Author Topic: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .  (Read 9250 times)

elagache

  • Global Moderator
  • Storm
  • *****
  • Posts: 6494
    • DW3835
    • KCAORIND10
    • Canebas Weather
  • Station Details: Davis Vantage Pro-2, Mac mini (2018), macOS 10.14.3, WeatherCat 3
Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
« 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:



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



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 . . . .

Oh well, . . . . . Edouard

xairbusdriver

  • Storm
  • *****
  • Posts: 3126
    • EW7115 (E7115)
    • KTNGERMA20
    • Mid-South Weather
  • Station Details: Davis VP2 wireless + remote Anemometer/2014 Mac min - 10.15.7/WC 3.0.5
Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
« Reply #1 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.
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system


Blicj11

  • Storm
  • *****
  • Posts: 3941
    • EW3808
    • KUTHEBER6
    • Timber Lakes Weather
  • Station Details: Davis Vantage Pro2 Plus | WeatherLinkIP Data Logger | iMac (2019), 3.6 GHz Intel Core i9, 40 GB RAM, macOS Ventura 13.6 | Sharx SCNC2900 Webcam | WeatherCat 3.3 | Supportive Wife
Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
« Reply #2 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.
Blick


elagache

  • Global Moderator
  • Storm
  • *****
  • Posts: 6494
    • DW3835
    • KCAORIND10
    • Canebas Weather
  • Station Details: Davis Vantage Pro-2, Mac mini (2018), macOS 10.14.3, WeatherCat 3
Today's news (Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . . )
« Reply #3 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:



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



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:



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



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



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

elagache

  • Global Moderator
  • Storm
  • *****
  • Posts: 6494
    • DW3835
    • KCAORIND10
    • Canebas Weather
  • Station Details: Davis Vantage Pro-2, Mac mini (2018), macOS 10.14.3, WeatherCat 3
Is this sign REALLY necessary? (Re: Repaving roads)
« Reply #4 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:



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 . . . .  :(

Weatheraardvark

  • Gale
  • ****
  • Posts: 397
  • I hear tornado sirens, lets go climb on the roof
    • C0005
    • KIADESMI1
    • Des Moines Weather and Climate
  • Station Details: Davis VP2 Plus, Fars, Extra sensors
Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
« Reply #5 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.
Davis VP2 Plus; 24h  FARS; Extra Temp Humid sensor (2); Extra Temp Station (2);;Weatherlink IP;USB; MAC Ventura 13.3

; https://www.weatherlink.com/embeddablePage/show/8a7585dd06404bde81d5229b09f84ebb/summary

xairbusdriver

  • Storm
  • *****
  • Posts: 3126
    • EW7115 (E7115)
    • KTNGERMA20
    • Mid-South Weather
  • Station Details: Davis VP2 wireless + remote Anemometer/2014 Mac min - 10.15.7/WC 3.0.5
Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
« Reply #6 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]
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system


Weatheraardvark

  • Gale
  • ****
  • Posts: 397
  • I hear tornado sirens, lets go climb on the roof
    • C0005
    • KIADESMI1
    • Des Moines Weather and Climate
  • Station Details: Davis VP2 Plus, Fars, Extra sensors
Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
« Reply #7 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.
Davis VP2 Plus; 24h  FARS; Extra Temp Humid sensor (2); Extra Temp Station (2);;Weatherlink IP;USB; MAC Ventura 13.3

; https://www.weatherlink.com/embeddablePage/show/8a7585dd06404bde81d5229b09f84ebb/summary

elagache

  • Global Moderator
  • Storm
  • *****
  • Posts: 6494
    • DW3835
    • KCAORIND10
    • Canebas Weather
  • Station Details: Davis Vantage Pro-2, Mac mini (2018), macOS 10.14.3, WeatherCat 3
Nice when states pick up "the best" practices . . . (Re: Repaving roads)
« Reply #8 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

Weatheraardvark

  • Gale
  • ****
  • Posts: 397
  • I hear tornado sirens, lets go climb on the roof
    • C0005
    • KIADESMI1
    • Des Moines Weather and Climate
  • Station Details: Davis VP2 Plus, Fars, Extra sensors
Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
« Reply #9 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.
Davis VP2 Plus; 24h  FARS; Extra Temp Humid sensor (2); Extra Temp Station (2);;Weatherlink IP;USB; MAC Ventura 13.3

; https://www.weatherlink.com/embeddablePage/show/8a7585dd06404bde81d5229b09f84ebb/summary

elagache

  • Global Moderator
  • Storm
  • *****
  • Posts: 6494
    • DW3835
    • KCAORIND10
    • Canebas Weather
  • Station Details: Davis Vantage Pro-2, Mac mini (2018), macOS 10.14.3, WeatherCat 3
Some serious earth moving! (Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . . )
« Reply #10 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.  However, it was joined by a road grader:



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



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

xairbusdriver

  • Storm
  • *****
  • Posts: 3126
    • EW7115 (E7115)
    • KTNGERMA20
    • Mid-South Weather
  • Station Details: Davis VP2 wireless + remote Anemometer/2014 Mac min - 10.15.7/WC 3.0.5
Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
« Reply #11 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.
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system


Weatheraardvark

  • Gale
  • ****
  • Posts: 397
  • I hear tornado sirens, lets go climb on the roof
    • C0005
    • KIADESMI1
    • Des Moines Weather and Climate
  • Station Details: Davis VP2 Plus, Fars, Extra sensors
Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
« Reply #12 on: August 30, 2016, 11:18:31 PM »
Look on the bright side, it is something to watch
Davis VP2 Plus; 24h  FARS; Extra Temp Humid sensor (2); Extra Temp Station (2);;Weatherlink IP;USB; MAC Ventura 13.3

; https://www.weatherlink.com/embeddablePage/show/8a7585dd06404bde81d5229b09f84ebb/summary

elagache

  • Global Moderator
  • Storm
  • *****
  • Posts: 6494
    • DW3835
    • KCAORIND10
    • Canebas Weather
  • Station Details: Davis Vantage Pro-2, Mac mini (2018), macOS 10.14.3, WeatherCat 3
Instant foundation . . . . (Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . . )
« Reply #13 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:



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:



Then this machine mixed it all up:



That left the road looking like this:



Finally this machine finished up the mixing:



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

Weatheraardvark

  • Gale
  • ****
  • Posts: 397
  • I hear tornado sirens, lets go climb on the roof
    • C0005
    • KIADESMI1
    • Des Moines Weather and Climate
  • Station Details: Davis VP2 Plus, Fars, Extra sensors
Re: Repaving roads "California style" . . . .
« Reply #14 on: September 01, 2016, 12:42:04 AM »
Road debris?  Slow critters?
Davis VP2 Plus; 24h  FARS; Extra Temp Humid sensor (2); Extra Temp Station (2);;Weatherlink IP;USB; MAC Ventura 13.3

; https://www.weatherlink.com/embeddablePage/show/8a7585dd06404bde81d5229b09f84ebb/summary