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Highway 47 - There's Pain In Progress
Story by Dave Zarro; photos by Linda Zarro |
“This road construction is killing our business right now, but if it’s done soon, it will be a big improvement.” That’s the sentiment expressed by Kathy Shallow, manager of the Dollar Tree store on Highway 47 in Troy overlooking the road construction currently underway. That seems to be the feeling of many of the store managers on a stretch of Highway 47 that is being widened to four lanes in the busiest part of Troy.
Before the roadwork began, it was obvious to anyone coming through Troy during the weekday afternoon rush hour, or on a Saturday afternoon, that something had to be done about the traffic. Well, now it’s being done, and everyone still isn’t happy.
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The crew at Champion Redi-Mix at work on a Monday morning. |
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Kurt Kluesner of the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is a construction inspector that was observing the progress on Monday morning, Oct 17. He recognizes this as one step of a series of improvements that is necessary in the area.
Under the direction of Tony Champion of Champion Redi-Mix, workers were pouring and spreading concrete at a rapid rate using a new concrete pump that was recently purchased by their company. With the addition of this pump, they will be able to cut the time at least in half that is required to pour the concrete on the north side of 47.
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Randy, an employee of Champion Redi-Mix, said that their concrete is hardening well above the minimum requirements for this type of job. Since they are pouring at a faster rate with the use of the concrete pump, the new lanes will open for driving sooner than expected.
John Magee of EDL Concrete Equipment, a representative for Schwing America, Inc. was on hand to watch the new concrete pump in action. His company sold the pump to Champion Concrete. Watching this monster machine in action is
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quite interesting. With its 32 meter boom, the base of the pump remains in one place while one concrete truck after another pulls up to discharge its load of concrete. The long boom can pour concrete into a 104 foot stretch of road before they have to locate it to a new position. With this increased pouring efficiency, and the speed at which it directs the concrete exactly where the workers need it to be, Champion Redi-Mix will see a 50% increase in work productivity.
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The bottom line for you and me is that we will soon be driving on a new and wider Highway 47 through the busiest part of Troy. It almost makes me look forward to the first rush hour after all lanes are open. Okay, maybe not, but this is all part of the progress and growth we are experiencing in Troy.
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