How Volvo Articulated Haulers Power Illinois Highway Project Through Challenging Earthmoving Conditions

Large-scale highway construction projects demand an extraordinary combination of planning, equipment strategy, and execution discipline. When the Illinois Department of Transportation awarded the $32 million Route 336 project to Bloomsdale Excavating in July 2013, the contractor faced the challenge of moving more than 2.5 million cubic meters of material within a tight 220-working-day schedule. Central to this effort was a fleet of Volvo A40F-Series articulated haulers that proved instrumental in maintaining productivity across diverse tasks ranging from overburden removal to rock hauling. Understanding how equipment selection and fleet configuration support Key Facts About Construction Project Life Cycle Phases helps contractors make informed decisions when bidding on and executing major infrastructure work.

Project Overview: The Route 336 Highway Expansion

The Route 336 project, located near Macomb, Illinois, represents a significant investment in regional transportation infrastructure. Bloomsdale Excavating, headquartered in Bloomsdale, Missouri, brought 65 years of heavy civil engineering and mining experience to the project. The company specializes in projects that have a positive impact on the environment while delivering complex earthmoving and structural work on schedule. The scope includes constructing 6.5 miles of four-lane highway on US Routes 336 and 110, along with the reconstruction of county highway 14 west of Macomb.

The project also requires extensive pre-grading work, drainage structure construction on the new road sections, 10 miles of grading and clearing, and the installation of utilities across the entire corridor. Scott Drury, president of Bloomsdale Excavating, emphasized the company’s commitment to building strong relationships with IDOT, local subcontractors, suppliers, and the surrounding community throughout the project duration.

Key Project Specifications

Bloomsdale, as the prime contractor, accepted the responsibility of completing the full scope within 220 working days. Drury noted that projects with tight timelines and high expectations of quality and safety are well within the company’s capability, reflecting the confidence that comes from six decades of heavy civil experience. The project schedule demands careful sequencing of earthmoving, utility relocation, drainage installation, and environmental restoration across the entire corridor.

Earthmoving Equipment Strategy for High-Volume Material Handling

With over 2.5 million cubic meters of material requiring movement, equipment selection was critical to meeting the project timeline. Bloomsdale deployed 48 machines on site, with 22 Volvo A40F-Series articulated haulers forming the backbone of the earthmoving operation. The fleet configuration splits into two distinct equipment types serving complementary roles:

• 13 Volvo A40F Full Suspension (FS) models paired with K-Tec Earthmovers Inc. 25.2-cubic meter scrapers for moving loose dirt and overburden
• 9 Volvo A40F standard suspension units configured with articulated hauler bodies for rock hauling and heavier material transport

This split fleet approach allows Bloomsdale to optimize each machine for its specific task. The FS models, when coupled with scrapers, function as high-speed earthmoving systems that can load, haul, and spread material in continuous cycles. The standard units, fitted with conventional haul bodies, handle the heavier rock and structural fill materials that would cause excessive wear on scraper equipment. This dual-configuration strategy aligns with Construction Project Scheduling Methods Tools and Best Practices for On-Time Project Delivery by matching machine capabilities to specific work phases rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all fleet approach.

Volvo A40F-Series Full Suspension Technology

The Volvo full suspension system is a key differentiator in the A40F FS models. Unlike conventional articulated haulers that rely on rubber suspension or basic leaf spring arrangements, the Volvo system creates free-flowing hydraulic fluid supplied to suspension cylinders. These cylinders actively cushion the impact of the K-Tec scraper hitch and the automatic cushion ride built into the scraper itself. The benefits of this sophisticated system include:

• Higher travel speeds across rough terrain without compromising operator comfort or machine stability
• Reduced shock loading transmitted to the scraper hitch, frame components, and structural welds
• Lower operator fatigue during extended 10-hour shifts, improving both safety and productivity
• Minimized risk of equipment damage when crossing uneven ground at the cut and fill faces
• Consistent cycle times regardless of changing ground conditions across the project corridor

The suspension-equipped haulers also deliver greater rimpull for loading cycles and uphill travel, which is essential when working on the graded sections of the new highway alignment. The scraper combination benefits from the hauler’s ability to maintain momentum through the loading phase, reducing the time required to fill the 25.2-cubic meter bowl. The short turning radius and 28-inch (71 cm) minimum ground clearance from the cutting edge provide the maneuverability needed to operate efficiently within the confined spaces of the active construction corridor.

Productivity Through Continuous Operation

Bloomsdale has a track record of completing projects quickly and efficiently thanks to its articulated hauler fleet. Drury reported that productivity on site has increased because the machines never need to stop. Operators work 10-hour shifts and the Volvo haulers clock about 2,000 hours on average per year. This level of machine utilization requires disciplined preventive maintenance scheduling, ready parts availability, and strong dealer support to keep the fleet running without extended downtime.

The A40F-Series articulated haulers are designed for this kind of sustained high-volume operation. Features such as the automatic transmission with lock-up torque converter, wet disc brakes on all six wheels, and the full suspension system all contribute to reducing wear and extending component life under continuous duty cycles.

Beyond Earthmoving: Integrated Infrastructure Work

While earthmoving represents the largest single work category on the Route 336 project, the scope extends well beyond grading and hauling. Understanding how these supporting activities integrate with the Construction Project Life Cycle Phases in Life Cycle is essential for contractors managing multi-discipline highway projects where earthmoving, utilities, drainage, and environmental work must proceed in coordinated sequence.

Utility Installation and Relocation

The project requires installation and relocation of approximately 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) of municipal utilities. This includes more than 1,981 meters (6,500 feet) of storm drain piping and the construction of 12 box culverts to manage water flow across the new highway alignment. Proper sequencing of utility work relative to earthmoving is critical to preventing schedule conflicts and costly rework:

1. Clear and grub the corridor to expose existing utility infrastructure and survey current conditions
2. Relocate or protect existing utilities before major grading, cut, and fill operations begin
3. Install new storm drain systems and box culverts at their design elevations and grades
4. Backfill, compact, and test around utility structures to ensure long-term performance
5. Proceed with final grading, subbase preparation, and pavement construction

The 12 box culverts are particularly important for the Route 336 design, as they must handle stormwater runoff from both the new highway surface and the surrounding watershed. Each culvert requires excavation, foundation preparation, concrete placement, and backfill compaction, all of which must be coordinated with the earthmoving schedule to avoid bottlenecks.

Drainage and Environmental Scope

The environmental restoration component, including the planting of 3,500 trees and extensive drainage installation, reflects the growing emphasis on sustainable infrastructure practices in highway construction. The right-of-way fencing, stretching over 19,500 meters, serves both safety and wildlife management purposes along the new alignment. These post-construction activities are typically scheduled after the completion of major earthmoving and paving work, requiring the contractor to maintain mobilization and equipment availability across multiple project phases rather than demobilizing early.

The ditch cutting operation, exceeding 300 cubic meters, addresses roadside drainage along the new highway and reconstructed county road sections. Proper ditch design and construction prevents water ponding on the road surface and reduces long-term maintenance requirements for the state transportation authority.

Fleet Management Lessons and Productivity Outcomes

The Route 336 project offers several important lessons for contractors managing large earthmoving operations. Scott Drury of Bloomsdale Excavating reports that the Volvo A40F articulated haulers have delivered measurable productivity gains through continuous operation across 10-hour shifts, accumulating approximately 2,000 operating hours per year per machine. This level of utilization requires disciplined maintenance scheduling, strong dealer parts support, and proactive component replacement planning.

Key Productivity Factors

• Continuous operation: The full suspension system allows operators to maintain higher travel speeds across uneven terrain, reducing cycle times compared to standard suspension haulers operating on the same site.
• Operator retention: Comfortable ride quality and reduced vibration help retain experienced operators during long shifts, a critical advantage given the construction industry’s ongoing skilled labor shortage.
• Fleet versatility: The ability to reconfigure haulers between scraper and standard body configurations allows the fleet to adapt to changing project demands without requiring additional equipment mobilization or rental costs.
• Fuel efficiency: The A40F drivetrain and suspension system work together to maintain momentum, reducing fuel consumption per cubic meter of material moved compared to stop-start hauling cycles.

The Bloomsdale team’s long track record of completing heavy civil projects efficiently with articulated haulers demonstrates the value of specialized equipment expertise. Contractors looking to replicate this success should consider how How Project Management Systems Help Builders Reduce Change Orders in Construction applies to equipment-intensive highway projects where schedule adherence directly affects profitability and contractual compliance.

Recommendations for Similar Highway Projects

1. Match hauler suspension configuration to the dominant material type on site. Full suspension models are ideal for scraper-based loose dirt operations, while standard suspension units handle rock and heavy structural fill more economically.
2. Plan for 10 to 15 percent fleet redundancy on projects with tight timelines to accommodate scheduled maintenance without disrupting daily production targets.
3. Invest in operator comfort features such as full suspension systems and ergonomic cabs to support extended shifts and improve retention on long-duration infrastructure projects.
4. Coordinate utility and drainage installation sequencing with earthmoving phases to avoid rework, demobilization costs, and schedule delays that erode project margins.
5. Establish a preventive maintenance program aligned with the 2,000-hour annual operating target to maximize equipment uptime and avoid unexpected component failures during critical production periods.

The Route 336 project demonstrates that when equipment strategy, project planning, and execution discipline align, even the most demanding earthmoving targets can be achieved within a compressed schedule. The Volvo A40F-Series articulated haulers, with their combination of full suspension technology, scraper compatibility, and operator-focused design, have proven themselves as dependable workhorses on one of Illinois’s major highway infrastructure investments. For contractors bidding on similar projects, the Bloomsdale case study provides a practical blueprint for matching fleet capabilities to project requirements from the earliest planning stages through final completion.