ASPHALT WIDENING AND LEVELING BENEFITS REACTOR MOVER, STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION, AND USERS

DURING NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 1971, AT AN AVERAGE RATE OF A MILE A DAY, A 760-TON NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ITS 300-TON CARRIER MOVED FROM A BARGE IN HAVRE DE GRACE (MD.) TO THE PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC COMPANY'S ATOMIC ENERGY PLANT IN PEACH BOTTOM (PA.). THIS IS THE HEAVIEST LOAD TRANSPORTED OVER A PUBLIC ROAD IN THIS HEMISPHERE. NO HIGHWAY BRIDGES WERE ALLOWED TO BE USED, AND THE 38-FOOT HIGH REACTOR REQUIRED CONSTANT ATTENDANCE BY TELEPHONE CREWS. MOVEMENT OF THE REACTOR REQUIRED WIDENING OF A SECONDARY STATE ROAD. CONSIDERATION OF THE RELATIVE MERITS OF BUILDING A 14-INCH- THICK STONE BASE OR EMPLOYING FULL-DEPTH ASPHALT PAVING COMBINED WITH ASPHALT LEVELING COURSES IN WEAK AREAS LED TO ADOPTION OF THE SECOND METHOD. THE TOTAL COMPLETED COST OF $112,000, WAS A FRACTION OF THE CONTEMPLATED STONE-AND-PLANK OPERATION, WHICH HAD BEEN USED IN A PREVIOUS REACTOR MOVE, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL ROAD DAMAGE IN ADDITION TO THE MUCH LARGER CONSTRUCTION COST.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • pp 12-14, 6 PHOTS
• Publication Date: 1972-2

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Maryland Asphalt Paver
  • Publisher: Maryland Asphalt Association, Incorporated

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt pavements; Bituminous aggregates; Highways; Improvements; Pavement widening; Secondary roads
• Uncontrolled Terms: Widening
• Subject Areas: Construction; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00218949
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 23 1972 12:00AM