Concrete Pipe and Bypass the Answer to Local Traffic Safety Concerns

By County Materials Corporation

• 
  County Materials delivered 14,518 feet of RCP for the construction of bypass structures.
  
• 
  Manholes staged on site for installation.
  

The City of Waukesha, Wisconsin teamed with Waukesha County and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) to address concerns about increasing local and regional traffic volumes along the west side of the city. The lack of a major road connecting Interstate 94 and Highway 59 led motorists to use several smaller streets in the area for their commute, causing frequent traffic jams and unsafe conditions. The four-lane West Waukesha Bypass was the answer to the City’s traffic concerns. Concrete pipe and other precast products were specified for major drainage structures and culverts to mitigate flooding. Three concrete pipe production facilities of County Materials supplied products to the project because of the large order of concrete pipe and precast products.

The City of Waukesha and Graef Engineering Firm developed a flood mitigation plan in 2014 that addressed frequent flooding throughout the city, including neighborhoods surrounding the northern portion of the bypass. The plan recommended incorporating updated storm water management systems along Meadowbrook Road. It was implemented at the same time as the construction of the bypass.

By the time the project was completed in 2018, County Materials manufactured and delivered 14,518 feet of reinforced concrete pipe ranging from 12 inches to 48 inches in diameter comprised of Class III, Class IV and Class V pipe, along with 33 manholes, 58 catch basins, and 157 inlets.

In addition to storm sewers, County Materials supplied 1,040 feet of Class III reinforced concrete pipe and 42 apron end-walls for ditch-to-ditch applications, which included concrete pipe culverts under the driveways of several homes and businesses. Another reinforced concrete pipe structure included two 176-foot culverts of 60-inch diameter Class III reinforced pipe under the bypass to handle the flow from Fiddlers Creek.

North of Summit Ave, a tributary of Pebble Creek runs under Meadowbrook Road through three separate concrete pipe culverts. To mitigate construction with least impact on the waterway, the decision was taken to keep the culverts in place and extend their lengths to accommodate the wider road. County Materials supplied 216 feet of 48-inch diameter reinforced concrete culvert pipe which makes up two of the runs and 109 feet of 72-inch diameter reinforced concrete culvert pipe for the single run. An additional culvert pipe extends to the west another 108 feet to protect the tributary from erosion. The invert of the three runs is partially buried to maintain the tributary’s natural streambed, which is vital in keeping natural water flow and for the health of aquatic animals.

County Materials coordinated and delivered 224 truckloads of materials from production facilities in Rib Falls, Wis., Green Bay, Wis., and Madison, Wis. to the bypass project. The 2009 Memorandum of Understanding signed by Waukesha County, the City of Waukesha, the Town of Waukesha, and WisDOT, identified local, county, and state responsibilities for building the bypass.

Photos: Courtesy of County Materials