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East Jordan, MI 49727
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Closest Office: 800.626.4653
MADE IN THE USA
Good Vibrations
The intersection of Route 13 and Route 40 in New Castle County, Delaware is one of the most heavily trafficked in the state. Hares Corners, as it is known, is Delaware’s main north/south transit corridor for the entire state. With a 50 mph speed limit and four lanes of traffic, this intersection suffers a constant flow of tractor trailers, cement trucks, 18-wheelers and thousands of cars. Dave Hofer, P.E., Assistant County Engineer noted that, “It was the most brutal application we could come up with.”
Sinking manholes, breakage, cracked pavement and water infiltration - the problem goes back several decades and existed throughout the county. As vehicles travel over the manhole covers, their weight is transferred onto the underground structure and surrounding area, causing tremendous vibration. This stress causes material breakage and structural failure that allows ground water to infiltrate the manholes causing further damage. The freeze and thaw cycles during winter months increase the rate of deterioration exponentially and result in “sinking manholes,” depressions and roadway damage. The damage at this intersection was so extreme that every other year the county was forced to shut down one lane of traffic in both directions for costly and disruptive repair work. This repair work required a crew of fourteen people to dedicate a full day to re-do just three manholes at this intersection. Travelers experienced traffic delays and slow downs as a result. This old remedy was expensive, inconvenient and inefficient.
In a quest to rid the County of this problem they installed multi-purpose rubber adjustment risers on a trial basis. The solution worked! Made from recycled materials, the INFRA-RISER ring has multiple benefits. Due to the compression properties of the INFRA-RISER adjustment rings, traffic vibrations are absorbed and dissipated. A more uniform load distribution prevents pavement fractures from occurring. Without pavement cracks and holes, the opportunity for water to infiltrate is prevented, further extending the life of the structure and quality of travel. Municipalities that use a combination of an INFRA-RISER ring and an EJIW bolted and gasketed manhole cover can virtually eliminate water infiltration.
When asked what he likes best about the INFRA-RISER ring, Hofer’s response was simple and to the point, “It works. Our crews installed the INFRA-RISER ring on each manhole at that intersection and we didn’t have to rebuild them again. The problem literally fell off our radar screen.” New Castle County, Delaware now requires every manhole structure in the county to install the adjustment riser. The cost savings for a system supporting over 40,000 manholes has been substantial.
For repaving projects, the lightweight and durable INFRA-RISER ring offers contractors and municipal workers an option to quickly and easily align the structure to proper grade, saving considerable time and money. Discarded tires make up 92% of the recycled content of this environmentally friendly product. This green solution can assist with LEED® credit achievement and is Made in the USA. INFRA-RISER adjustment rings are available nationwide through a network of distribution partners. Call 1-800-626-4653 to contact your local EJIW sales representative or visit www.ejiw.com to view or download a complete product catalog.
