Cost effective containment of polluted canal sediments under roadway pavement

摘要

The Route 21 Freeway project traversing through the cities of Passaic and Clifton in New Jersey with a population density of approximately 4,800 residents/km~2 presented many challenges during both design and construction. The freeway travels under and over several structures in an extremely urbanized and environmentally sensitive location. One particular issue was the partial relocation of a historic canal and removal of contaminated canal sediments that required an efficient and cost-effective remedial solution. This paper presents the procedures and process leading to the encapsulation of the contaminated canal sediments underneath the roadway pavement without compromising the bearing capacity of the roadway. The encapsulation of the tainted sediments underneath the roadway minimized both the construction workers' and public's exposure to the contaminated materials, and it resulted in significant cost savings for the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT).