Increased Safety
The completed roundabout creates a safer intersection near two schools by slowing down approaching traffic.
Added Safety on a Tight Deadline
A busy, four-way intersection near the Monticello High School and an Education Center was in need of a large-scale overhaul. The project stretched over 2 miles and involved replacing the intersection with a large roundabout, decreasing the slope of an approaching road, reworking underground utilities, and completing a 40 ft. retaining wall. These improvements will create a safer intersection near the two schools for kids, parents, and the public. Duininck’s grading crew started the work in late July of 2021.
Bud Peterson, Grading Crew Lead and 15-year Duininck employee, and his team are on a tight 30-day deadline to complete the roundabout portion of the project. He says, “The Project Manager and I came up with the most cost-effective plan to complete this job on a tight timeline. From there, I rely on my crew to get the job done.” The crew has over 50 years of combined experience in road construction.
The project stretches over a rough 2-mile road with a four-way intersection located at the north end of the road. The Duininck crew began by milling the southern end of the road, then hauling in sand and gravel in preparation for grading. Roughly 32,000 tons of sand came directly from Duininck’s Plant 14, located in Monticello less than five miles from the jobsite, saving valuable trucking time and cost.
By early August, the crew began sub-grading the remaining northern stretch of road and preparing the ground for a retaining wall by digging footings. According to Peterson, the retaining wall was the most challenging and dangerous part of the project. “We had to make sure everyone was safe out there. We had to dig footings against a straight up-and-down wall that was roughly 20 ft. full of sand.”
For many on the crew, seeing the project come to completion brings a lot of pride. Operator Todd Anderson says, “Being able to help finish a project and make it look nice when it’s done is the most rewarding part of the job.”
In early November, the paving was completed and road traffic opened once again.
“When we get a project done, we get to turn around and look at it and say we did that, not me but all of us.” -Bud Peterson, grading crew lead
Thanks to these sub-contractors:
Retaining wall: Northland Concrete and Masonry Co.
Underground utilities: Hjerpe Contracting, Inc.
Project Highlights
Project Overview
Hear from the Duininck grading crew what makes them proud in completing a job like this for the community of Monticello.
Retaining Wall
The grading team prioritizes safety while prepping the ground for footings of the 40 ft. retaining wall.
