Five days of work to repave a section of Santa Teresa Boulevard were eliminated thanks to the use of a “cold-in-place” recycling process, according to the machine’s operator.
Tom de Jong, Director of Business Development for McElroy Grinding Company in San Jose, says his machine saves taxpayer dollars and protects the environment. Santa Clara County contracted with McElroy to repave 200,000 square-feet of Santa Teresa Boulevard using a Cold-in-Place Recycling process.
The machine is a 3800 Cold-in-Place Recycler. It pulls up old cement, blends it with water and binding agents, and lays the new mixture behind it to be spread and compacted.
The paving will continue to affect traffic throughout the month of October, according to Santa Clara County staff. Local streets remain open to residents and businesses with limitations during the county’s repaving project, which will take place in phases through January 2013 along a 6.3-mile stretch of Santa Teresa Boulevard, from north of Laguna Avenue to West Main Avenue, according to county staff.
According to McElroy, owner of McElroy Grinding Company, this process eliminated the cost and environmental impact of 250 truckloads (5,000 tons) of importing and off-haul on the Santa Teresa Boulevard project and cut five days of work when compared to conventional repaving methods. It also eliminates the need to produce more asphalt.
According to McElroy, this Cold-in-Place Recycling process costs roughly half the price of conventional repaving.
Though this process has been around for 15 to 20 years, it hasn’t caught on everywhere. The machine itself is a hefty investment, costing roughly $1.5 million. And many places are reluctant to try a new way of repaving their roads.
The machine and process have been used successfully in many places, including San Jose and Gilroy.
The project is intended to give motorists a smoother ride along the route, wider bike lanes, drainage improvements, and pedestrian improvements including sidewalks and American Disability Act curb ramps. Pedestrians will be able to walk on sidewalks continuously in the residential area from Via Loma to West Main Ave.
