Fenstermaker

Concrete is supposed to crack.
The key is controlling where it happens.

Most people see a crack in a concrete roadway and assume something went wrong.

In reality, properly designed concrete pavement is intended to crack in specific locations.

These controlled joints help manage the natural expansion, contraction, and movement that occurs over the life of the roadway.

As Construction Inspector Aaron Hungerford explains, crews intentionally create these joints shortly after placement to encourage cracking where it can be managed—rather than allowing it to occur randomly.

The process includes:

‣ Saw-cutting control joints
‣ Installing backer rod and sealant
‣ Protecting the joint from debris and moisture
‣ Allowing the pavement to expand and contract as designed

When these joints perform as intended, they help preserve the long-term integrity of the roadway and reduce the potential for more significant issues over time.

On Petroleum Parkway, details like these help ensure the rebuilt corridor performs as designed for the heavy traffic and industrial activity it was built to serve.
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No road leads here.
But the work still gets done.

Some of the most important infrastructure in coastal Louisiana can only be reached by boat and barge.

No trucks.
No direct access.
No easy route in.

Just open water, shifting conditions, and a team willing to meet the challenge.

As Project Manager at M & C Oilfield Services, Nathan Dondis explains, projects like this demand a different level of planning and adaptability.

Heavy equipment operates from floating barges.

Access to the work often requires a boat, and changing conditions can reshape the day's plan with little notice.

And this work matters.

Because every terrace constructed and every structure installed contributes to a larger effort to improve water management, strengthen coastal resilience, and help preserve Louisiana's working coast for future generations.

Protecting the coast isn't simple.

Neither is building in it.

🎥 Hear firsthand what it takes to deliver large-scale infrastructure in one of the most challenging construction environments in the country.
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Built in stages.
Finished with precision.

Along the Davidson Channel in Ocean Springs, MS, sheet pile walls are being installed to stabilize banks that have been steadily eroding over time.

What many people don't realize is that the piles aren't always driven to their final elevation immediately.

As additional piles are installed, friction between the interlocking sections can gradually pull neighboring piles downward.

To account for that movement:

‣ Sheet piles are installed in stages
‣ Crews return later to bring the wall to final grade
‣ Channel caps are installed after final elevations are achieved

It's a small detail in the construction process.

But it's one of many examples of how engineering and construction work together to achieve the intended result.

The goal isn't simply to install a wall.

It's to ensure the finished product performs exactly as designed.

As Mason Macaluso, E.I., L.S.I., explains, sometimes the fastest path forward isn't completing one task before starting another—it's coordinating multiple crews and construction activities in parallel to keep progress moving while maintaining precision.

That's the work.

Built to last.
. .

Modern technology still
depends on trusted fieldwork.

Bradford Habetz Millett, PLS, EI, shares how modern surveying continues to balance advanced technology with traditional field methods to help deliver accurate, reliable data for engineering and infrastructure projects.

As tools like LiDAR continue to evolve, survey teams are able to capture larger amounts of information more efficiently across complex project sites.

But as Bradford explains, technology alone is not enough.

Field conditions still matter.

Tall grass, uneven terrain, and changing environments can all affect how data is interpreted—making boots-on-the-ground validation a critical part of the process.

While modern technology continues to reshape the profession, traditional survey methods remain essential for verifying conditions in the field and ensuring confidence in the final data.

Surveying continues to evolve, but accuracy, adaptability, and real-world field experience remain at the core of the work.

At Fenstermaker, we’re proud to support projects with teams that combine innovation and trusted field practices to help deliver informed solutions from the ground up.
. .

As Memorial Day approaches,
we pause in reflection.

Before the long weekend begins, we honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to this country.

Memorial Day asks something deeper of us:

to slow our pace,
to lift our eyes from the ordinary,
and to reflect on the cost of the freedoms woven so seamlessly into daily life.

There are names etched into stone,
stories carried by families,
sacrifices folded into the fabric of this nation.

Lives given in courage.
In duty.
In love of country.

May we meet their memory with humility and gratitude
not only this weekend,
but in the way we live moving forward.
. .

A growing region requires
infrastructure that keeps pace.

Listen as local and state leaders reflect on the E. Broussard @ Robley Roundabout—an investment designed to improve safety, circulation, and long-term mobility along one of Lafayette’s busiest corridors.

As State Senator Brach Myers noted, growth brings opportunity—but it also increases pressure on the infrastructure communities rely on every day.

Projects like this prepare critical corridors for the demands of a growing region.

The work includes:

1️⃣ New multi-lane roundabout
2️⃣ Full roadway reconstruction
3️⃣ Concrete and asphalt surfacing
4️⃣ Sidewalk and drainage improvements
5️⃣ Utility relocation and coordination

More than a traffic improvement, this project supports the people and communities connected through this corridor every day.

As Monique Blanco Boulet Lafayette Parish Mayor-President shared during the groundbreaking ceremony, infrastructure investment is ultimately about confidence in the future of a growing community.

At Fenstermaker, we’re proud to help deliver infrastructure designed to support safer movement, stronger connectivity, and long-term regional growth.

Construction is underway.
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