Contractor-grade snow plows

Western’s new 8-, 8.5-, and 9-foot Pro Plus snow plow line, for 0.75-ton to F550 size trucks, is designed for heavy-duty contractor and municipal use. Unique Power Bar construction provides exceptional torsional strength and rigidity to eliminate blade twisting often seen in severe use. The heavy-duty A-frame construction is 3-inch square tubing for increased strength — built to withstand season after season of commercial use. The optional back drag edge makes clearing snow away from doors and other tight areas easy.

Under-tailgate ice-control spreader

The Fisher UTS-696 under-tailgate spreader was designed to provide problem-free, reliable service with minimum maintenance. The unit is designed to fit 96-inch-wide dump and utility bodies and is capable of spreading any ice-control material. The spreader has quick disconnect mounting so the trough can be easily removed and won’t interfere with the operation of the tailgate or dump body. The unit is also available in stainless steel.

Strip sealant keeps out water

QuikSeam roll-out strip sealant is ideal for sealing joints and seams when replacing sections of existing asphalt pavements, as well as for new construction, according to Quik Pave. The company claims QuikSeam seals the entire vertical interface of the joint against water infiltration and is relatively unaffected by traffic and other factors that degrade conventional surface sealants. The specially formulated, rubberized asphalt compound comes in 50-foot rolls, 8- or 9-inches wide to accommodate 2- and 3-inch pavement sections.

Stronger, longer weed control

Two new herbicides are now available from DuPont — Landmark MP (pictured) for the suppression of 113 broadleaf weeds and grasses in the Western and Central U.S.; and Landmark II MP for management of 36 weed and grass species throughout the Southeast and Eastern U.S. Because of the low use rates of both herbicides, chemical load on the environment is significantly reduced. For best results, the herbicides should be applied pre-emergence or early post-emergence during early stages of growth before weeds develop established root systems. Both are now registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; state registrations are pending.

Precast concrete fence/wall

In the past two years, Homeland Security has become a big concern for government facilities, utilities, and businesses. Superior Concrete Products designs, manufactures, and installs precast concrete fencing and screening walls in a variety of styles and colors for use around municipal, utility, road, and federal-government projects. The fence and wall systems are designed to look like stone, wood, or brick and blend into their environment.

According to Barry Stevens, vice president of sales and engineering at Superior Concrete Products, their precast concrete walls, which are made of steel-reinforced, high-strength concrete, can provide maximum security. They can be customized, tailored to different heights, cost as little as half that of masonry, and need no regular maintenance — no painting; won’t burn, split, or warp; designed not to crack or shift with ground movement; and easily repaired if damaged by collision.

Unlike masonry, says Stevens, which requires a continuous foundation, the piers on Superior’s precast walls are set at 5-foot intervals and can be strategically situated to easily straddle underground lines without severing them. The 5-foot intervals also make them very difficult to penetrate.

Superior Concrete Products serves as the sole contractor, providing design, engineering, permits, manufacturing, installation, and warranty. One crew can install up to 100 feet per day for a 6-foot fence and up to 75 feet per day for an 8-foot fence with no heavy equipment necessary.

Heavy-duty concrete pump

Multiquip’s Mayco division introduced its newest small line, heavy-duty concrete pump. The C-30 HDN features a new frame-integrated 18-gallon fuel tank for improved safety. The direct-flow hopper design offers the advantage of locating the hopper directly above the primary pumping cylinder. Gravity draws the material directly from the hopper into the pumping cylinder where it is quickly and efficiently pumped out of the discharge end of the pump. The unit weighs 2,831 pounds; is 150-inches long, 38-inches wide, and 62.5-inches high; and has a maximum rated volume output of 25 cubic yards per hour.

Rapid-setting anchoring cement grout

Sealtight Speed-E-Roc is a pourable, rapid-setting and hardening, high-strength, hydraulic cement compound designed for anchoring and grouting. The grout is suited for anchoring rails, bolts, reinforcing steel, threaded rods, sign posts, street signs, and more into concrete or any other porous, properly prepared, hardened material. Featuring 1- and 24-hour strengths, the non-metallic grout contains no chlorides and is easy to use — just mix it with water and pour. Choose from a 50-pound pail that yields 0.50 cubic feet or an 8-pound tub that yields 0.08 cubic feet.

Reflective sign support cover

Carsonite International’s new Reflective Sign Support Cover is designed to enhance the visibility of normal highway guide signs, even in inclement weather. The covers are easy to install, require no maintenance, and will not rust, rot, or corrode. They are designed for both U-channel and flat-post installation, and are available in two grades of reflective sheeting — Hi-Intensity and Diamond-grade.

Microcomposite steel rebar

MMFX Steel Corporation provides a cost effective answer to corrosion of rebar in reinforced concrete applications with their Microcomposite Steel Rebar. MMFX 2 rebar is specially designed to resist corrosion as a result of the patented and proprietary steel microstructure that is formed during its production. The rebar meets the requirements of ASTM A615 Grade 75 and AASHTO M31 Grade 75 while providing enhanced corrosion resistance without the use of coatings. MMFX was named the 2002 CERF/IIEC Charles Pankow Award for Innovation winner for this rebar.

Under-tailgate spreader

Western’s new under-tailgate spreader fits 96-inch standard dump bodies. Features include a standard poly spinner for longer life; full-opening cleanout and auger lock-out pin; and a 6-inch auger with 0.375-inch-thick, 4-inch-pitch continuous flights with reverse flights. The spreader is also available in stainless steel.

Road drainage system

Tenax Corporation’s RoaDrain is an innovative drainage system designed to remove water from above and below flexible and rigid pavements, preventing premature pavement failure. The tri-planar drainage geocomposite is engineered to quickly remove water, effectively separate structural fills from the native soil, stabilize weak subgrades, and provide an effective void to act as a positive capillary break to help reduce damage caused by frost heave and subsequent thaw. RoaDrain is available in rolls for easy installation.

Two-way dump body

The two-way dump body from Crysteel Manufacturing doubles work-truck efficiency by allowing two dump options. The innovative design allows operators to dump to the rear for typical applications as well as to the side for those hard to reach places. The Deuce is available in 9- and 11-foot lengths and up to 11-ton capacity and comes with a five-year warranty.

Surveying products

Trimble introduced new versions of three key surveying products — the 5800 GPS receiver, Trimble Survey Controller software, and Trimble Office software.

The 5800 RTK system has been improved to include GPS base station functionality, Virtual Reference Station enhancements, support for Bluetooth communications with selected cellular phones including those with GSM/GPRS technology, and on-board memory. With these new capabilities, the 5800 provides a more versatile solution, which can be used for a wider range of surveying tasks.

The survey controller field software provides a seamless interface to Trimble’s portfolio of GPS surveying and total stations systems. The Survey Controller 10.7 software provides advanced graphical capabilities for road cross-section stakeout and in-field design. In addition, new onboard data collection applications for use with Trimble 5600 Total Stations allow for automated surface scanning using the direct reflex EDM, repeated measurements, remote object elevation, and continuous topographical measurement.

The Geomatics Office and Trimble Total Control surveying software have been updated to ensure a smooth workflow between field and office.

Environmentally safe melter

A new environmentally formulated melter developed by Gibraltar National Corporation meets the needs of groundskeepers, landscapers, and maintenance engineers. Ice Devil EF is a blend that, when correctly applied, will not harm concrete and is safer on vegetation, decorative shrubs, and trees.

Plow balance system

Component Technology's PlowGuard plow balance system provides numerous features that benefit snow removal managers, service providers, and equipment operators. The system offers control of the hydraulically operated plow and the weight that its cutting edge bears on the road surface. The system can be operated by means of a simple switch in the truck cab, or integrated into any of the StormGuard control consoles.

Truck operating efficiency is improved, truck wear is reduced, and road surfaces encounter less damage as the plow edge rides along the road without its full weight bearing down. Cutting edge life can be extended by as much as 10 times.

Scarifiers

New Sawtec scarifiers feature heavier frames and drums to provide greater durability when preparing concrete, asphalt, and steel surfaces. For greater control and easier handling, the scarifiers include a quick lift-off feature and micro depth control for fine tuning the cutter depth. A variety of cutter teeth and quick-changing drums allow for easy reconfiguration to meet a range of applications — removing oil, contaminants, traffic lines, epoxy coatings, or paint from asphalt and concrete surfaces. Gas or electric scarifiers are available in widths from 8 to 13 inches, some self-propelled.

Increased snow plow blade life

Winter Equipment Company’s Plowguard and Curbguard reduce snow plow downtime, increase blade life, and ease reliance on the use of salt by clearing the roads faster and more efficiently. The units are composed of layers of high-alloy chrome-carbide weld deposits. making them strong, durable, and guaranteed not to break. For use on heavy- and lighter-duty vehicles, they can be installed anywhere on the blade for maximum protection.

Roadside cleanup body

Petersen’s model TL-3 Lightning Loader includes a self-contained dump body and a hydraulic arm tipped with a clamshell grapple. The versatile system is equipped to handle everything from brush and logs to illegally dumped items, as well as disaster cleanup after ice storms or hurricanes when there is high-volume waste in roads and on roadsides.

Features include a 45 degree dump angle so the floor of the body clears the ground, rake and shovel holders, and a tool box for carrying a chainsaw. The boom has a 20-foot reach, which includes a 4-foot telescopic tip extension for added dexterity, and can reach 9 feet below grade for hard to reach items under bridges or in ditches.

Rapid-hardening cement

Mineral Resource Technologies, Inc. ArmorCem Rapid Hardening Hydraulic Cements received first place in the Masonry Most Innovative Products Contest at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry this year. The suite of products uses patented activated fly- ash-based technology that enables it to harden in approximately 30 minutes or less while maintaining excellent workability and high compressive strengths. The product develops over 3,000 psi in three hours and 12,000 psi in 28 days, and yields excellent freeze-thaw resistance and sulfate resistance. MRT manufactures eight environmentally friendly ArmorCem products that are suited for many uses including fast-track paving, road repair, bridge maintenance, and precasting.

Sample splitter

Gilson Company’s SP-12CA sample splitter is a large capacity, 1.9-cubic foot gate-release hopper that assures accuracy when mixing and dividing bulk aggregate into representative lab samples. Ten 2.25-inch fixed chutes process particle sizes up to 1.125 inches. The sturdy, heavy-gauge steel frame is built for extended service life under heavy use. Four swivel casters permit mobility and easy storage. The two 1.2-cubic-foot-capacity, welded-steel sample pans have sturdy handles at each end for safe and convenient handling of heavy samples.

Reprinted from the October 2003 issue Better Roads Magazine