M-231 Bridge & By Pass

For years, Michigan motorists traveling the only route between the resort towns of Holland and Grand Haven, were faced with traffic jams and accidents, especially during tourist season. To solve this problem, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) built a bypass of ten bridges. This bypass cuts through 7 miles (11 km) of wetlands and flood plains, and at one point spans the Grand River–a very scenic waterway.

• MDOT determined through many Community Town Halls that not only did the project require structural concrete that needed to withstand severe Michigan weather, requiring little maintenance in the wetlands, but that the overall sustainability of the project was of utmost importance to area environmentalists.

• To achieve the goals of enhanced performance and sustainability, MDOT chose TerCem, a product within the Envirocore Cements series.

• TerCem is an ASTM C595 Type IT containing only 71% Type I/II cement, 25 percent slag cement, and 4 percent silica fume.

• The slag and silica fume are recycled byproducts from other industries. Utilizing these supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) significantly reduces waste, energy use and greenhouse gases while conserving natural resources. In this case, one ton of TerCem means 29 percent less clinker product per ton of conventional cement.