Late in the fall of 1999, Ft. Defiance, Ariz., became the first town in Navajo Nation to replace potholed asphalt streets with concrete. The project was so successful that several other towns in the reservation are following Ft. Defiance's example. Navajo Nation is the largest Indian reservation in the United States, covering more than 25,000 square miles and encompassing portions of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. The Navajo Housing Authority decided to switch from asphalt to concrete after hearing Ft. Defiance residents complain about all the potholes in their existing asphalt roadways. A key reason for NHA's decision was the good performance of concrete pavements installed 13 years earlier in other residential areas on the reservation. Although the pavements had cracked in many places, the wearing surfaces were intact.
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Concrete Streets for Navajo Nation
About the Author
Frank A. KozeliskiFrank A. Kozeliski, PE, FACI, an ACI Member for 48 years, is a Consultant and Materials Engineer. He owned Gallup Sand & Gravel, currently Michele’s Ready Mix, before selling in 2007. He has worked with pervious concrete for 20 years. He graduated from New Mexico State University with his BS and MS in civil engineering, and is a registered professional engineer in Alabama, Texas, and New Mexico. Frank is an ACI Fellow and has been active with ACI’s New Mexico Chapter since its inception. He served as Chair of ACI 211, Proportioning Concrete, and is a member of ACI 229 CLSM, ACI 305 Hot Weather, ACI 308 Curing, ACI 330 Concrete parking lots, ACI 555 Recycling, and S801 student projects. In 2016 he developed a technique to make concrete business cards, coasters, and award plaques. You may contact him via email, or visit www.concrete-project.com.