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Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.

Buchanan County Supervisor Clayton Ohrt (left), Buchanan County Engineer Brian Keierleber, and Paul Schmitz, CPM (Market Manager — Public Roads at Tensar International Corporation).

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Buchanan County Supervisor Clayton Ohrt (left), Buchanan County Engineer Brian Keierleber, and Paul Schmitz, CPM (Market Manager — Public Roads at Tensar International Corporation).

DES MOINES – While attending the annual Iowa State Association of Counties in Des Moines in August, Buchanan County Engineer was presented an “Innovators & Influencers Award” on behalf of the Resilient Roads Roundtable.

The Resilient Road Roundtable is a gathering of organizations with a common interest in improving the resiliency and longevity of America’s roadways; roads that are safer, smoother, more sustainable and better able to rebound from extreme conditions, without increasing the cost to build and maintain. The organizations include businesses, academia and government agencies.

Keierleber was one of ten people nationwide, including Peter DeFazio (Congressman D-OR, chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure), were named to the inaugural list.

Keierleber was “acknowledged for his enthusiastic and ongoing efforts to incorporate proven innovations that enhance the resiliency of Iowa’s roads and bridges. Recently, he’s been piloting long-term concrete waterproofing protection in the form of a new wave of improved sealants aiming to protect not only at the surface, but deep below the surface where premature damage begins. Keierleber’s past innovation initiatives include early adoption of innovative bridge designs, materials and methods that enhance resiliency including installations where bridges have been built using retired railroad flatcars. Keierleber’s influence on road resilience extends well beyond Iowa: he’s past chair of the National Association of County Engineers (NACE) and has served on the board of advisors for the Civil and Environmental Engineering Departments at the University of Iowa.”

The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance noted Keierleber has also “spearheaded several additional projects using economical methods and innovative materials that enhance the resiliency of the structure:

- The “Jesup South Bridge” (on Benson Shady Grove Road) in Buchanan County, Iowa, was the first bridge to be designed and constructed using eSPAN140. The bridge was part of a demonstration project to develop a more economical manner of replacing bridges.

- The “Amish Sawmill Bridge” (1358 Dillon Ave., Fairbank) was the first press-brake tub girder bridge installed in the U.S. and considered by experts to be the future of short span steel bridge design. PBTG have a total service life of at least 100 years – the first 60 of those years are maintenance-free.

- The 200-foot “Buffalo Creek Bridge” (D22 east of Winthrop), constructed in Buchanan County, was manufactured entirely of galvanized steel, including h-piles, girders (superstructure), rebar, guardrails and miscellaneous steel elements. Hot-dip galvanizing (HDG) is often used to protect steel from corrosion in some of the harshest environments imaginable, yet it provides maintenance-free longevity for decades.”

“We owe a debt of gratitude to those in the transportation infrastructure sector who are leading the effort to identify and implement innovative approaches to foster greater resilience,” said presenter Paul Schmitz, market manager, public roads, Tensar International Corp. and co-founder of the Resilient Roads Roundtable. “The Resilient Roads Innovators and Influencers list spotlights those making a difference—and how they’re doing so.”

“It is truly a group effort,” said Keierleber. “My Board of Supervisors and my employees are truly the ones that earned this award. Communications are key to success and it is the ideas and feedback that make all this possible. Many times the best ideas come from the guys and gals in the field and on the ground. I just provide information and the ability to implement the ideas.”

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.

Cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 75F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.

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