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Customer: Civil Highway Division, American Samoan Department of Public Works Contract: Construct Location: American Samoa   |
Fast Facts:
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McConnell Dowell was awarded the Siliaga Project in late 2022 and construction began in October of the same year. The scope of work was to improve pavements and drainage across three locations. A diverse local staff, including an all-female pavement crew, completed the upgrades in under a year.
Thanks to the hard work and good planning by Project Manager Timani Samau, Project Engineer Loloane Auala, Cadet Engineer Tofaaiga Tuala and Superintendent Fernando Navarro the project was delivered efficiently and effectively with minimum disruption to stakeholders.
Siliaga Elementary School, Aoloau
The team built a new paved access road and car park for the elementary school. The Earthwork team was led by Supervisor Apelu Leleai, the Concreting team by Supervisor, Ataita Aneki, and Robert Faroden led the Asphalting team. After heavy rain access to the school had been problematic, the new paved entrance with drainage, kerb and channel made access in all weather possible. The team also constructed a new car park, with line-marked spaces for teachers and visitors, a new sidewalk, and a nib wall.
A section of Aoloau’s main road was also upgraded and the stormwater drainage systems cleaned out. This work involved milling the old asphalt concrete, laying a new asphalt surface as well as laying new sidewalk, curb and channel, nib walls, and driveway access.
Where possible the team used milling materials to replace about 1530 cubic metres of basecourse which was a cost-effective option and reduced the amount of material going to waste.
Mapusaga
The team milled and resurfaced the main road with asphalt and installed new concrete swales in sections. Work extended onto Access Roads, 2, 3, and 4 where new roads were formed including grading and laying subgrade, compacting the base course and laying a new 50mm thick asphalt surface. Along Access Road 4 the team carried out drainage improvements installing 2 catch basins with two 305mm diameter pipelines. Four manholes were also constructed with 152m of 610mm diameter HDPE to transfer stormwater from the main road into a nearby creek.
A new 915mm wide concrete swale was constructed along the hillside of the road to collect and drain access surface stormwater.
Tafeta
On one side of the main road in this area, the team has constructed new curb and channel, improving drainage at a critical section of the road. New sections of concrete swale were also installed to match and connect the existing drainage. The team also milled and overlaid a section of the road with new asphalt pavement.
The weather was a challenge for the team with heavy rain and high winds preventing work. Now the new roading and drainage has been installed drivers won't be impeded by flooded roads and poor weather making life safer for locals.
The new access road will make getting to and from school a lot easier and safer for children and parents in winter. The wider community will also benefit from the roading and drainage improvements which will help make the roads drier and therefore safer after rain. Old potholes have been removed, filled and new asphalt so water won't pool on the road the new drainage will transfer water from roadside swales into pipelines and away into streams.
