Airport junction benefits from hot mix paving
Motorists travelling through Ladyville had to use a detour for most of today as construction crews worked on the stretch of highway near the airport junction. But those drivers that slowed down to get a better look might have noticed that this was no ordinary repaving. According to David Schart, project manager of Airport Development Limited, the contractor doing the runway expansion at the P.G.I.A., the third of a mile that was opened to the public this evening is the type of surface you’ll commonly see abroad.
David Schart, Project Manager, Airport Development Ltd.
“Traditionally, roads done in Belize are a chip seal process where they splay an asphalt down and then spread chips on it. This is a hot mix where everything is premixed and brought to site and put down with a paving machine, and while it’s still hot, rolled with a roller.”
Janelle Chanona
“What’s the benefit or difference there?”
David Schart
“It’s a more durable surface I believe. It’s just a different process, it’s thicker, it’s about two inches thick, whereas chip seal they traditionally do it in two layers of a half inch and then three quarter. It’s just a different process.”
Janelle Chanona
“And it doesn’t get potholes as easily?”
David Schart
“I won’t say that. Potholes all depend on good drainage. If you don’t have good drainage, you’ll get potholes in this also.”
Janelle Chanona
“And I understand this is the same surfacing that’s done for runways?”
David Schart
“Exactly, this is the same mixed design that we used for the runway. … We made the initial investment to bring the plant to do the runway. Traditionally this is done around the world, so we figure we made the initial investment, we would do this section of road and see how it stands and performs and hopefully we can pave more roads in Belize like this.”
According to Schart, when the hot mix is put on the ground its temperature measures around three hundred degrees Fahrenheit. Work crews will now use the process to finish the stretch of new road between the junction and the old airport access road. Officials estimate that by Monday, motorists will be able to use that thoroughfare to get to the P.G.I.A. so that the runway expansion can be completed. Rodla Construction of Burrell Boom and Valley Ranch Enterprises of Blue Creek are the contractors for the road and runway expansion projects.
