Over the years, the sheer number of commuters and heavy truck traffic, coupled with the elements, left the Route 3 bridge over the river with extensive surface and structural deterioration. So, starting in May 2008, a New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) contractor repaired and rehabilitated the mile-long bridge as part of a five-month, $8.5 million project. The QUIKRETE Companies was selected as the deck repair material supplier for the contract, which was completed by Newark, N.J.- based Power Concrete using QUIKRETE FastSet™ DOT Mix - Extended.

Since Route 3 is such a heavily-traveled thoroughfare, the road had to remain open for commuter traffic, so crews could only close one lane at a time and worked throughout the night. Areas being replaced were full-depth repairs often as deep as 8 inches and required the replacement of rebar. Because QUIKRETE FastSet™ DOT Mix - Extended was pre-extended with stone, no jobsite mixing was required, allowing for full-depth repairs without jobsite measurement of coarse aggregate. Crews were able to complete their work within the tight time constraints because of the product's rapid strength gain and performance characteristics.

"On this particular project, speed was of the essence since thousands of commuters rely on this bridge as part of their daily commute," said John Turner, QUIKRETE regional sales manager. "Crews had a limited window for the repair work, but by using QUIKRETE FastSet™ DOT Mix - Extended, they completed their work quickly, allowing for the least amount of disruption to the flow of traffic."

QUIKRETE FastSet™ DOT Mix - Extended is a fiber-reinforced, rapid hardening repair material extended with stone. The mix is formulated with an integral corrosion inhibitor to protect rebar by preventing oxidation during repairs and is air entrained for enhanced freeze-thaw durability. The mix reaches a compressive strength of 3,000 PSI in an hour and a half and 4,500 PSI in three hours. As part of the Route 3 project, Power Concrete used about 28,900 80-pound bags to repair the three lanes of the bridge in each direction.

QUIKRETE FastSet™ DOT Mix - Extended is specifically designed to meet ASTM C928 Category R3 specifications for a high-performance repair material. QUIKRETE FastSet™ DOT Mix - Extended has been approved by state DOTs across the country as a patching material for commercial applications at a thickness of 2 to 12 inches thick. For repairs 1/2 to 4 inches thick, QUIKRETE FastSet™ DOT Mix is available in a sanded version. These mix designs are available through the company's 75 manufacturing facilities in the United States.

Beyond the Route 3 bridge repair, The QUIKRETE Companies in recent years has played a significant role in the repair and rehabilitation of highways and bridges throughout New Jersey, including work along Route 4 and Interstates 80, 78, 287 and 322. In addition to QUIKRETE FastSet™ DOT Mix - Extended, construction crews also used QUIKRETE FastSet™ Repair Mortar and QUIKRETE Shotcrete MS for vertical and overhead structural repairs and QUIKRETE 5,000 Concrete Mix for column projects.

Historic Jail to Luxury Hotel Wins "Readers Choice" Award
The QUIKRETE Companies was recognized for its participation in the $150 million rehabilitation and expansion of the historic Charles Street Jail into the modern, upscale Liberty Hotel in Boston, Mass. Through Masonry Construction's Project of the Year Awards program, the project was selected as the magazine's "Readers Choice." In addition to a full-page feature article in the February issue, Rick Yelton, editor-in-chief of the magazine, presented a commemorative plaque to representatives of each project at the World of Concrete on Feb. 4.

Once a bustling detention center built in the 1800's, the jail was in full service by local police until 1990 when deteriorating conditions forced its closure. The former jail was transformed through meticulous planning into 18 suites and a variety of public spaces. A new 16-story, 280-room tower situated behind the old jail also was built. The transformation of the site into a luxury hotel was a collaborative effort between historians, conservationists and masonry restoration experts to ensure that the result was a careful balance between preservation and modern functionality.