APE APE July 2019 | Page 8

Advertorial COVER STORY Inclined to be Better Very Reliable, Will Not Come Loose said St. Louis County Paving Mainte- nance Supervisor Bryan Donovan. Thankfully, using AHP’s adjustable manhole risers has allowed Donovan’s department to greatly streamline many of its infrastructure management pro- cesses. “We’ve been using (the risers) for 22 years, and now install anywhere from 150 to 200 annually,” said Donovan. “Really, they’re better in every way than our previous riser solution.” Introduced several decades ago, man- hole risers were invented to alleviate the need to excavate and raise the entire man- hole housing to grade with the surface each time you repaved a road. Used by many areas, including St. Louis County, the older models were adjustable, but left a lot to be improved upon. “They were basically older-style, four-part, cast iron risers, with sections joined by turnbuck- les,” said Donovan, who added that each of the four turnbuckles had to be turned with crescent wrenches, making it an ar- duous process. “Just a beast to work with,” said Donovan, who added that the design issues didn’t stop with the turnbuckles. “The old risers would never fit quite right, and we had to use sealant to make them stick. Even then they would sometimes rattle out, especially when they rusted.” In 1998, the county began using American Highway Products’ Pivot- ed Turnbuckle Manhole Riser, which offered a lighter, simpler, and more www.callape.com secure solution for raising manholes to grade. Made in Bolivar, Ohio by highly trained staff using advanced ro- botic welding equipment, AHP’s risers consist of a flexible ring made of gal- vanized U.S. steel joined by just one pivoted turnbuckle. Perhaps most importantly, AHP’s turnbuckle can easily be tightened with just a screwdriver (when used as a lever), yet still applies the thousands of pounds of mechanical force when ex- panding the riser. This creates a secure, confident fit, even in old rims that may be worn or out of round. Perfectly To Grade Donovan says that in those 22 years since switching, his department has never experienced a failure with a properly installed AHP riser. “They’re a lot lighter, easier to work with and store, much quicker to install, and they last longer,” said Donovan. “We now try to keep about 300 (AHP risers) on hand at all times, in two diameters and several thicknesses, so we’re always ready to raise manholes during paving seasons or in emergencies.” [8] In St. Louis County, many of the old- er roads have very high crowns, which can create complications when raising manholes to match steep cambers. In the past the county tried to smooth out the transition from level manhole to sloped surface by building in as- phalt humps. The inexact fit made for an iffy fix and continued maintenance headaches.. In 2014, the maintenance department ordered six of AHP’s In- clined Manhole Risers to see if a better fix was possible. Inclined to Quality & Saving Labor Built with the same pivoted turn- buckle technology to achieve their su- per-snug fit, AHP’s inclined risers are custom-built with inclines — in 1/4” increments from side to side — that make it easy to match sloped surfaces precisely. So far, said Donovan, AHP’s inclined risers are offering the same level of quality and confidence that turned the company into a trusted partner of St. Louis County 22 years ago. “They’ve been in three or four years now and have held up well while really smoothing out our newly paved road- ways,” said Donovan. “And they’re as efficient to install as the (AHP risers we’ve been installing for 22 years. So, we’ll be ordering more to have on hand for these situations.” Angus W. Stocking is a former licensed land surveyor who has been writing about infrastructure since 2002 1.800.210.5923