Bacon's Rebellion

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Concrete Exec Advocates “Two Pavement” Road System

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by

James A. Bacon
in

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) spends only 7.6% of its paving dollars on concrete, as opposed to asphalt, and the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the American Concrete Paving Association wants a bigger piece of the action.

Pitching the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) Wednesday, Executive Director Robert R. Long Jr., outlined four “opportunities” for the state to stretch its transportation dollars.

  • Consider the concrete alternative. Concrete is price competitive today on the basis of up-front costs, and even more advantageous when viewed on a life-cycle basis. Rt. 316 in Accomack County, built with concrete in 1940, will be undergoing only its third major repair in 2013.
  • Use alternate design bids. Don’t specify asphalt only. Create a design alternative that uses concrete. A healthy two-pavement system creates more competition. Alternate bidding is used in 21 states to bring down costs.
  • Balance the state’s “pavement portfolio.” When building a new road or highway, use a mix of asphalt and concrete so that different sections are due for maintenance in staggered intervals, say, one-third in five years, one-third in ten, and one-third in 15. That evens out the long-term maintenance costs.
  • Utilize new pavement technologies. Take advantage of new techniques for patching old concrete pavement that can bring down costs.

Concluded Long: “Don’t be satisfied with the status quo.”

— JAB

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Comments

  1. Hokie Avatar
    Hokie

    The reason concrete isn’t widely used in much of the state is it has adverse reactions to the freeze/thaw cycle, since it is poured in slabs that expand and contract more than asphalt. Thus it is used much more in areas such as Hampton Roads whereas in the mountains and NOVA where it frequently gets much colder, it is rarely used. This is the same reason it is used on the interstates of NC and SC, but not MD, as you might have noticed driving up and down I-95.

  2. larryg Avatar
    larryg

    agree. It’s a mess to deal with once it gets old and “rutted”.

    Our west, they have to close miles of lanes to dig up the old concrete and it’s such a job that they put it off as long as possible and it just beats your car to death.

    there’s been some changes in technology but I’m wondering if when comparing to asphalt they are truly considering cradle to grave lifec cycle costs. I think you’d need a lot more than a presentation to CTB to change minds.

    What does Va Tech say since they have a program to evaluate technologies?

  3. accurate Avatar
    accurate

    A couple years ago I saw a demonstration of a new hybrid material that was a mix of concrete and asphalt. It spreads like asphalt, but has the benefits of both concrete and asphalt. Of course the downside wasn’t presented. The present downside is that not alot of concrete/asphalt plants are set up to handle/mix the new material (also not sure how the cost pencils out compared to straight concrete or straight asphalt). Here in Houston we are almost 100% concrete, it does get hot enough that places that have asphalt will show ruts or ditches left from cars sitting on it; yeah it gets hot here.

  4. larryg Avatar
    larryg

    the problem with concrete is what do you do when it deteriorates.

    Even in Houston and other similar locale – concrete usually has to be totally scooped up and replaced.

    I’ve done a fair amount of interstate travelling since we go camping for 6-8 weeks most summers in a Camper Van and the roads that are concrete that are old are just terrible.. they just beat the truck to death.

    and then.. when something HAS to be done – they close off one whole side of the interstate – for miles and miles…and you get in these huge 20, 30, 100 car “trains”.

    Asphalt does melt in very hot weather but it’s relatively easy to repair and even replace with modern “milling”.

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