The City of Tea, South Dakota, recently addressed severe pavement degradation on Heritage Parkway, one of its primary four-lane arterial corridors writes the ACPA. Originally constructed in 2009 with an asphalt surface over a reinforced aggregate base, the half-mile segment had developed substantial rutting and thermal cracking under the stress of approximately 12,000 vehicles per day. Seeking a lasting fix for the heavily traveled route, municipal leaders worked alongside engineering firm HDR to evaluate long-term pavement management options.
Instead of selecting a conventional two-inch asphalt mill and overlay, the city chosen to install an eight-inch doweled concrete pavement inlay. Local contractor T&R Contracting was awarded the project for slightly more than one million dollars, marking the city’s first deployment of this innovative paving method. By prioritizing long-term durability and lower lifecycle maintenance over temporary asphalt resurfacing, officials aimed to secure a far more reliable transportation asset for the community.
Construction kicked off in late August, with project managers shifting traffic to one side of the median to maintain continuous vehicle movement. Crews completely milled out the distressed asphalt and performed minimal base excavation before paving the full 24-foot roadway width. Using a slipform paver riding along the existing curb and gutter, contractors poured the northbound and southbound lanes in sequential phases following proper curing and joint sealing.
The entire project was wrapped up in just over a month, limiting traffic disruption while delivering a high-strength corridor. Featuring doweled concrete designed to endure heavy daily traffic loads, the new Heritage Parkway surface provides a robust, low-maintenance roadway. This strategic investment ensures smooth travel for local commuters while saving the municipality significant time and resources on future road maintenance.
Learn more about this project here: https://www.acpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/ACPA_Project-Profile_Concrete-Inlay-Provides-Durability_July-2026.pdf