U.S. roads, bridges are decaying despite stimulus influx

Gary Stoller, USA TODAY

NEW FAIRFIELD, CONN. - As car after car is jolted by cracked asphalt on a less-than-1-mile stretch of road connecting Route 39 to the New York border, it becomes clear why state transportation officials grade the pavement of this winding western Connecticut road as being in poor condition.

Edges of the two-lane road - where a sign says Col. Henry Ludington passed by in 1777 to repel "British raiders" - are worn and recessed, allowing rainwater to pool.

Connecticut has the nation's second-highest percentage of major roads - 48%, or 1,268 miles - with pavement in "poor" condition, and 25 other states have 20% or more in such condition, according to an exclusive analysis of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) most recent data by transportation research group TRIP and USA TODAY.

Indeed, just 38% of the pavement on roads stretching miles across the USA is in "good" condition, according to the analysis, while about one in 10 of the nation's bridges are "structurally deficient."

Roads with pavement in poor condition have "advanced deterioration" and typically require structural repair or replacement, according to the FHWA. Such roads, TRIP says, may have ruts, cracks and potholes that give millions of Americans rough rides that increase repair costs and fuel consumption.

The analysis concludes that the nation's roadways - critical for moving people, goods and services - are in disrepair, and even states with mostly "good" roads have stretches of pavement, as well as bridges, that are in dire need of upgrades.

State, federal and local funding levels for road and bridge improvements are not adequate to meet the nation's growing needs. About $85 billion is required annually to improve the condition of roads and bridges - nearly double what was spent in 2008, according to the Department of Transportation's 2010 report to Congress.

And drivers across the USA are paying the price.

The 6 Craziest Roads In The World

Guoliang Tunnel, China

Only 16 feet tall and 13 feet wide, this 3/4-mile tunnel was built by villagers in 1972, desperate to connect their village to the world outside the Taihang Mountains. Many of the Guoliangers died during its five-year construction

Passo dello Stelvio, Italy

While Stelvio Pass is only the second highest paved mountain pass in the Alps at 9045 feet, its passages are much more precarious.

Dades Gorge Road, Morocco

Located way up in the High Atlas Mountains at the edge of the Sahara Desert, the cleft features cliffs towering up to 1600 feet tall, with some of the roads going through fissures only 30 feet wide

Yungas Road (Road of Death), Bolivia

Once named the “world’s most dangerous road,” El Camino de la Muerte is a 38-mile long journey through the mountains, leading from La Paz to Coroico. It is estimated that 200-300 travelers yearly die while traversing it.

Atlanterhavsveien (Atlantic Ocean Road), Norway

Despite looking menacing in bad weather conditions, Atlanterhavsveien is actually ranked as one of the best scenic roads in the world, with insane curves and epic vistas.

Halsema Highway, Philippines

The highest highway in all of the Philippines, the Halsema Highway takes about six hours to traverse. Despite its zigzag design, it has a relatively low number of deaths given its extreme altitudes, and looks fantastic.

Massachusetts moves forward with all-electronic tolling plan

    

 

AMANDA BAYHI

Drivers slow down to 15 mph at a toll booth in Massachusetts. (Photo: Flickr)

Massachusetts Governor Deval L. Patrick and his administration are moving forward with a $250 million plan that would replace toll collectors in the state with all-electronic tolling, according to a report from The Republican.

In addition to the push for all-electronic tolling, officials are working on a plan that would reinstate passenger-vehicle tolls between Exits 1 and 6, beginning October 15. State legislators approved a law in July that allows the change to happen.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced the all-electronic tolling plan at a hearing Thursday night in Boston.

The system would detect E-ZPass transponders and take pictures of license plates of vehicles without transponders. Drivers without transponders would receive a pay-by-plate fee to cover the cost of image processing and billing.

Cynthia Roy Gonzalez, director of communications for MassDOT, said the all-electronic systems will save the agency $50 million a year by eventually terminating about 400 toll collector positions. The system would cost approximately $250 million over 10 years to construct, operate and maintain.

MassDOT plans begin all-electronic tolling next year with southbound traffic at the Tobin Bridge in Boston, with the entire system operating electronically by 2017.

What is Asphalt?

What is Asphalt?

"What is asphalt?" you ask. Asphalt is the sustainable material for building pavements. It's smooth, so vehicles consume less fuel and produce lower emissions; it's quiet, so expensive noise walls don't need to be constructed; it's safe, providing excellent gripping power; and it's durable, so that the road never needs to be removed and replaced. It is also the most recycled material in the U.S. Oh -- your question really was "What is asphalt made of?" Well, then! Asphalt is made from stones, sand, and gravel, held together by asphalt cement. View the video below to see what happens at an asphalt plant.

What is Asphalt?

Construction Materials Prices Flat in July Despite 4% Crude Inflation

Source: ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS INC. 
Created: August 14, 2013

Construction materials prices remained stable from June to July but are up 2 percent compared to July 2012, according to the latest Producer Price Index release by the U.S. Labor Department. Nonresidential construction materials prices were down 0.1 percent for the month and are 1.8 percent higher than one year ago.

Crude energy prices climbed 4 percent in July and crude petroleum prices jumped 10.6 percent. Year over year, crude energy prices are up 21.6 percent.

Prices for plumbing fixtures and fittings increased 2.1 percent from June and are up 3.1 percent annually.

Prices for prepared asphalt, tar roofing and siding rose 2 percent for the month and are 4.7 percent higher than the same time last year.

Iron and steel prices increased 1.7 percent in July, but remain 2.8 percent lower on an annual basis.

Prices for steel mill products edged 0.4 percent higher in July, but remain 6.1 percent lower than one year ago.

Prices for concrete products were 0.5 percent higher for the month and are up 3.3 percent compared to last year.

Key construction inputs that did not experience price increases for the month include fabricated structural metal products, which were unchanged and have been flat on a year-over-year basis.

Softwood lumber prices slipped for the third straight month, down 0.5 percent in July, but are still 9.9 percent higher than one year ago.

Nonferrous wire and cable prices fell 1.1 percent for the month and are down 3.9 percent from July 2012.

Overall, the nation’s wholesale goods prices were flat in July and are 2.1 percent higher than the same time last year.

"According to today’s Producer Price Index report, nonresidential construction materials remained well behaved, with aggregate price levels falling 0.1 percent in July and inputs to nonresidential construction increasing less than 2 percent during the past year" said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. "Input price inflation is rarely so well contained.

"However, looking beyond the headline number reveals a different story. In July, many nonresidential materials prices expanded, some of them significantly. For instance, the largest monthly increase occurred in crude energy, with prices rising 4 percent. Other categories registering monthly increases in excess of 1 percent were plumbing fixtures and fittings, prepared asphalt, tar roofing and siding, and iron and steel. For contractors, the implication is that not all materials prices are well behaved.

“Prices fell in certain categories, including softwood lumber and nonferrous wire and cable. Those declines help explain the flat overall PPI number for the month, but do not change the fact that materials prices remain more volatile than they might appear at first glance.”

When Post road will be fix?

Posted on July 26, 2013

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  by Chris Church

NORTH KINGSTOWN — Work on the first phase of the Post Road sewer project is wrapping up, and the temporary repaving of the rugged roadway could begin as early as late August.

The second phase of the project is still in limbo as town officials continue to look for a site to build a pumping station.

Public Works Director Phil Bergeron said the work on Post Road that has drivers stuck in traffic daily is part of a National Grid project to replace a gas main. “All our work under the road is done,” he said Tuesday.

A request to begin repaving the roadway with a temporary overlay is currently being reviewed by the state Department of Transportation. A final repaving of the roadway won’t occur until the second phase of the project is complete; that won’t happen until a location is found for a pumping station.

In January, the Rhode Island State Police denied a request to locate a pumping station on the property of its Wickford Barracks, located at 7875 Post Road.

“Because the Rhode Island State Police is considering selling this property and moving the Wickford Barracks to a new location within the next few years, Col. [Steven] O’Donnell will not allow the easement,” State Police Major Karen D. Pinch wrote in a letter to North Kingstown Police Chief Thomas Mulligan on Jan. 11.

That has delayed the second phase of the project, as officials look for a new pump site.

“We could have been doing work right now,” Bergeron noted.

There are currently two alternative sites that the town is looking at: Smith’s Castle property, at 55 Richard Smith Drive just off Post Road; and a three-quarter-acre parcel owned by the state near the intersection of Stony Lane and Huling Road.

The town would have to purchase the small property from the state; the assessed value is about $80,000, according to Bergeron. If those options don’t pan out, Bergeron said the town would ask the state police to reconsider its decision.

“I guess if everything else falls through, then we have to go back to them,” he said.

In November 2009, voters approved a $10 million bond to fund the installation of sewers along Post Road, with the first phase covering the southern stretch of Post Road from the Route 403 overpass to just south of the West Bay YMCA. The work includes extending sewer service to several residential properties on Camp Avenue.

The first phase consists of a pumping station on Camp Avenue at Tully Way; 4,200 feet of gravity sewer line on Post Road and Camp Avenue; and 3,500 feet of pressurized piping on Camp Avenue. It also includes 1,400 feet of water main improvements on Post Road.

In total, that portion of the project will service 205 commercial acres and 30 residential properties.

In November 2010, voters approved another $9.2 million bond to finance the design and installation of sewers from Dana Drive to the Wickford Barracks, including the Shore Acres neighborhood. This portion of the project will service 105 acres of commercial land and 149 residential properties.

Bergeron said he doesn’t expect the second phase to be started until after the winter.

The Town Council will meet Aug. 5 to discuss the possibility of going to bond for a third phase of the project, and will talk about what portions of town a third phase could cover.

“Do we go north of Route 403? Do we go into Wickford? Ultimately, it’s a council decision,” Bergeron said.

The council also will discuss how to assess the sewer fees to property owners once the sewer system is up and running. “We want to be as fair and equitable to property owners as possible,” Bergeron said.

He added it is important for property owners to be aware of the upcoming discussions and participate in future public hearings.

“They need to know what’s going on,” Bergeron said. “We don’t want them to get an assessment bill and say, ‘We didn’t know anything about this.’”

The Town Council will meet Aug. 5 at 7 p.m. at Beechwood: A Center for Life Enrichment, 44 Beach S

Types of Asphalt Pavement

Types of Asphalt Pavement

In addition to being smooth, durable, safe, and quiet, asphalt is the most versatile pavement material. Pavement structures can be designed to handle any load, from passenger cars to heavy trucks. Surface mixes can be customized to absorb noise, to reduce splash and spray during rainstorms, and even to help treat rain water. 

Busy commercial airports such as Baltimore-Washington International, Oakland International, San Francisco International, McCarren (Las Vegas), Pearson International (Toronto), and Logan International (Boston) have main runways surfaced with HMA. Asphalt is also used extensively on runways at general aviation airports. Asphalt's speed of construction makes it an ideal choice for rehabilitation of busy aviation facilities.

At racetracks, asphalt pavements provide smooth driving surfaces combined with the excellent traction demanded by professional stock car racing. Of the 33 NASCAR race tracks across the country, 31 have asphalt surfaces. Of the 88 race tracks listed for the NASCAR Short Track series, 66 are asphalt, 21 are dirt or clay, and 1 is concrete.

Whether on the road, in a parking lot, or at an airport, asphalt pavements add up to the best value for the taxpayer dollar, with the lowest life cycle cost and the highest residual value.

Can Asphalt affect the environmental?

Asphalt is the sustainable material for constructing pavements. From the production of the paving material, to the placement of the pavement on the road, to rehabilitation, through recycling, asphalt pavements minimize impact on the environment. Low consumption of energy for production and construction, low emission of greenhouse gases, and conservation of natural resources help to make asphalt the environmental pavement of choice. 

I. Energy and Recycling

Less energy consumed in building pavements
Asphalt pavements require about 20 percent less energy to produce and construct than other pavements.¹

Less energy consumed by the traveling public 
Congestion leads to unnecessary consumption of fuel and production of emissions. Reducing congestion by constructing asphalt pavements just makes sense. Asphalt pavements are faster to construct and rehabilitate. And, a new or newly rehabilitated asphalt pavement can be opened to traffic as soon as it has been compacted and cooled. There is no question of waiting for days or weeks for the material to cure.

America’s leading recycler
The asphalt industry reclaims about 65 million tons of its own product every year, and reuses or recycles about 99 percent of it. This makes it America’s number one recycler.

Other materials are routinely recycled into asphalt pavements. Some of the most common are rubber from used tires, glass, blast furnace slag, and asphalt roofing shingles

When I started in the asphalt Industry

“I started in the asphalt industry in 1986 with experience in quality control,asphalt mix design, management, production and project supervisor.There is nothing more rewarding than helping people have their driveway either brushed up with a little bit of maintenance or have a brand new driveway installed. The driveway is the first thing people see as they drive up to our home and a beautiful well groomed driveway gives a great first impression! When I first got into the business, it amazed me at how many people loved having a nice driveway! While there are a percentage of people out there who just want a basic hard surface to drive and park on, some homeowners want their driveway to look beautiful all the time! Those are the people I love working with. It’s a very fun and fulfilling business! But unfortunately the industry is full of dishonest and unethical contractors who are out there with one goal in mind… to make high profits at the expense of quality! They don’t put one thought into building long term repeat business. Instead, they’re only concerned about short term greed. I've seen many examples of people who've lost hundreds of dollars and some even several thousand dollars… in one single job! It’s very frustrating to see people being taken such advantage of. So I started UNO paving to help educate homeowners on the proper installation and maintenance of driveways and avoid being ripped off.”



Nick Hernandez