Mission Possible: Technical Concrete Projects
Mathews Readmix has a special skill set for challenging jobs
At Mathews Readymix, there’s no such thing as “Mission: Impossible.” Why? Because we like to think of ourselves as the Impossible Concrete Missions Force. Not unlike the legendary IMF of cinema and TV fame, we take on technical concrete challenges others shy away from. How? We have the expertise and technical training for complex projects and are constantly expanding the boundaries of our knowledge in our onsite lab.
The Mission: Technical Concrete Projects
So what are technical concrete projects? These special missions go beyond regular residential jobs like patios, swimming pools, and fence post fills. Ours step out of the backyard and into the public domain. Some examples are bridges, dams, roadways, and more.
The Honey Run Covered Bridge
This project was near and dear not only to us, but also to thousands of other Butte County residents. After the Camp Fire destroyed the historic Honey Run Covered Bridge, we stepped up to aid in the rebuilding process. The project required technical skills to rebuild the foundation, columns, abutments, and slope protection at the site—all while spanning a large creek and maintaining both safety and historical accuracy! Mathews Readymix donated our time and 400 cubic yards of concrete for the foundation work (enough to fill 100 swimming pools!) to help the project move onwards. A happy ending is in sight, with the final phase beginning in the fall of 2024!
Midway Bridge
When is a concrete project like a magic trick? When it turns two bridges into one! The 100+-year-old Midway Bridges in Durham, CA had been deteriorating for years. These crucial connectors over Butte Creek were not up to modern quality and durability standards and would have to close during heavy rainfall. We helped replace them with a new bridge using a specialty concrete called Cast in Place Drilled Hole mix for the piles, and a special Bridge Deck mix to meet Caltrans project standards. The result? The new Midway Bridge is built to last another 100+ years!
The Highway 70 Expansion Project
There’s a nine-mile stretch of State Highway 70 between Laurellen Road and the Yuba-Butte County line infamous for its vehicular fatalities. This was mostly due to a narrow separation between two rows of cars passing each other at high speeds in different directions. Mathews Readymix is proud to be a part of the Highway 70 Expansion Project to repave the road. Our team brought our specialized training, proprietary mixtures, and technical skills to create a tricky expansion. We widened and paved the highway’s shoulders to 8 feet, and provided a 14-foot-wide two-way left turn lane, continuous passing lanes, and 6-foot-wide unpaved shoulders for slow-moving farm equipment. Straightening some curves on the highway and creating a 20-foot recovery zone for errant drivers will help improve overall safety for everyone.
The Oroville Dam Project
After extensive rain damaged the Oroville Dam’s spillway in February 2017, it triggered the evacuation of almost 200,000 people downstream and required emergency repairs. Mathews Readymix was a trusted member of the recovery efforts, providing over 20,000 cubic yards (around 20 football fields’ worth) of concrete for the unlined hillside below the spillway. We were tasked with providing a concrete mix durable enough to handle the dam’s waters—no easy feat for the tallest dam in the United States: 770 ft (235 m) high! The repairs were completed in November 2018.
The Butte City Bridge Replacement
Since 1948, the Butte City Bridge has offered safe passage over the Sacramento River and connected Butte, Colusa, and Glenn counties. But after decades of wear and tear on its foundation necessitated a replacement, Mathews Readymix joined Caltrans in the multi-year Butte City Bridge Replacement Project. We’ve been tasked to create a custom, proprietary blend of concrete with a special blend of fiber reinforcement, with 3 lbs. macro synthetic fiber and 1 pound micro synthetic fiber per cubic yard. It requires a high level of technical expertise to create, pour, and cure, but we’re up to the task!
At Mathews Readymix, we love to take on challenging technical concrete projects and make the impossible possible. We offer all our clients the same level of service and lend our expertise to every job, big or small. Want to find out how we can help you with your concrete needs? Contact us today!