By 1st Lt. Jane Capra
926th Engineer Brigade

After twelve hours of steady work, the sun rises over the newly completed canal bridge bypass. With jersey barriers emplaced on the side of the road, three Soldiers from the 46th Engineer Combat Battalion ground guide a smooth roller operator as he applies the final touches in making sure the new road can support heavy civilian traffic. Photo by 2nd Lt. Janeene Yarber.

After some time, Iraqi Police and locals give the driver a push.

The scene replayed every few minutes, frustrating military and civilian drivers alike near the city of Taji. A steep slope on the on-ramp, coupled with a lack of a hard surface, were making it hard for traffic to travel the road and causing traffic to regularly back up for half a mile.

This is where the Soldiers of the 46th Engineer Combat Battalion, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, along with eight Iraqi Army engineers, combined their efforts and offered the construction skills to help resolve the confounding issue for the local community.

The only catch – the road could only be closed from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. – and the job had to be completed in one night.

Their mission perhaps sounded simple in theory – to upgrade the on-ramp by placing a cement-gravel mix, retaining walls and Jersey barriers along the roadway. To accomplish this, a cement-gravel mix was used due to its quick drying ability, which prevented the road from being closed for an extended period.

A U.S. Stryker unit and the Iraqi National Police provided security. Before the construction began, a specialized dog team conducted a search of the area for improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance.

After the site was cleared, the engineers were able to focus and the work began.

Integration of the Iraqi Army engineers, said Wilkes, allowed them to gain hands-on experience so they can learn the appropriate skills to perform missions such as this in the future.