Date Posted : October 14, 2022
in : News and Events
This was Phase 3 of the Highway 1 paving project for the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure of B.C. ALL ROADS had already completed the first two phases—earning "End Product Specification" bonuses along the way, which is industry-speak for we didn't just meet the gold standard, we paved right over it.
Paving Highway 1 from Port Mann Bridge to Golden Ears Way
The numbers tell the story: we paved and rehabilitated over 110 lane-kilometers of road, placed 85,000 tons of asphalt, and removed and repositioned 25,000 lineal meters of concrete barriers.
What made this phase groundbreaking (literally and figuratively) was the successful use of TopCon's PaveLink system—the first time it's ever been used in Canada. Backed by our existing tech toolkit, including GPS and LPS (Local Positioning System), the system enabled automated scanning, design integration, and real-time tracking of nearly every detail: asphalt load times, truck routes, asphalt usage, mat temperature, rolling patterns, and compaction densities. Basically, if it moved, heated, or rolled, we knew about it.
"PaveLink connects our crews and pavers in the field directly with our asphalt plant in real time," explains Denis Labelle, Operations Manager. "With live data on mix production and load quantities flowing back and forth, we can fine-tune mix management for each project with pinpoint accuracy."
From the operator's seat, Paver Operator Kyler Booth added more perspective—without taking his eyes off the controls. "With PaveLink, we know exactly how much mix is on the way, how much is already on site, how much we'll need to finish, and how long it'll take the trucks to cycle between the plant and the site. Before this? We were basically guessing. Now, we can plan our days down to the truckload." Booth's voice carried the confidence of someone who knows the asphalt is always greener on the side with better data.
Meanwhile, over 90,000 vehicles a day zoomed past our paving crews—most drivers completely unaware of the ballet happening under their tires. "This was by far the most challenging phase, thanks to the geometry and cross-section variations of the project," says Project Manager Amir Mostafavi. General Paving Superintendent Max Spedding added, "This stretch is one of the most congested in the region, so we had to be extremely sensitive to traffic flow. PaveLink definitely helped us manage our own equipment and trucks more efficiently."
The numbers tell the story: we paved and rehabilitated over 110 lane-kilometers of road, placed 85,000 tons of asphalt, and removed and repositioned 25,000 lineal meters of concrete barriers.
And then came the big finish. At exactly 4 AM, the last paver's rear deck crossed the line that joins Highway 1 to the Port Mann Bridge deck. For one glorious moment, the entire westbound span—four lanes wide—was ours alone. No cars. No trucks. Just ALL ROADS. The "bridge takeover" photo captured that instant forever, and trust us, it felt as good as it looks.