Below-grade manholes can be a source of complaints to public works officials. A custom-made manhole cover from I.B. Moore Co. LLC is designed to make travel smoother for motorists.

“The Bump-No-More cover easily corrects a below-grade manhole cover,” says John Crissman, marketing manager. “It’s guaranteed to meet within 1/8 inch of the surrounding street grade for up to three years. We create a surface that matches the contours of the road. We can make it concave or convex — it might be 2-inches-thick on one side, 1-inch-thick at another point, and 3-inches-thick at another point.”

With these lids, there is no need to raise the existing manhole chimney. The company says the lid costs about half as much as raising an existing manhole to grade. I.B. Moore achieves the varied lid dimensions by chemically and mechanically bonding a custom-made, wear-resistant polyurethane surface to a traffic-rated cast-iron manhole base. The lid weighs about the same as a typical manhole cover and provides traffic-rated strength, Crissman says.

“You can be as rough as you want with it,” he says. “Once the lid is cast, it functions as a regular, one-piece manhole cover, albeit thicker than normal.” I.B. Moore technicians make all the required measurements and handle installation, which requires no special equipment. Installation takes less than 20 minutes and requires no drying time.

The covers come in 20 colors and can be tooled to include a city crest or municipal logo. A two-tone design is available — the second color is visible wherever letters or designs are engraved into the lid. For more information: www.bump-no-more.com; 800/553-3355.