Public Works utilizing a faster, cheaper way to fix a 500-foot section of Stafford Road near Plant City.
Hillsborough County's road resurfacing project on Stafford Road near Plant City is receiving an innovative treatment from Hillsborough County Public Works, including the use of low-density, lightweight cellular concrete, which is concrete infused with millions of microscopic air bubbles.
The treatment sometimes is called foam concrete, and the innovative approach is beneficial. It reduces both costs and closure delays.
Stafford Road is being resurfaced utilizing Surtax Funding. Approximately 500 feet of the road was originally constructed on muck soil in a low-lying area between a large pond and a low agricultural area.
This stretch of the road is receiving special treatment to increase its durability and reduce construction time. The new treatment is particularly beneficial here because removing and replacing the muck soil below the roadway in that area would be expensive and time-consuming.
The new infused concrete can be used about 3 feet below the roadway surface and cures in 24 hours. Unlike traditional road reconstruction, which is typically required when the roadway's underlying base must be reconstructed along with the pavement surface, this approach avoids weeks of curing and testing. As a result, construction is completed more quickly, reducing costs, minimizing traffic disruptions, and allowing roads to reopen sooner.
The project includes resurfacing Stafford Road from Fritzke Road to North Forbes Road. This includes asphalt pavement rehabilitation, minor drainage repairs, new traffic devices, and safety and mobility improvements.