Anybody know how road construction works? (schools, budget, suburbs)

[knitgirl]

From an engineering point of view, as in what was the purpose of them ripping out slabs, irregularly sized and spaced from Rt 31 in Dundee? They took these slabs out, I didn't see the next step, but they may have put in rusty metal grids. Then they poured new concrete. The surface sucks now. It was in decent shape BEFORE they did this work that is taking weeks.

[NYrules]

Originally Posted by knitgirl

From an engineering point of view, as in what was the purpose of them ripping out slabs, irregularly sized and spaced from Rt 31 in Dundee? They took these slabs out, I didn't see the next step, but they may have put in rusty metal grids. Then they poured new concrete. The surface sucks now. It was in decent shape BEFORE they did this work that is taking weeks.

What's the point? This is Illinois HELLO!!! It was to create jobs...

"You can't come this way.


What are you doing?


Fixing the street!
What does it look like?


Two days ago, it was fine.
You' re saying it fell apart in two days?


Well, I guess so.


Pardon me, but that's bull****! I don't think anything's
wrong with the street. You' re trying to justify your budgets.


Are you nuts?


I know how it works. If you don't spend your budget,
you won't get any money next year I want you to admit
nothing's wrong with the street!


F you, pal!"

~Falling Down 1993~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8b3963VRW4

[Careless]

You left out the bit with the rocket launcher

[gardener34]

Yeah, see they do a crummy job, then they just have to redo it again in 3 years.... job security.

[knitgirl]

I am really curious - is there a legitimate reason to dig up slabs and not the whole road or is it really just to spend the money??

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by knitgirl

I am really curious - is there a legitimate reason to dig up slabs and not the whole road or is it really just to spend the money??

There are high-tech methods that some road builders use to determine the reason that a road or portion of a road is failing. They can use 'sonar' and other technologies to determine that the gravel under the pavement is not draining. If that happens and the water freezes the roadway fractures and crumbles. The best repair is such cases maybe to address the spots that are in need of having the underlying support & drainage upgraded.

http://www.watmove.org/DrainageSystemsReport.pdf

[knitgirl]

Thank you Chet. And I thought you were the go-to guy just for schools and the relative merits of suburbs!

I really hope they are not planning on leaving the road surface in the current state, it does not seem like an improvement. They do still have barriers up.

[chet everett]

They probably are behind schedule. Wettest October in just about forever hurt the ability to get work like this done. The road builders are capaable of doing things correctly only when the weather cooperates...