Mineta lauds quick construction

Concrete Producer, The, July, 2004

The U.S. Department of Transportation sang the praises of the latest concrete technologies at a construction site recently. "The display of components and materials that you are seeing today will revolutionize our ability to keep drivers moving on roads and bridges that take less time to build, require less disruptive maintenance, provide better and safer driving experiences, and cost less money," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta.

The event was held at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge construction project site in Alexandria, Va., April 15. Mineta recalled how a major artery was reopened soon after the Interstate 95 bridge in Connecticut was damaged when a tanker truck carrying 12,000 gallons of fuel crashed. "Quick construction technology, in this case a prefabricated steel bridge, was assembled, shipped, and installed," Mineta said.

Master Builders, the concrete admixtures manufacturer based in Cleveland, demonstrated its 4x4 Concrete, which achieves 400 psi flexural strength within four hours of placement. "Total in-place costs are lower compared to costs for current fast-setting technologies that rely on concrete using proprietary cements," said Mark Bury, senior product manager at Master Builders.