ASPHALTopics | Summer 2021 | VOL 34 | NO 2

a grader, the company laid down the new asphalt in echelon using two ten-foot
pavers and a Material Transfer Vehicle, two steel rollers, two rubber tire rollers,
and a tack truck.
“We were fortunate in that the base was actually in very, very good shape and
didn’t require a lot of Granular A,” Cote says. “So we were able to basically regrade
the existing compacted aggregate and then be ready to pave it.”
The intersection between the two runways was a bit more difficult. Within the
five day closure window, Miller Paving had to remove the original asphalt, place
approximately 3,000 tonnes of Granular A to raise the crown of the intersection by
about 100 mm to improve drainage, then place 125 mm of HMA in two lifts (75 mm
and 50 mm) followed by line painting and
ramping.
“The five day closure was the toughest
to deal with,” Cote explains. “We
completed the work with about four
hours to spare. But the situation could
have been worse — it started to rain
about an hour after we finished. Had
the rain begun earlier, it could have
delayed our completion by days.”
Towards the end of Miller Paving’s
2020 efforts, Timmins’ northern climate
began to become an issue. “This area
may not be that far north, but it is very
windy,” says Cote. “This wind would
cool down the asphalt very quickly. It
was a problem because the delays to
the mix design meant that we weren’t
able to start paving until mid-August,
when the best part of the summer had
already passed. We paved until the end
of September, at which point the winds
and falling temperatures were having a
real impact.”
RESULTS TO DATE
Despite the many challenges
encountered in 2020, the Timmins
Airport project hit its goals. Airport
manager David Dayment credits this
success to Miller Paving’s willingness
to work closely with the City of Timmins,
plus the paving company’s tenacity in
getting things done.
“The guys were very attentive to our
operational needs,” says Dayment.
“They worked through some weekends
to stay on schedule. They were prepared
to work evenings and into weeknights if
they had to, but fortunately things never
got that far. Meanwhile, the runway and
taxiways got paved and restored to peak
condition — and ready to accommodate
737s and other large aircraft.”
20 OAPC | ASPHALTOPICS
As for 2021? “The last phase of the
Timmins Airport paving project consists
of the ends of Runway 10-28, which
includes the removal of existing asphalt,
regrading and placing approximately
14,000 tonnes of asphalt as well as line
painting,” Cote says. “Just the ends
of that runway — everything else has
already been done!”