The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) recently instrumented a section of U.S. 301 northbound concrete pavement in an effort to identify the most effective concrete pavement designs throughout the state. Testing devices and sensors were strategically placed along the 4-mile roadway segment, allowing FDOT engineers to monitor pavement conditions in real time under live traffic, including heavy truck traffic.
āServing Floridaās communities is the heart of FDOTās mission and U.S. 301 concrete test road is an innovative tool to allow us to improve our roads,ā saidĀ FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E.Ā āUsing innovative technologies to collect real time data on the efficacy of various types of concrete available to use on Floridaās roads allows us to use the most effective materials to create resilient transportation corridors and reliable supply chains while prudently using taxpayer dollars. The more resilient the materials we use, the longer they last, reducing our maintenance costs and construction times, limiting the congestion travelers feel in active work zones.ā
The new concrete ātest roadā is the first of its kind in the southeastern United States: a field laboratory
that utilizes live traffic loads to test concrete pavement and base designs. The concrete test roadās innovative design will utilize the existing U.S. 301 northbound lanes to divert traffic off the test road when needed, providing engineers full access to the test areas. This concept also allows for new test sections to be constructed without interruption to U.S. 301 traffic. The test road is located just south of County Road 218 to just north of Richard Mosely Road.
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