Articles

Four Wisconsin Projects Earn National Recognition for Excellence in Concrete Paving!

The Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association is pleased to announce that four Wisconsin projects have been selected to receive the Gold National Paving Award, the highest honor presented at the ACPA Annual Conference. These awards recognize projects that demonstrate superior engineering, innovation in design and construction, exceptional concrete pavement performance, and meaningful contributions to transportation infrastructure.

The winning projects span highways, municipal corridors, and major aviation facilities, each overcoming significant technical challenges while delivering long-lasting value to the communities they serve. Their success reflects the dedication, partnership, and expertise that define Wisconsin’s concrete paving industry.

The following summaries highlight the distinguished accomplishments of each project and the teams that brought them to successful completion.

STH 50 Reconstruction – Village of Paddock Lake

A.W. Oakes & Son, Inc.

The STH 50 Reconstruction project in Paddock Lake transformed 1.5 miles of one of Kenosha County’s busiest corridors into a modern, high-performing concrete roadway. Serving as the village’s main street and a vital commercial route, the project demanded uninterrupted access to over 70 businesses, homes, parks, and a high school—all within a constrained right-of-way and overlapping construction zones. The reconstruction included installation of a new storm sewer, creation of a detention pond to improve lake water quality, and construction of a robust pavement structure featuring high-performance concrete.

The project also required complex structural work, including the construction of two new cast-in-place retaining walls to replace deteriorating limestone structures and multiple gravity block walls to improve stability and enhance corridor aesthetics. A.W. Oakes & Son re-staged the challenging STH 83/75 and STH 50 intersections to minimize closures and accelerate the schedule, while coordinating traffic operations with an adjacent WisDOT resurfacing project. Their efforts-maintained mobility and safety for thousands of daily users.

Despite the unique challenges of building a high-volume corridor with no detour options, A.W. Oakes & Son delivered a smooth, durable concrete roadway that enhances safety, accessibility, drainage, and multimodal travel. Local officials and residents praised the project’s communication, responsiveness, and craftsmanship. The finished roadway—with upgraded pedestrian infrastructure, bike lanes, improved drainage, and long-term pavement performance—stands as a premier example of excellence in municipal concrete construction.

CTH R – North Rapids Road Reconstruction

Vinton Construction Company

The reconstruction of North Rapids Road (CTH R) in Manitowoc County showcases Vinton Construction Company’s exceptional ability to deliver durable, high-performance concrete pavement under complex logistical and jurisdictional conditions. Stretching 1.65 miles through a busy commercial and residential corridor, the project upgraded a heavily traveled route into a safer, modern roadway built with high-quality jointed reinforced concrete pavement. Despite the constraints of maintaining continuous access to more than 70 residences, businesses, and Manitowoc Lutheran High School, Vinton ensured smooth traffic flow while executing the work with precision.

Vinton Construction delivered nearly 45,000 square yards of concrete pavement ahead of schedule and without any disincentives, demonstrating extraordinary planning, quality control, and adaptability throughout multiple construction phases. Significant enhancements at key intersections—including new turn lanes, updated traffic signals at Menasha Avenue, and a safety-driven redesign at Wildwood Drive—responded directly to community concerns, particularly those affecting student and pedestrian safety. These improvements have already contributed to safer traffic movements and the elimination of long-standing near-miss issues.

Critical to the project's success was JT Engineering’s management of a rare dual-oversight structure, as ownership of the corridor transitioned from Manitowoc County to the City of Manitowoc. Their effective coordination ensured seamless decision-making across jurisdictions. The result is a model municipal roadway project distinguished by thoughtful planning, innovative construction practices, strong stakeholder engagement, and the long-term durability of concrete pavement—delivering lasting value to the Manitowoc community.

STH 441 Concrete Pavement Restoration – Appleton

Vinton Construction Company

The STH 441 Concrete Pavement Restoration project demonstrates the power of strategic rehabilitation on one of Wisconsin’s most heavily traveled corridors. As WisDOT prepared for future IH41 expansion, preserving and strengthening this 4.66-mile segment—carrying more than 54,000 vehicles daily—was essential to improving safety, ride quality, and long-term durability. Vinton Construction delivered a comprehensive restoration effort including full-depth concrete repairs, 171,100 square yards of diamond grinding, ramp reconstruction, and structural concrete work across eight bridges.

Innovation and value engineering set this project apart. Vinton incorporated SmartRock™ wireless sensors into specialty high-early-strength patches, enabling real-time strength and temperature monitoring that improved opening times and quality assurance. Their recommendation to remove shoulder rumble strips via diamond grinding—rather than filling them—created a more durable long-term solution while saving WisDOT $140,000. The team also managed aggressive schedules, complex staging requirements, and strict environmental protections while keeping traffic moving safely through long-term lane closures and off-peak shutdowns.

The project's most extraordinary achievement is its dramatic improvement in ride quality: the corridor’s average IRI was reduced from 233 in/mile to just 60 in/mile, a remarkable 71% enhancement. Completing all concrete work within the 90-day limit with zero penalties, Vinton delivered a smoother, safer, and longer-lasting roadway that sets a high standard for urban highway rehabilitation.

Appleton International Airport – Terminal Apron Expansion

Zignego Company, Inc.

The Appleton International Airport Terminal Apron Expansion represents a masterclass in coordination, innovation, and resilience on one of Wisconsin’s most operationally complex aviation sites. The project was essential to enabling ATW’s forthcoming terminal expansion and required reconstructing and enlarging the congested air carrier apron located within the airport’s primary taxiway network. With decades-old FAA communication and electrical systems buried beneath the work area, the team began relocation efforts in early April 2023—often clearing snow simply to access work zones and maintain the aggressive schedule.

Executing a multi-phase, multi-year project in the center of an active airport required extraordinary precision. Zignego and its subcontractors maintained continuous access to all airline gates and ensured that at least two taxiways remained operational during every construction phase. Temporary taxiways were built just feet from demolition and paving operations, supported by daily coordination with airport operations, ATC, the Bureau of Aeronautics, airport public safety, tenants, and the airlines. Remarkably, the project proceeded without a single operational complaint, underscoring the team’s exceptional planning and communication.

Sustainability and technical excellence were central to the project’s success. Zignego crushed the existing concrete pavement for reuse as aggregate base, reducing hauling and environmental impact. The optimized concrete mix design delivered superior strength and workability while reducing cement content, and the team maintained consistent quality across 52,200 square yards of slipformed and hand-poured paving. Despite severe weather, unknown utilities, and complex staging, critical phases were completed ahead of winter, enabling uninterrupted terminal construction. Final tie-in paving was finished in 2024—on schedule and with zero operational disruptions, solidifying this project as a national model for aviation infrastructure excellence.