Asphalt Driveways

How To Choose the Best Material For a Driveway

Sooner or later, you'll have to replace your driveway. A lot of people take their driveway for granted until it's time to replace their driveway. Suddenly, the contractor bombards them with all these options for a new driveway, leaving the person to wonder what they should replace their driveway with.

There are several options for a driveway, however, and, if you make the right choice, you might end up with a driveway that was far better than the old one. Ideally, that's what we're looking for.

The most common material that is used for a driveway is asphalt. Asphalt is tough to beat. It is fairly economical, and widely available. If you have an asphalt driveway, you might want to stick with asphalt for simplicity's sake. A lot of people like to "edge" their asphalt driveway with rocks, bricks, etc. "Edging" the asphalt driveway improves its appearance, but, some people want more.

Another popular option for driveways is stamped concrete. While it is possible to pave a stamped concrete driveway yourself, I recommend that you have a professional pave it, because stamped concrete driveways have to have joints in order to prevent the stamped concrete driveway from cracking. It is important that you choose a contractor that is very familiar with paving stamped concrete driveways, because I've heard too many horror stories.

Finally, we come to the "paver" type of driveway. Paver-type driveways are very expensive, but very distinctive. Today, you have a choice of materials you can use for the paver, such as regular pavers, bricks, and various types of stones. Before deciding to do this, it is vital you do your homework: find a contractor that is very familiar with installing the type of paver you want for your driveway. A paver-type driveway that isn't done properly is a nightmare. Make sure the driveway is done right the first time, because it will cost you more money to correct someone else's mistake.

How to choose an asphalt contractor

 Without a doubt, hiring a contractor is the part of home remodeling that causes more fear and anxiety than any other phase. How do you know you've got a good contractor, someone you can trust to do a good job for a fair price and stand behind his or her work? Unfortunately, there are no guarantees. But if you do your homework, you improve the odds of getting a contractor you will be happy with.

1) First they need to be insured . To work in any state a contractor need to be insured before do anything else and how you will be sure that the company that you are going to hired is real cover by a insurance agency? simple, every serious company will be register in the contractor board of the state that he work and to be register the first document that you need is proof of insurance for example for Rhode Island residence go to http://www.crb.state.ri.us/search.php  search the contractor name and you will see if is register and insured, plus you will see if the company has complains.

2) Check if they have a website, search their company name in Google ,you will find more info about them, I saw lot of small companies changing their names every time they have a complain making harder for the consumer find information about them.

3)Write down all the questions that you have for them for example:
      What asphalt mix design are they going to use?
          There is a dozen of asphalt types; base binder with 3/4" stone or 1/2" stone , for surface top          with 1/2" or 3/8" stone , for the base, process gravel etc, ask for a copy of the mix design they are going to use that way you will know if they have a clue about asphalt.There is no such as left over mix from another job, asphalt is made at 300 to 325 degrees and that temp will go down in three to four hours so if you have mix from another job very positive that will be cold and you don't want your driveway made with cold asphalt believe me.
       How long will take to do the job?
Normally in a good weather conditions one day should be plenty time to do a driveway.
      Ask them how many tons of asphalt your driveway need , why? Let me explain to you ; your driveway will need a minimum of  3" of process gravel base , 2" of base course asphalt mix and 1" of surface top . Will be hard for the customer difference between 3" of asphalt or 2" , that inch of asphalt will be replace with the cheapest material that will be the process gravel and to be sure that he use the correct amount ask them for a copy of the receipt. Asphalt is made in a production plant and every time the contractor buy asphalt will have a receipt ;  there is an example how you can calculate your driveway need go to http://www.asphaltpavement.org/images/stories/paving_area_calc.xls

Mass Turnpike

Mass turnpike

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.