Trixology

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: elagache on August 25, 2016, 11:24:03 PM

Title: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: elagache on August 25, 2016, 11:24:03 PM
Dear WeatherCat ambivalent watchers of "progress." . . . . .

Well the preliminaries are clearly over and the time has come to start working on repaving the street in front of our house.  This is what they have accomplished thus far:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-tfX7bgQ/0/XL/Pavement%20removed%20from%20street%20-%20west-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-tfX7bgQ/A)

Here is the other view so that you'all have the concept clear:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-SH9rjnj/0/XL/Pavement%20removed%20from%20street%20-%20east-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-SH9rjnj/A)

Yes indeed this is clearly one of those "back to the future" schemes where they have replaced the worn out pavement with - dirt!  It isn't just dirt, they did compact it a bit, but judging from the procedure on nearby streets, we are likely to have nothing but dirt to drive on for probably a week or move.

With a member of the household facing a serious medical problem, it is going to be a "fun" week for sure . . . . (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/clonk_head.gif)

Oh well, . . . . . Edouard
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: xairbusdriver on August 25, 2016, 11:41:51 PM
Dirt for a roadbed?! Around here, "dirt" is some form of clay. For that reason, we have to use a method similar to the railroads; at least a six-inch layer of gravel before the asphalt goes down. A better base is several layers washed and size-graded stone with perforated drainage pipes to get the water away from the roadbed as fast as possible.

Missed the part about the health care work. Hope the construction doesn't cause extra problems for you or them.
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: Blicj11 on August 26, 2016, 12:33:24 AM
With a member of the household facing a serious medical problem, it is going to be a "fun" week for sure . . . .

Sorry you have to deal with that, but at least they have you to help them. Hang in there.
Title: Today's news (Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . . )
Post by: elagache on August 26, 2016, 11:32:10 PM
Dear X-Air, Blick, and WeatherCat observers of construction, . . .

Dirt for a roadbed?! Around here, "dirt" is some form of clay.

This isn't a permanent roadbed at all.  They simply removed all the old asphalt and left us with a layer of compacted dirt as a temporary road.  It appears to be part of their cost-savings.  It takes much longer to remove the old asphalt than to apply new asphalt.  So they start removing road and keep doing it until they have enough mileage to justify putting asphalt back.  Then they bring asphalt in an amazing convoy of trucks and literally pave miles in a day or two.  Sadly, our street was the first to be stripped, so we'll have to cope with the dirt the longest.

Sorry you have to deal with that, but at least they have you to help them. Hang in there.

I'll do the best I can, not much else I can do.

However, there is news on this project.  This morning the water pressure was unusually low.  We thought it was something related to the construction.  Instead the water main had burst one house below ours.  I suppose the stress of removing the asphalt was enough to break an old pipe.  Our local water utility had a truck out repairing the main this morning:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-7QWmZqB/0/XL/EDMUD%20repairing%20water%20main-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-7QWmZqB/A)

In the meantime, the wildlife is coping with the situation as best as they can.  Here is a very revealing picture:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-S3Qwf7B/0/XL/Dear%20eating%20in%20yard-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-S3Qwf7B/A)

If you look carefully, on the lawn in the center of the picture is a doe and her two fawns.  They were eating grass (something dear normally never do,) and they were eating while the crews were working on the water main!  You can see the same picket fence that runs along side the street in the earlier picture.

This afternoon, they were running a machine to reduce the height of the earth they had piled up yesterday.  This was quite an operation.  Here is a dump truck being loaded by the earth leveling machine:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-Vnp9j9r/0/XL/IMG_2594-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-Vnp9j9r/A)

Here is the boom of the machine that has the conveyor belt that lifts the soil and sends it into the dump truck:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-4vXwbxW/0/XL/Boom%20of%20earth%20leveling%20machine%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-4vXwbxW/A)

Finally, here is a photo of the side of machine itself:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-ZKjcTxd/0/XL/Side%20of%20earth%20leveling%20machine%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-ZKjcTxd/A)

It has been quite a show in front of the house, but it is a noisy and dusty show as well.  I'm glad I got through the yard chores early!

Cheers, Edouard
Title: Is this sign REALLY necessary? (Re: Repaving roads)
Post by: elagache on August 27, 2016, 10:52:36 PM
Dear WeatherCat construction observers, . . .

Saturday means a break in the construction, but the workers thoughtfully left this sign before leaving yesterday afternoon:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-s4QkGn3/0/XL/Loose%20Gravel%20sign%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-s4QkGn3/A)

Do you think our education system as so declined that a sign like this is really necessary?  :o

Oh well, . . . . . Edouard

P.S. The signs that they should have been placing every 50 feet was: Construction: Speed Limit 15 mph.  Sadly getting people to act prudently behind the wheel seems to be beyond any amount of education . . . .  :(
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: Weatheraardvark on August 28, 2016, 02:12:56 AM
I feel your pain..

Our house is bordered on two streets. The E/W street was concrete. The city came out, covered it in asphalt, not that it needed it but they though so.  So I look at the N/S street. i ask the city if they are going to fix the pot holes and probably black top that as well.


They said it was not a permanent Street.  I said it looked permanent, as we have been living here for 34 years, that it was here before we came and it really looks like  it is here to stay.  after she stopped laughing, the clerk said she meant that although it has curbs (as yours does) and that there are sewer and water mains below the surface and that maybe even some gas lines, it isn't a real street.

OK after I stopped laughing.  She explained that if we removed the blacktop we would find dirt.   it was never paved, but asphalt was laid on the top.  Every few years they come out and put a slurry coating (which lasts about six months before it cracks and makes pot holes the size that would trap a small Hobbit for a few days).    Now if I wanted a real street they would have to assess everyone a bunch of money. I said just slurry it until the city decides to actually do anything .

The street is well within the city limits.  now a block away,  while they were tarring the streets, they did put blacktop on a small portion that was dirt.

Yeah, it sucks.   The city here does stuff that makes no sense.   If you go down our street  it merges with College avenue.  then it its Merle Hay Road (Merle Hay was the first US soldier to be killed in WWI and was from Iowa,)   So the city come s out , curves the street so it is now a T intersection with College and exits into the street. They added on a parking to someone's home, you can't find the fire plug unless you know where to look, the storm sewer collects all sorts of debris and plugs up in winter.

So I asked why?  they said (the city) that people who do not live in the area and rarely drive through that area might remotely be confuse where my street and College connect.   REALLY????    I promptly notified the neighbor association, which was backing the project.  I stopped paying dues.

So  I really feel for you.  Maybe they might spray oil on the road .  I have heard that being done.  OR crushed limestone.. and then spray oil on it.  Welcome to my version of Hell.
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: xairbusdriver on August 28, 2016, 03:31:22 AM
I suspect the reason to replace the asphalt with temporary dirt is due to the extra Environmental rules in CA. They probably have to dispose of the old asphalt in multi-layered, bio-degradeable bags. Around here, they just take the old asphalt add some rock and tar and put back down as 'new' paving. I'll try to remove the images of the pavement ripper running on the dirt. Here they only get to do that job once, when they remove the old layers of paving! I don't want the contractors around here coming up with 'new ideas' that end up adding to the cost of the re-paving! LOL!

@ArdV, I'd be careful parking on that fake street! If someone side swipes you the insurance company may claim you were parked illegally! [rolleyes2]
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: Weatheraardvark on August 28, 2016, 04:09:24 PM


@ArdV, I'd be careful parking on that fake street! If someone side swipes you the insurance company may claim you were parked illegally! [rolleyes2]

Not a problem, I park in my very short driveway, near that street.  Slurry Seal .. bring it on.
Title: Nice when states pick up "the best" practices . . . (Re: Repaving roads)
Post by: elagache on August 28, 2016, 10:55:31 PM
Dear Weatheraardvark, X-Air, and WeatherCat victims of government "efficiency."

I feel your pain..

I feel yours as well!  :(

They said it was not a permanent Street.  I said it looked permanent, as we have been living here for 34 years, that it was here before we came and it really looks like  it is here to stay.  after she stopped laughing, the clerk said she meant that although it has curbs (as yours does) and that there are sewer and water mains below the surface and that maybe even some gas lines, it isn't a real street.

That's utter nonsense if I ever heard it.  At least our city is actually trying to make up for its past sins and actually go around and repave everything.  They aren't trying extremely hard though.

I suspect the reason to replace the asphalt with temporary dirt is due to the extra Environmental rules in CA. They probably have to dispose of the old asphalt in multi-layered, bio-degradeable bags. Around here, they just take the old asphalt add some rock and tar and put back down as 'new' paving.

California may be green in all sorts of other way, but they are going to grind up the old pavement and use it as the road foundation just as in your state.

While we are waiting for them to do that all we've got is - dirt . . . . .

Oh well, . . . . . Edouard
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: Weatheraardvark on August 28, 2016, 11:20:13 PM
Concrete is used for rick-rack along rivers for erosion, although some claim it can be recycled.. sure.. right. Asphalt is sent somewhere and cleaned and reused.

Green only goes so far.  The biggie here is that the ethanol plants are taking away animal feed, or that they are inefficient in cars.  Heck I suppose one could drink it.
Title: Some serious earth moving! (Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . . )
Post by: elagache on August 30, 2016, 10:18:00 PM
Dear WeatherCat fans of quality pavement,

Today, it has been mostly quiet on the dirt (I mean) street in front of our house.  But yesterday was a serious campaign of scraping away more soil under the former pavement.  They used the same scraping machine shown on this post (http://athena.trixology.com/index.php?topic=2258.msg21558#msg21558).  However, it was joined by a road grader:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-FfTLXcw/0/XL/Road%20grader%20working%20up%20Altamount%20-%20side%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-FfTLXcw/A)

After they were finished with that session of earth removal they sent a road roller to compact the newly exposed soil:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-NW9B347/0/XL/Steam%20roller%20compacting%20soil%20-%20side%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-NW9B347/A)

Every time the road roller passed it shook the house to the point it almost felt like an earthquake!  Sure was rough treatment for a house that is almost 70 years old.

Cheers, Edouard
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: xairbusdriver on August 30, 2016, 10:33:03 PM
I'm beginning to suspect that the "dirt" is actually some kind of apparently rather soft rock (Sandstone?) that is not quite "dirt". Sometimes called "decomposed" rock. Although I've heard of being used in landscape paving, it may be what is used in some parts of CA where the neighborhood is mostly used by antique automobiles.
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: Weatheraardvark on August 30, 2016, 11:18:31 PM
Look on the bright side, it is something to watch
Title: Instant foundation . . . . (Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . . )
Post by: elagache on August 31, 2016, 09:51:49 PM
Dear Weatheraardvark, X-Air, and WeatherCat long distance observers of road construction.

Look on the bright side, it is something to watch

Yes indeed it was quite a production today.  We were told that they would be creating a foundation by mixing cement, road debris, and soil.  Today is the day they did the deed.  Here is a truck laying cement on top of the earth:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-7rp5TWh/0/XL/Cement%20dispensing%20truck%20-%20back%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-7rp5TWh/A)

They then mix the soil using a machine that was also used to first remove the old asphalt.  In front of it was a water truck to supply water to the cement:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-jtJSz7h/0/XL/Water%20supply%20truck%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-jtJSz7h/A)

Then this machine mixed it all up:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-X8bxX7L/0/XL/Mixing%20machine%20-%20side%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-X8bxX7L/A)

That left the road looking like this:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-h33CR49/0/XL/Mixed%20earth%20and%20cement%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-h33CR49/A)

Finally this machine finished up the mixing:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-PR2FGm6/0/XL/Soil%20mixing%20machine%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-PR2FGm6/A)

After that a road grader got the dirt back to reasonably level.

I suppose they will need to allow the cement to cure for a few days, but perhaps we'll have new asphalt sometime next week!

Stay tuned!

Cheers, Edouard
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: Weatheraardvark on September 01, 2016, 12:42:04 AM
Road debris?  Slow critters?
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: Blicj11 on September 01, 2016, 01:38:25 AM
Interesting photos. I loved the slogan of the water truck company: We get you wet.
Title: Asphalt forecast for Tuesday! (Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . . )
Post by: elagache on September 01, 2016, 10:39:57 PM
Dear Weatheraardvark, Blick, and WeatherCat construction observers,

Glad you guys liked the photos.

Nothing new today.  It appears they are just doing some tweaking of the dirt and have moved on to working on another street.

However, the word is that the asphalt is supposed to arrive starting on Tuesday!

Stay tuned!

Cheers, Edouard


Sent from Panoramix using Tapatalk HD
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: Blicj11 on September 02, 2016, 05:55:14 AM
When I was a wee lad, in Scouts, trying to pass off my agriculture merit badge, when I used the word "dirt" my Uncle Vincent said, "It's soil. Dirt is what you get in your ears."

I don't know if it's true but I have always like the quote.
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: Weatheraardvark on September 02, 2016, 03:26:40 PM
When I was a wee lad, in Scouts, trying to pass off my agriculture merit badge, when I used the word "dirt" my Uncle Vincent said, "It's soil. Dirt is what you get in your ears."

I don't know if it's true but I have always like the quote.

You can imagine when I was also a kid, hearing "Dirty Music, Dirty Jokes, Dirty People, Digging in the Dirt,"  and not understanding  how that was different from being told to take a bath because I was dirty.   HA
Title: All quiet on da' paving front . (Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . . )
Post by: elagache on September 02, 2016, 10:47:05 PM
Dear Blick, Weatheraardvark, and WeatherCat remote observers of California repaving projects,

It has been a strangely quiet day.  I haven't heard any of the heavy machines even in the distance.  They might be working in an isolated valley that doesn't carry the sound, but it isn't like contractors give their guys an extra vacation day.  There was one concrete truck that rushed up our street apparently to make some additional gutters on a nearby street, but beyond that we only had the periodic visit of the truck pouring water on the dirt (soil) to keep the dust down:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-MT5H7GF/0/XL/Truck%20wetting%20dirt%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-MT5H7GF/A)

Too bad I could get the guy to wash down our driveway.  There is plenty of mud I would love to get rid of and thanks to the drought, it is illegal to simply take a garden hose and just blast it away.

Just another day in "paradise"  :o . . . I guess, I suppose, I guess . . . . . .  ::)

Cheers, Edouard

P.S. Back to mounting the new license plates . . . . I hope! (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/pray.gif)
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: Blicj11 on September 04, 2016, 06:15:15 PM
Keep us posted when they show back up on Tuesday.
Title: Not concrete but definitely not just soil (Re: Repaving roads)
Post by: elagache on September 04, 2016, 11:49:12 PM
Dear Blick and WeatherCat remote observers of California repaving projects,

Keep us posted when they show back up on Tuesday.

Yes the action won't start until Tuesday, but I do have one more curious picture to share.  Here is what the roadbed now looks like:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-R9bMpBr/0/XL/Cement%20soil%20mixture%20after%20curing%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-R9bMpBr/A)

If you compare it to the soil just after the asphalt was removed, you'll notice that it is a much lighter shade of beige and it appears to be much harder.  In some places there appears to be sufficient cement in the mix to make the surface almost a concrete road in its own right.

I'm having a hard time imagining why they do this, but clearly the asphalt will have a stiffer foundation than just dirt would provide.  What leaves me puzzled is that this sort of mix should have greater strength in compression, but what will challenge the road is soil movement which should simply cause the soil-cement mixture to crack.  So I don't understand what's so great about this process.

Whatever the purpose, the cement has definitely cured so the time has come for asphalt!

Cheers, Edouard 
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: xairbusdriver on September 05, 2016, 01:30:00 AM
I can't remember seeing any parking lot or even a building lot that is NOT treated that way around here. The dry concrete does exactly what you think it should; it solidifies the 'dirt' on which a concrete slab or parking lot is to be built. I must say that the mixing equipment that tears up the dirt on which the dry concrete has been spread are hugely dirtier than what you have posted! And it's usually good idea to stay upwind while that mixing is in progress! cough, cough, gasp, wheeze...

The reason this works on parking lots and under building slabs is that there should not be much water ever touching those areas once the top layer is applied. Using it under a roadway would be only if it is a temporary 'solution'. Roadways tend to be built to be as flexible as possible while remaining as solid as possible for as long as possible.

I've never seen it done on a city, local roadway. It simply cannot stand up to the minor freeze/thaw, high water table and heavy traffic of a highway or even a major street. I think they did this on our driveway some 18+ years ago, however, that rarely see any heavy traffic! Highways and main streets, as I said earlier, are often stripped of a couple of layers of paving and may then have the sub grade replaced. New construction always includes several layers of different sized stone to build up the the base for the final covering. Most cities around here plan on re-paving every road on a 10 year cycle. The state throws in some monies when that road is also a State or National highway.
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: Randall75 on September 05, 2016, 02:37:11 AM
Looks like they are putting flyash down as a base before the concrete

cheers

 [cheers1]
Title: A wee bit slower than every 10 years (Re: Repaving roads "CA style" . . . . )
Post by: elagache on September 05, 2016, 09:39:50 PM
Dear X-Air, Randall, and WeatherCat road construction experts,

I can't remember seeing any parking lot or even a building lot that is NOT treated that way around here. The dry concrete does exactly what you think it should; it solidifies the 'dirt' on which a concrete slab or parking lot is to be built.

So is the idea roughly that it make a "form" that serves to make the asphalt more uniform?  Certainly with the ground motion in our region, that weak mix will cracked in one wet season.

Most cities around here plan on re-paving every road on a 10 year cycle.

Alas, the city of Orinda hasn't been doing that well.  There is a long time resident on this street who has never seen it paved in 70 years!! (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/eek2.gif)

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: xairbusdriver on September 06, 2016, 01:38:04 AM
Quote
There is a long time resident on this street who has never seen it paved in 70 years!!
I'm sure that's not the poster, who shall remain anonymous, nor a reflection on a current resident who is a member of this forum. [lol]
Title: We have asphalt!! (Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . . )
Post by: elagache on September 07, 2016, 12:32:24 AM
Dear WeatherCat remote paving construction observers,

Just when all hope was nearly lost . . . . there were positive signs!  At around noon they sprayed a layer of tar against the edge of the dirt hole (I mean street to be!):

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-WH3fbh2/0/XL/Tar%20sprayed%20on%20edges%20of%20street%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-WH3fbh2/A)

Then the dump trucks started running up and down our street.  It was a quite a caravan and apparently all the action would never reach us.  However, finally the paving machine came into view:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-Czf8bKc/0/XL/Paving%20machine%20-%20front%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-Czf8bKc/A)

It has this odd hopper at the front that is loaded almost constantly by asphalt from dump trucks.  Here is the moment that asphalt was put in front of our own driveway:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-QfnS55V/0/XL/Paving%20machine%20in%20front%20of%20driveway%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-QfnS55V/A)

Behind it of course came the typical road roller:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-pjZ6PZc/0/XL/Road%20roller%20flattening%20asphalt%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-pjZ6PZc/A)

The paving machine of course had to make a second pass for the other side of the street:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-6ff5nVd/0/XL/Paving%20machine%20in%20action%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-6ff5nVd/A)

Here is a close up of the asphalt being deposited onto the ground:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-pFNx4K2/0/XL/Laying%20down%20asphalt%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-pFNx4K2/A)

Here is a view of the newly paved street:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-XdPB2F2/0/XL/Both%20sides%20of%20road%20paved%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-XdPB2F2/A)

Finally, here is one last view of the paving machine and the road roller "heading off into the sunset!"

(https://photos.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-dfSMWS8/0/XL/Work%20rolling%20%22into%20the%20sunset%22%20-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/House-tlc-and-upgrades/Street-repaving/i-dfSMWS8/A)

 ;)  Free at last!, Free at last!  Thank God Oh Mighty . . . . . .

Okay that might be overstating my case, but it sure will be nice to be able to get the cars back out on the road once more!

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: xairbusdriver on September 07, 2016, 01:03:18 AM
Streets down at the corner are black with tar tracked from paving over a mile away. [rolleyes2] You might want to cover your street with lots of newspapers until the tar sinks in or gets covered with a non-tacky layer of dust. I'd at least put some layers of duct tape on the body behind each wheel so it doesn't end up on the paint! Leave it on too long and it will spot the paint, use too harsh a chemical and the gel-coat gets damaged. Can you get through your backyard to some neighbors on a non-newly paved street? Maybe you can rent a 'box trailer to get the Buick to a safe place for the next few weeks! [banghead]
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: Blicj11 on September 07, 2016, 06:52:23 AM
Xair's post reminds me of a humorous (to me) incident from a few years go. We were living in Belfast, Northern Ireland and driving a Vauxhall Meriva. I have attached a photo I took of one page from the Meriva Owner's Manual. When I read that page in the manual, I wrote the following in my journal:

Whilst reading through the Owner?s Manual of the new Meriva, I found the following, extremely helpful guideline:

Do not park the vehicle on an easily ignitable surface. The high temperature of the exhaust system could ignite the surface.

Although I do not have an unlimited amount of time for research, I did take a few minutes to try to discover what surfaces might be easily ignitable, upon which I could park, even though I should not. I came up with paper, Styrofoam, marshmallows, plastic, C4 and napalm. The hottest thing known to man is the interior of freshly microwaved Hot Pockets?, but it is highly unlikely that anyone would ever park a Meriva on top of one. Even if they did, and the exhaust system ignited the Hot Pockets, I can?t see how a Hot Pockets bursting into flame could be any hotter than a freshly microwaved one that one attempts to ingest as soon as the handy, provided fireproof envelope is ripped free. Besides, one cannot purchase Hot Pockets in Northern Ireland, further increasing the mystery warning about parking on one.

In any case, rest assured, dear reader, that I am on the lookout for easily ignitable surfaces whenever I park this car. I don?t want to be held responsible for melting a car park by carelessly parking on acetone or hardened methane deposits.
Title: Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
Post by: xairbusdriver on September 07, 2016, 03:42:20 PM
Quote
I don?t want to be held responsible for melting a car park by carelessly parking on acetone or hardened methane deposits.
And I'm positive The Queen appreciates your attention to the safety of all the islands! [tup] Despite of that 'conflict' we Yanks have always wanted only the best for our British cousins! [rockon]
Title: Dubious asphalt (Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . . )
Post by: elagache on September 07, 2016, 11:08:17 PM
Dear X-Air, Blick, and WeatherCat remote road construction observers,

Streets down at the corner are black with tar tracked from paving over a mile away. [rolleyes2] You might want to cover your street with lots of newspapers until the tar sinks in or gets covered with a non-tacky layer of dust.

We aren't having that sort of problem at all, although I suspect this is ultimately bad news.  The asphalt they are using is very thick and has very little tar in it.  It reminds me of slowly moving lava.  Once it sets it is a solid mass.  However, the low tar content I believe means the roads won't last very long.  We have a spot on the street which the road roller missed and it is already starting to shed small bits of asphalt.  This is another sense of "California style road paving" - cheap, cheap, cheap!

Oh well, . . . . Edouard