You’ve heard the expression “as smooth as silk.” Well, you might start hearing “as smooth as asphalt,” at least from those who’ve driven on a new stretch of US-1 in Palm Bay, built by Ranger Construction.
Ranger was hired by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to completely rebuild about a mile of US-1/ SR-5 near East University Boulevard.
Led by Project Superintendent Steve Skubal, Ranger removed the existing asphalt and road base, upgraded the drainage and utilities, and laid seven new layers of asphalt totaling 13 inches, widening the roadway from four to six lanes in the process.
The result? A ride so smooth it earned Ranger an FDOT 2001 Best in Construction Award, presented by the Florida Transportation Builders’ Association (FTBA).
One of the main criteria for the award was the “rideability” of the roadway — how smooth the ride feels after all the work is said and done. The FDOT, accustomed to hearing complaints whenever roadwork disrupts traffic, instead received many favorable comments from motorists who praised the quality of the road.
Precise measurements proved the accuracy of the feedback. State engineers analyzed the road surface over the entire length of the project and found not a single deficiency — defined as a slight dip or rise exceeding 3/16th of an inch within any 15-foot segment.
Outstanding rideability was not the only factor involved in the award. Another was the project’s timely completion. Before work even started, Ranger suggested and implemented an alternative maintenance of traffic (MOT) schedule that sped up the construction process.
FDOT Project Manager Jim Boughanem and Consulting Engineer Paul Bedard, of PBSJ Construction Services, Inc., also received awards for their work on the project.