Re: I-795 (NC) Repaving Job may cost up to $22 Million
- From: Larry G <gross.larry@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2009 04:28:15 -0800 (PST)
On Jan 9, 5:15 am, John Lansford <jlnsf...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Bob Malme <rma...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/4271309/
"Possible structural deficiencies on the 18-mile stretch of Interstate
795 could cost the state Department of Transportation anywhere from $14
million to $22 million to repair, the agency said Thursday."
"A new report from the Federal Highway Administration recommends
removing the existing surface layers and adding 2.5 inches to 3 inches
of pavement to the road, which runs from Wilson to Goldsboro."
"Cracks surfaced along a 2.5-mile stretch of the $120 million highway
within months after it opened in 2005, and after extensive tests,
neither the DOT nor the contractor were able to determine what was
causing the crumbling."
"The FHWA's report partly blames air pockets in two hot-mix asphalt
layers for the problems but suggests overweight trucks traveling along
the roadway could also be to blame."
See URL for rest of article and video link.
For more background you can access my I-795 page at
http://www.duke.edu/~rmalme/fut795.html
As usual the media goes for the controversial and not the true facts
with this project. Yes, there are some short segments (less than a
quarter mile) where there was separation between the pavement layers
that led to them spalling and cracking. However, the overall failure
problems is due to the heavier truck traffic as a result of the route
being designated an interstate after the design was complete. The
pavement design was based on the original traffic volume estimate,
which was based on it being a typical rural US freeway. Later on,
after the design was completed and construction had started, local
politicians petitioned it to be signed as an interstate since the road
met FHWA standards for that type of road. However, no one took into
account that interstates draw more heavy trucks, and when this was
pointed out it was too late to make any changes to the pavement
without significant construction delays and redesigns (bridge
overpasses, grade tie-ins, interchange redesigns, etc.
IOW, this wasn't a DOT problem, the blame rests solely on the
politicians and their love affair with having every freeway in the
state that qualifies being designated an interstate.
well ...an obvious question is ... who was supposed to take into
account the part about heavy trucks - if not the DOT?
this is the kind of the thing that frustrates the heck out of the
average citizen.
They pay money..they expect a quality job..and what they get is a
crummy job and a lot of finger-pointing... and then the same folks
come back and say that we need to raise the gas tax....
If you bought something at WalMart and it worked this way.. you'd take
it back and stop buying that product...right?
now.. I'm not criticizing John or NCDOT or even the DOTs in general -
only trying to give a view from the cheap seats...
.
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