VIEW FROM HERE
Number 18-32
By Bob McDowell (Born Neil Carson)
COSTLY CONSTRUCTION FAILURES Week of 2018/08/06
It was somewhat bemusing, and concerning to read a headline in
the July 25 daily paper that carried the headline: "Segments of Cimarron
buckle from extreme heat". The story was datelined 'Oklahoma City' and
credited to Barbara Hoberock of the Tulsa World, so she must be the
Capitol reporteret. The story begins by saying "Extremely hot temperatures
have caused portions of the Cimarron Turnpike to buckle, the Oklahoma
Turnpike Authority was told Tuesday".
For those not familiar with Oklahoma highways, there are a number
of
turnpikes that have been built since the first, 'Turner Turnpike' was opened
in the 1950s, to my recollection. The total 'lane miles' is in the several
thousand, a 'lane mile' is one lane of pavement for one mile thus a four
lane
100 mile highway contains 400 'lane miles' of road and in my mind paved
shoulders would be added.
This caught my engineering attention since there are older
highways that do
not seem to have that trouble and have lived through much higher
temperatures,
in the 'dust bowl' era of the 1930s. In fact, it is in my memory of driving
on a
section of old US 66 Southwest of Stroud that my eyes had witnessed being
built in the 1930s with concrete. One difference was that the concrete was
being mixed 'on site' by a self propelled mixer. It was astounding to feel
the
road that old to be much smoother than the Turner Turnpike we departed at
Stroud!! If memory serves correct, U.S. 66 was the first highway in the
nation to
be fully paved across any state and that was Oklahoma.
In any event the story struck me as furnishing evidence that
something is
missing in the construction of highways in the recent 50 years or so.
Admittedly trucks are much heavier, but the roads should be constructed so
as
to carry the loads.
Most of the non-toll roads in Oklahoma currently are in poor
condition,
that is something less than 'velvet rides'. In the recent Gubernatorial
Primary
one candidate stressed heavily that he would 'remove the tolls' to allow and
encourage more business along the roads. There was not a time that I was
able
to pose the question "without the tolls how could they be maintained, since
the non-
toll roads are not kept up to interstate condition now?" Neither did anyone
else to
my knowledge.
Another question arises that should be asked to the highway
officials and
engineers is: "If you cannot afford to build roads well enough to withstand
the
use, how can you afford to rebuild, repair, or replace them?" It should be
noted that major airport runways handling multi-hundred thousand pound
aircraft landing at over 150 miles per hour seem to last far much longer,
but the
paving is as thick as 36" in some, particularly military and international
flight
airports. Also the sub-base for the paving must be well laid and packed in
order
to prevent cracking and buckling under stress of weight and weather.
It has been noted that in recent decades the Turnpike Authority
has
begun using asphalt as an overlay or replacement paving, which in my
engineering
opinion is more like using a 'band-aid'. Given the normal summer heat in
Oklahoma that is not the best material for the job. It seems that well over
50
years ago a certain powerful politician was able to achieve rules requiring
the use
of asphalt for road paving. It is known to 'rut and ripple' under loads no
heavier than a loaded pick-up when stopping or just repeated traffic in the
Summer heat.
In short, if roads are built right, with adequate solid base and
drainage and
then maintained properly they should stay in useable condign for many more
years than now experienced. Another weather related detiorating practice is
the
use of SALT in winter months, as it will react adversely with the concrete
and then
will rust the reinforcing rods to destruction. There are other materials
that will be
more effective melters and will not rust the vehicles using the roads and
streets.
Also I have not heard of the environment organizations ever raising
a fuss
over the use of salt for roads like they do for other uses. Maybe those
individuals
feel it is more important to them to have the roads salted for their
convenience
than protect the waterways.
In any event all the extra repair/replacement comes at major extra
expense and thus tax increases and it is my opnion that we are already
overtaxed,
particularly those of us in the lower income levels!!
END
Composed July 27, 2018
Robert W. McDowell, Jr.
841 Lynwood Lane
918-451-1051 Broken Arrow OK
74011-8608
Email: abdmcfpi@localnet.com
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