Asphalt overlay complete on Spur 15A road project

    Early this week, the top lift, or second layer, of asphalt was finished on the Spur 15A road project between Imperial and Champion.
    Now approaching its fifth month of work, the Nebraska Department of Transportation’s project supervisor said they are on track to finish later this year as anticipated.
    “Yes, we are on track for that. The asphalt is done now so that’s good because that has to be done for a lot of other things to happen,” said Jodie Smith, project supervisor.
    Of course, road work is highly dependent on weather, but that hasn’t been an issue so far, except for the dryness.
    Smith said they’ve had to use a lot of water trucks throughout the project to this point.
    Rain certainly hasn’t been a problem. She thinks it rained only once during the asphalt work.
    She said subcontractors on the project haven’t had issues getting materials, either.
    “Our biggest problem for them, like us, is finding help,” she said.
    Throughout the 6.73-mile stretch of road, Smith said the new asphalt is about 5 inches in most locations.
    The focus now is working on driveways and intersections. Shoulder widening, curbing and flume building up the hill east of Champion still needs to be completed, as well.
    Other work on the schedule yet includes installing pipe, replacing mailbox posts that had to be moved, seeding and erosion control, adding rumble strips the length of the roadway, painting lines and signage.
    Prior to the asphalt overlay, workers extended a concrete  box culvert near the town of Champion and added fill dirt, “quite a bit,” Smith said.
    Drivers along Spur 15A will continue to see some stops and a pilot car for awhile, Smith added, while the shoulder work and seeding is completed.
    “We try to have controlled traffic when encroaching on the white lines,” she said.
    Smith said the public has been courteous throughout the project.
    “We appreciate everyone’s patience,” she said. “The public has been very good.”
    Continued careful driving through the work zone is encouraged, she added.
    “We are doing our best to get them through safely and in a timely manner,” she said.