IMPACT OF ECOLOGY ON CONSTRUCTION

METHODS ADOPTED BY THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS TO COMBAT AIR, WATER, NOISE, AND AESTHETIC POLLUTION IN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS ARE DESCRIBED. FOUR MEANS OF AVOIDING OPEN BURNING ARE DISCUSSED: HIGH- INTENSITY STACK BURNING, USE OF AIR-CURTAIN DESTRUCTORS, LANDFILL DISPOSAL, AND CHIPPING. (THE DESTRUCTOR IS A DEVICE THAT PASSES A CURTAIN OF AIR DOWNWARD OVER A FIRE WITHIN A DEEP, NARROW TRENCH ABOUT 20--40 FEET LONG. THIS RECIRCULATES SMOKE AND FLY ASH BACK THROUGH THE FIRE WHILST FURNISHING A FORCED DRAFT. THE RESULTANT FIRE IS EXTREMELY HOT, AND NEARLY COMPLETE COMBUSTION IS ACHIEVED.) THE LAST OF THESE IS THE METHOD PREFERRED, BUT AS YET THE STATE LACKS BROAD EXPERIENCE WITH IT. CONTROL OF SMOKE AND DUST AT HOT MIX PLANTS AND OTHER CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT IS MENTIONED BRIEFLY. THE STATE'S CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS FOR WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ARE NOTED. ALTHOUGH THE STATE HAS REQUIRED THAT PARTICULARLY NOISY EQUIPMENT BE HOUSED AND HAS IN SOME CASES RESTRICTED SHIFTS, NO BROAD ATTACK HAS YET BEEN MADE ON NOISE FROM CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. IT IS NOTED THAT THE MAY 1971 ISSUE OF "CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT MAGAZINE" CONTAINS A SERIES OF EXCELLENT ARTICLES ON NOISE CONTROL AT CONSTRUCTION SITES. TWO STEPS ARE TAKEN TO ASSURE SOME MEASURE OF AESTHETIC CONTROL. A FORCE ACCOUNT BID ITEM IS PROVIDED AT AN ESTIMATED VALUE TO BE USED FOR APPROPRIATE EXTRA WORK NEAR THE END OF THE PROJECT. SECOND, PIT, QUARRY, AND WASTE SITE RECLAMATION ARE REQUIRED. FINALLY, BRIEF ATTENTION IS GIVE TO THE ADDITIONAL COSTS OF ECOLOGICAL EFFORTS. MOST OF THE METHODS FOR DEVELOPING SUCH ESTIMATES ARE STILL IN THE DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE. A ROUGH ESTIMATE, SPELLED OUT IN A THREE-PAGE CHART, INDICATES THAT ECOLOGICAL MEASURES HAVE ADDED ABOUT 3% TO THE COST OF HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN THE STATE IN THE FY 73--75 BUDGET.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • 13 Pp, 3 FiG
• Corporate Authors:

  American Association of State Highway Officials

  57th Annual Meeting
  ,   United States 
• Authors:
  • Humphreys, H W
• Publication Date: 1971-12

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aesthetics; Air quality management; Costs; Noise control; Road construction; Water quality
• Subject Areas: Construction; Finance; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00215497
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 23 1972 12:00AM