Central 70 Project
Kiewit Meridiam Partners install FODS on Central 70 Project to stop fugitive debris, maintain air & water quality.
BACKGROUND
Interstate 70 cuts through Denver and plays a major role as one of Colorado’s vital economic arteries. Built in the early 1960s, the expected lifespan of the bridges, drainage and interstate system was 30 years. Since then, nine structures have been categorized as either functionally obsolete or structurally deficient and in need of repair, rehabilitation, or replacement.
The $1.2 billion dollar Central 70 Project, the largest rehabilitation undertaking in the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) history, was the answer to the deteriorating transportation I-70 infrastructure. CDOT contracted Kiewit Meridiam Partners LLC (KMP) to overhaul a 10 mile stretch of I-70, widen and lower I-70 thirty feet between two major boulevards, place a 4-acre green space over the lowered interstate, replace and raise the aging 55-year-old viaduct twelve feet, add a tolled express lane in both directions, add a Union Pacific Railroad bridge, replace bridges and a flyover ramp, and add an extensive drainage system on the north and south sides of I-70. The Central 70 project will reduce congestion and emissions, improve safety, and accommodate future growth.
CHALLENGE
Air quality and stormwater runoff remain major environmental challenges that KMP must manage throughout the extended timeline of the Central 70 Project. Dust or PM10 , a mixture of inhalable solid particles and liquid particles 10 micrometers and smaller in diameter, is emitted from all construction sites and can enter stormwater runoff. CDOT made a number of commitments to local residents, promising to mitigate the impacts of construction noise and dust, and maintain air and water quality.
SOLUTION
Knowing fugitive construction dust and debris temporarily impact air quality, and that stormwater runoff creates erosion and degradation of water quality during and after construction, Kiewit installed 200 FODS trackout control mats for mitigation on multiple access points along the interstate to prevent particulate construction debris pollution from exiting worksites and entering stormwater runoff.
“It’s a time saver. It keeps debris out of the street. It’s a big thing for CDOT. Being an out-of-state company, you want to keep a good relationship with the local community.”
-Billy Nelson, Kiewit
FODS prevents debris from being tracked out onto surrounding public streets and onto the busy interstate meeting CDOT’s best management practice requirements. With FODS easily movable entrances that can be installed in under 30 minutes, KMP is maintaining current impact at an expedited rate and improving neighboring communities’ air and water quality throughout the Central 70 project.
ABOUT FODS, LLC.
Based in Englewood Colorado, FODS Trackout Control System replaces ineffective and costly traditional rock stabilized construction entrances, saving you valuable time and money. Our proprietary mat design works to effectively remove mud and sediment from your vehicle tires without damaging the tire or the ground’s surface. We provide the only durable, reusable, and environmentally friendly trackout control system currently available on the market. FODS Trackout Control Mats are 100% Made in the USA and are reusable and recyclable.