Montrose1100 Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I drove up to Spring today and I noticed that they are black topping the freeway. With as many trucks that travel on it, combined with year round heat, it will probably warp very easily. The concrete is fine, I dont know why they would put asphalt on it.Couldn't the same work be done at night and not and not mid day on a saturday? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 When would you suggest a better time of week? I-45 is always busy.Otherwise I would agree that concrete would be better, but that would take a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highway6 Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 It might be the special stuff....They black-topped beltway 8 north of 290 a yr ago with a trial installation of a new blacktop that is supposed to be rain resistant. It works great. It's porous and allows water to pass through and off to the sides. It does a great job of not allowing standing water or remaining slick during a downpour.Could be the same stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 But wasn't a mile of bw8 covered with concrete with similar properties?Anyone know how that test is doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted October 16, 2011 Author Share Posted October 16, 2011 When would you suggest a better time of week? I-45 is always busy.Otherwise I would agree that concrete would be better, but that would take a long time.Monday thru Thursday, 2am-5am Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfastx Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I actually have found asphalt to be much smoother than concrete in almost any circumstance. And it is a lot easier to repave, too. Just shave off the top layer and slap another layer on top. Only takes a few days. Asphalt above concrete is the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Monday thru Thursday, 2am-5amI used to travel 45 in the time frame you mention, and it was busy. I remember always being relieved when I reached the Beltway, which was open.Also, you only give the construction workers three hours to do their work. It probably takes an hour or more to set up, and at least as much to tear down, leaving less than an hour to lay the asphalt. Not enough since it has to cure/cool before cars can drive on it.A weekend gives more contiguous time for an operation like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 The work has been done at night. Construction runs from 9 pm to 5 am. They close half the lanes, repave, then close the other half, repave. This is also how they restripe. Some parts of the construction require the entire roadway to close. This is often done on weekends.As for the surface, it is plain ol' asphalt. Since this freeway will at some point be entirely replaced, TxDOT does not want to partially redo it in concrete. However, it is old and has chunks missing, etc. The most efficient and least costly repair is the asphalt overlay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pleak Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 As for the surface, it is plain ol' asphalt. Since this freeway will at some point be entirely replaced, TxDOT does not want to partially redo it in concrete. However, it is old and has chunks missing, etc. The most efficient and least costly repair is the asphalt overlay.This is the reason for it. Asphalt gives a good smooth surface - where it is lacking is in strength. Especially with the Houston's areas flexible clay soils = asphalt cracks. This resurfacing project works because there is already a strong, albeit potholed base of concrete. The old concrete road still provides strength while the new asphalt overlay provides a smoother ride for a minimum of expense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted October 17, 2011 Author Share Posted October 17, 2011 I used to travel 45 in the time frame you mention, and it was busy. I remember always being relieved when I reached the Beltway, which was open.Also, you only give the construction workers three hours to do their work. It probably takes an hour or more to set up, and at least as much to tear down, leaving less than an hour to lay the asphalt. Not enough since it has to cure/cool before cars can drive on it.A weekend gives more contiguous time for an operation like this.Well as you can tell I'm a road construction genius...I just felt that rush hour on a saturday was a bad idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed_Tx Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 asphalt roads are also less noisy than concrete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLWM8609 Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 I drove up to Spring today and I noticed that they are black topping the freeway. With as many trucks that travel on it, combined with year round heat, it will probably warp very easily. The concrete is fine, I dont know why they would put asphalt on it.I know I'm late, but I want to point out that I-45 North has had an asphalt surface for decades. The section they've just resurfaced north of 610 has had asphalt overlays since it was rehabbed and widened in the mid 80s. Old aerial photos show brand sections of I-45 North from Airline Dr. northward having asphalt back in 1959, while newer built sections from Airline Dr. south to downtown were built of concrete when they opened between 1960 and 1962. Things got reversed back when I-45 was widened and rehabbed and the HOV was added. The late 50s asphalt sections from Airline northward have been replaced with concrete, and some of the early 60s concrete sections from Airline to downtown simply received an asphalt overlay over the then 20-25 year old concrete, and have continued to be milled and retopped every five years or so since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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