Moorhead Streetscape Improvement Project - Colored Concrete

By: Eldo Beilke

The City of Moorhead wanted to improve the aesthetic appeal to the downtown area and provide a grand entrance to city hall. Combining colored concrete, concrete pavers, and various degrees of landscaping, this dream became a reality. The team consisting of the supplier. Aggregate Industries Inc., Architect-Dahlgren, Shardlow and Uban, Inc., Project Engineer-Moore Engineering, and the Contractor-Opp Construction, combined to make this project something the citizens of Moorhead could be proud of.

The Moorhead Streetscape Improvement Project started in the spring of 2001 and was completed in the fall of 2001. What made this project a challenge were the extensive use of varying colors of ready mix concrete. Using an innovative mix design with a low water cement ratio, the coordination and consistency of the colors were maintained throughout the job. A total of 1100 cubic yards of ready mix were used along with 435 cubic yards of colored concrete.

Colored concrete is certainly going to be specified more and more as the demand for aesthetics in City Paving and Landscaping Renovation Projects continue. This is raising the bar for the Ready Mix Suppliers which are openly ready for the challenge.