Department of Transportation
Office of the Secretary
700 E. Broadway Ave
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: 605-773-3265
FAX: 605-773-3921
Web site: www.sddot.com
For Immediate Release: Monday, November 16, 2009
Contact: Kristi Sandal, 605-773-7179
I-90 White Lake to Mt. Vernon Project Complete
Pierre, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Transportation and Upper Plains Contracting, Inc. (UPCI) have completed a 22.1 mile concrete paving project on the westbound lanes of I-90 between White Lake and Mount Vernon.
As of today, westbound traffic will be placed on the newly constructed westbound lanes. One lane traffic will remain in the eastbound lanes for a few more days to allow for completion of necessary maintenance work on the surface of the existing roadway.
Original plans for the project called for 4.5 miles on the west end to be paved this year with the remainder completed in 2010. UPCI from Aberdeen, S.D., with the help of 15 subcontractors, proposed an alternative plan to accomplish the entire project this year to minimize the overall impact on travelers.
“This was an ambitious $22.5 million project built using stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,” said Department of Transportation Secretary Darin Bergquist. “This large project could not have been completed in this timeframe without the exceptional efforts of UPCI, the numerous subcontractors and Department of Transportation staff.”
Work began on May 4 with the westbound lanes being closed and traffic placed head to head on the eastbound lanes. In order to meet the aggressive construction schedule, three subcontractors worked simultaneously to complete removal of old pavement, grading, placing of gravel cushion and preparing the roadway for concrete paving.
UPCI began concrete paving operations on Aug. 19 and completed all mainline paving on Oct. 30. Approximately 352,000 square yards of concrete were used for the paving and 40,000 tons of asphalt were placed for shoulders and ramp tie-ins, making it one of the largest stimulus funded concrete paving projects in the country.
For more information on the project, contact Tammy Williams, Mitchell Area Engineer, 605-995-8120.