiana DOT.

(Bottom Right) Mike Byers, Steve Friess, Milestone Contractors LP; Gary Mitchell, ACPA, and Jason Weiss, Oregon State University. 

Photos courtesy of Jim Reid, Anchor Media.

Click here for more information about the “Gold Standard” feature coverage