I-87 Adirondack Northway

Details

This 68,000-ton project spanned from Exit 29 in Schroon to Exit 31 in North Hudson on I-87, which is a two-lane divided highway in the Adirondack mountains. At the Athens, NY terminal, Peckham Industries produced a 9.5mm F2 Top course WMA, 50 series Compaction using a 58E-34 Asphalt Binder that had not been used by New York State before. Because the liquid asphalt was a unique material and the other mixes could not utilize this grade, Peckham used a separate portable plant for all other mix production and dedicated the primary plant in Chestertown, NY to this project. Much effort went into the production of this mix, which required impeccable communication between production, quality control, and field personnel. Peckham’s asphalt terminal, stone quarry, QC and HMA production staff did a tremendous job ensuring the quality and consistency of all constituent materials in the mixture – and the mixture itself. Strict temperature requirements were routinely challenged as other projects of various scope were completed at the same time. Aggregates and Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) were regularly tested for quality to guarantee the overall performance of the bituminous mixture. Consistent test results and mixture control at the plant and in the laboratory helped field placement and density achievement, and the results seen throughout the duration of the project were well within specifications. This project was a great learning experience for the Peckham team on paving with a new asphalt, managing logistics with added binder grades, and achieving compaction while locked into deteriorated pre-existing shoulders, not to mention the variable weather in the Adirondacks. Over the course of the project, Peckham achieved exceptional quality pavement with all quality specifications exceeded for each category, maximizing the return on this investment for the DOT, and ultimately, the motoring public. As a result of these efforts, the Peckham Road Corp. Northway Team was honored with the 2022 NAPA Quality in Construction Award for this project. This award recognizes Peckham’s commitment to building high-quality, smooth, durable pavements for the driving public. In addition, Peckham’s results for Gradation, AC Content, Air Voids, and Density far exceeded the national average submitted.

NAPA 2022 Quality in Construction Award: Highway Paving – Over 50,000 Tons