Highway rehabilitation in the heartland of the Texas oil belt

Side view of the placer/spreader WPS 102i, the inset slipform paver SP 94i and the texture curing machine TCM 180i in the twilight

Investment in infrastructure strengthens prosperity and growth in the Permian Basin

In the Permian Basin, the most productive oil field in the USA, Pulice Construction is rehabilitating the dilapidated Interstate 20 between the most important oil production centres with innovative Wirtgen Group slipform paving technology.

The Permian Basin covers a vast area of 220,000 km² across the states of Texas and New Mexico. This is where one of the most productive oilfields in the USA is located, producing 4.2 million barrels (approx. 670 million litres) of crude oil a day. The most important and fastest connection between the urban centres of San Angelo, Midland and Odessa is the Interstate 20.

Due to constantly heavy traffic, the highway infrastructure has suffered extreme deterioration in recent decades – traffic congestion is a common occurrence and inhibits the region’s economic performance.

Tolles Produkt

Million dollar investments

With the investment of USD 424 million in the rehabilitation of the 18 km section of highway between Midland and Odessa, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is sending a strong signal in support of the future of the oil and gas industry in the Permian Basin. The scheduled construction work includes widening the existing lanes, adding new interchanges, reconfiguring ramps and the conversion of two-way roads into one-way roads. With the expansion of IH 20, Texas aims to alleviate traffic congestion and establish better regional connections. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony in May 2024, Senator Kevin Sparks explained: ‘Not only does it improve safety conditions, but the project will also allow the oil and gas industry to continue to do the work they need to do to power our state and our nation.’

‘Not only does it improve safety conditions, but the project will also allow the oil and gas industry to continue to do the work they need to do to power our state and our nation.’

Kevin Sparks, Member of the Texas State Senate

A strong partnership: Pulice Construction and the Wirtgen Group

Pulice Construction was awarded the contract for the slipform paving project. The company, part of the Dragados S.A. group of companies from Madrid, was founded in 1956, has regional offices in Arizona and Texas, and operates primarily in the south-western US states. The Spanish concern, one of the world’s largest building and civil engineering companies, has already built more than 7,200 kilometres of highways, 3,500 kilometres of roads, 1,500 bridges and 1,400 kilometres of tunnels around the globe and is a long-standing partner of the Wirtgen Group. In view of this, Pulice turned to the specialists from Germany to put together the necessary equipment for the project. With an extensive range of machines designed for the North American market, the Wirtgen Group is the global leader in smart, safe and sustainable road construction technology.

Portrait photo, Rod Roglin, Equipment Superintendent at Pulice Construction

‘We feel these are superior machines and have a lot more options and stuff we can use.’

Rod Roglin, Equipment Superintendent at Pulice Construction

‘We picked the Wirtgen machines because our parent company uses them a lot overseas,’ explains Rod Roglin, Equipment Superintendent at Pulice Construction. The newly purchased machines include a high-performance concrete paving train consisting of a placer/spreader WPS 102i, an inset slipform paver SP 94i and a texture curing machine TCM 180i. ‘We feel these are superior machines and have a lot more options and stuff we can use,’ says the experienced equipment superintendent.

Side view of the placer/spreader WPS 102i, the inset slipform paver SP 94i and the texture curing machine TCM 180i in the twilight

What do all the machines have in common? They are all designed and constructed with efficiency, environmental awareness and safety in mind.

WPS 102i

WPS 102i – high-performance and homogeneous concrete spreading

The 2-track placer/spreader places and spreads concrete at widths of 4 m to 12 m and a thickness of 500 mm in front of the paver. Its hydraulically telescoping machine frame and modular concrete strike-off unit enable rapid changing of the working width. The machine features a smart operating concept that enables intuitive control of workflows. The folding belt conveyor makes it easier for concrete mixers to manoeuvre into place and thus contributes to safeguarding a constant supply of sufficient concrete to the machine.

SP 94i

SP 94i – fully modular, 32-foot class inset slipform paver

The SP 94i is characterised by enormous versatility for a wide range of major road construction projects and can realise paving widths from 3.5 m to 9.5 m and thicknesses of up to 45 cm. The efficient 4-track slipform paver features concrete equipment developed specifically for the North American market. The concrete equipment, consisting of the spreading plough, the paving mould with automatic crown adjustment and edge slump control inserts, hydraulic vibrators, split side plates and the super smoother, can be adapted for all paving requirements. Interfaces enable the seamless integration of 3D systems into the machine control system and thus enable stringless paving with absolute precision.

Thanks to the modular machine concept, the simple reconfiguration and extendibility, the hydraulic swing legs and the 90° steering lock, the machine can be quickly adapted to the respective situation on each construction site. This means that the machine can go from transport mode to working mode in just a couple of minutes without having to detach the concrete equipment for road paving or the super smoother. The SP 94i can also be equipped with a self-loading dowel bar inserter, a side tie-bar inserter or a central tie-bar inserter. The systems enable machine-integrated insertion of reinforcement during the ongoing paving process.

TCM 180i

TCM 180i – ideal texture and protection for concrete surfaces up to 59 feet wide

The modular concept of the TCM 180i enables adaptation to working widths from 4 m to 18 m. The self-propelled texture curing machine produces the desired surface textures on the freshly paved concrete surface. The automated spray system with a high-capacity storage tank protects the concrete surface against premature drying.

Quick and easy switch from transport to working mode.

The smart electronic steering and control system of the SP 94i enables precise concrete paving.

The machine concept offers a high level of adaptability to the situation on any construction site.

Particularly powerful: the WPS 102i enables feeding from the side and homogeneous spreading of the concrete mix.

Production of the required surface texture and application of the curing agent for protection of the freshly paved concrete surface with the TCM 180i.

SP 94i: fully modular, 32-foot class inset slipform paver
The electronic steering and control system of the SP 94i
The SP 94i on the construction site at night
The WPS 102i on the construction site at night
The TCM 180i on the construction site at night

Close to our customers: right from the start

Support plays a crucial role in the success of such an important infrastructure project as this. Even before the construction project began, the experts from Pulice and Wirtgen came together and determined what personnel and machines would be required. All machine operators were familiarised with their new workplaces to ensure optimal results.

‘Paving at the beginning was kinda hard to learn – like you have to know all the controls and everything,’ said Alejandro Guevara, who was the first at the controls of the WPS 102i on the construction site. ‘But now I feel kinda comfortable driving this machine.’ And Marcial Loa III adds: ‘It’s pretty exciting to know we have new toys. We’re ready to go ahead and show off what we can do with them.’

Portrait photo of Marcial Loa III, machine operator at Pulice Construction

‘It’s pretty exciting to know we have new toys. We’re ready to go ahead and show off what we can do with them.’

Marcial Loa III, machine operator at Pulice Construction

Enthusiastic feedback

There really was a lot they could do with their new toys! Under the keen eye of Tim Nash, Director of Concrete Products for Wirtgen America since January 2013, the new machines revealed their full potential from the first day on. Both the productivity and quality are first-class. Nash’s first impression: ‘On their first run with live concrete you don’t have a lot of margin for error. At the end of today’s work, Pulice will have paved 305 cubic metres of concrete on the first day alone. So far it’s been a really good day.’

Portrait photo of Tim Nash, Director of Concrete Products, Wirtgen America

‘Really good for the first day.’

Tim Nash, Director of Concrete Products, Wirtgen America

The paving crews on the site were also impressed by the Wirtgen slipform paving technology. ‘It’s a learning experience,’ says Romero Benavides, concrete finisher at Pulice Construction, and adds: ‘I mean the next time we go to another job we’ll already know how to use it. Everybody’s got their position, everybody knows what they got to do, so it makes it a lot faster and better.’

Portrait photo of Romero Benavides, concrete finisher at Pulice Construction

‘It’s a learning experience. I mean the next time we go to another job we’ll already know how to use it.’

Romero Benavides, concrete finisher at Pulice Construction

The Permian Basin is looking towards a bright future – also thanks to Wirtgen technology

The way to a successful future has been mapped out by the Texan Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Odessa District engineers. ‘We’ve finally got the go-ahead! Ten years of planning went into this road construction project. The fact that this project is now being realised gives hope for a great future for the Permian Basin, where everyone involved is pulling together,’ District Administrator Dustin Fawcett reports delightedly. ‘We are sending a clear message to Austin and Washington D.C.: investments here really pay off. We can’t emphasise enough how important this project is for the local people.’ Odessa District Engineer Eric Lykins adds: ‘What happens here in the Permian Basin affects the world. Delivering these safety and mobility improvement projects goes a long way to helping to strengthen the industry in this area and helping it to deliver its products to the rest of the world.’

WPS 102i

Details and further information can be found on our product pages.

Composite image of the slipform pavers SP 25i and SP 94i

Slipform Pavers