Road Repairs Well Underway
By 250 News
Tuesday, July 18, 2006 04:00 AM
Resurfacing and road repair projects are well underway in Prince George. The repairs and asphalt overlays are keeping paving companies very busy.
Asphalt overlay on Foothills from 1st to 15th carries a total price tag of $741 thousand.
As part of the process, there is a need for fresh oil to be spread on the surface, and oil is a key component in the asphalt mix.
With the rising price of oil, you might think the projects would be way over their proposed budgets. Not so says the City's Frank Blues. He says when the projects are bid, they are done so with a provision to modify pricing because of rising costs. Oil prices are not the only factors at play says Blues, and no contractor has requested extra funding.
Asphalt overlay on Foothills from North Nechako to Blueberry Road right-of-way is underway now, and carries a price tag of $288 thousand dollars.
Across the north end of the City. The repairs to Chief Lake Road are also underway. The asphalt overlay is moving along with the westbound stretch from McGuire Road to Ness Lake nearly complete. That work is part of the Province's promised repairs to roads damaged by the extra logging traffic caused by the extra beetle kill hauling activity.
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Comments
Posted by: owl on July 18 2006 11:44 AMI agree with you 100%. The quality control of paving work in the City leaves a lot to be desired.
We underwent horrendous driving conditions on Foothills because of the lack of quality control the last time it was resurfaced. The joint between one pass and the one immediately adjacent to it was improperly done primarily becuse it was paved in weather conditions which were too wet as I recall. It was visible from day one.
It soon broke down as was expected, but it probably took a decade for it to be repaved. Even now, it is not entirely repaved. It looks like they are not going to finish the job either, but wait for the rest to become as deteriorated as that which they have just repaved.
It took months to get a couple of huge potholes at the intersection of 15th and Foothills to be repaved. City employees must have driven that part several times a week but nothing was ever done about it until last week. And then just those potholes were fixed, not the whole lot of little potholes immediately adjacent. They will likely wait till the freeze thaw cycle digs them a pit deeper, then they will put asphalt into it several times over the winter since those are not exactly ideal paving conditions.
Do it right once, and it will last for 10 to 20 years depending on the traffic. I just do not understand the policy this City has on road maintenance.
We underwent horrendous driving conditions on Foothills because of the lack of quality control the last time it was resurfaced. The joint between one pass and the one immediately adjacent to it was improperly done primarily becuse it was paved in weather conditions which were too wet as I recall. It was visible from day one.
It soon broke down as was expected, but it probably took a decade for it to be repaved. Even now, it is not entirely repaved. It looks like they are not going to finish the job either, but wait for the rest to become as deteriorated as that which they have just repaved.
It took months to get a couple of huge potholes at the intersection of 15th and Foothills to be repaved. City employees must have driven that part several times a week but nothing was ever done about it until last week. And then just those potholes were fixed, not the whole lot of little potholes immediately adjacent. They will likely wait till the freeze thaw cycle digs them a pit deeper, then they will put asphalt into it several times over the winter since those are not exactly ideal paving conditions.
Do it right once, and it will last for 10 to 20 years depending on the traffic. I just do not understand the policy this City has on road maintenance.
Posted by: diplomat on July 18 2006 2:27 PMI am just too happy to see them doing something at all rather than nothing!
They did one side of West Austin road (partially) and left the other side as is, i.e. still badly in need of proper resurfacing and quickly deteriorating even more.
Croft Road and the old section of Cook Crescent have received their annual treatment of lumpy patches-over-patches (this is a bus route!) and
that is probably all for this year; what is there left to say except agree with owl: "I just do not understand the policy this City has on road maintenance."
The excuse is that patching doesn't last and that only real asphalt paving is effective - and that the asphalt plant has to be up and running in order to do that. But, now that asphalt is available there are still far too many pot hole fields left unrepaired by the time the first frost arrives.
The overall result is...not an A, but a C minus, especially if one includes cracked sidewalks and busted curbs.
They did one side of West Austin road (partially) and left the other side as is, i.e. still badly in need of proper resurfacing and quickly deteriorating even more.
Croft Road and the old section of Cook Crescent have received their annual treatment of lumpy patches-over-patches (this is a bus route!) and
that is probably all for this year; what is there left to say except agree with owl: "I just do not understand the policy this City has on road maintenance."
The excuse is that patching doesn't last and that only real asphalt paving is effective - and that the asphalt plant has to be up and running in order to do that. But, now that asphalt is available there are still far too many pot hole fields left unrepaired by the time the first frost arrives.
The overall result is...not an A, but a C minus, especially if one includes cracked sidewalks and busted curbs.
Posted by: trusted on July 18 2006 5:00 PMThe obvious answer is to replace Frank Blues with a person capable of doing the job properly.
The roads in Prince George really are a disgrace, and they remain a disgrace year after year-as their patch ups do not remedy the pot hole problem.
If the city would hire the right people, just maybe a resurface would be done properly, and last the 10 to 20 years.
Helps keep the economy going though, doesn't it? Vehicle repairs are a given-and costly-as a result of falling into those pot holes.
Damn, I wish they could do it right the first time!
The roads in Prince George really are a disgrace, and they remain a disgrace year after year-as their patch ups do not remedy the pot hole problem.
If the city would hire the right people, just maybe a resurface would be done properly, and last the 10 to 20 years.
Helps keep the economy going though, doesn't it? Vehicle repairs are a given-and costly-as a result of falling into those pot holes.
Damn, I wish they could do it right the first time!
Posted by: kimbo on July 18 2006 5:39 PMThis is what happened on Ospika. There was no seal between ajacent layers and after the first frost the pavement started to break.
There was a photo on this website last winter showing a patching crew at work. Im sure some of you will remember it.
I hope I didnt infringe on Miesners copywrite as I sent it on to Mr George. I wanted to know where the torch was or even a compactor to do a proper job. Part of the operation also requires an ashpalt sealing compound and I pointed out to him how can you get a proper job without the right equipment. I also wanted to know if there was any training provided for patching ashphalt. I told hinw hen the Ministry of Highways did all their own maitenance they actualy had a school in Cloverdale to instruct employees on proper patching techniques.
I never did get a responce to my letter.
There was a photo on this website last winter showing a patching crew at work. Im sure some of you will remember it.
I hope I didnt infringe on Miesners copywrite as I sent it on to Mr George. I wanted to know where the torch was or even a compactor to do a proper job. Part of the operation also requires an ashpalt sealing compound and I pointed out to him how can you get a proper job without the right equipment. I also wanted to know if there was any training provided for patching ashphalt. I told hinw hen the Ministry of Highways did all their own maitenance they actualy had a school in Cloverdale to instruct employees on proper patching techniques.
I never did get a responce to my letter.
Posted by: Simple Simon on July 18 2006 7:51 PMWhatever happened to the little girl and her recycled milk containers used for repaving? My how time flies. Alas! She got her "15 minutes of fame". Life is good. Our roads are not.
Posted by: Rounder on July 19 2006 10:33 PMWell a simple solution to fixing the infrastructure (roads) is TAXES. Let's raise the taxes so you can all have your "perfect roads". Raise the taxes, fix the roads. Then you can complain about how high our taxes are.
Obviously this won't happen, the City is doing the best job they can with the funding available. Yes Ospika Blvd has crappy pavement, they (the City) could have spent twice as much money and done it properly, but they didn't.
Frank is doing a fine job, the City is making great progress in keeping the roads maintained. I saw a crew fixing pot holes downtown tonight at 9pm.
Funds from the casino and gaming facility will be an added bonus for the city and these will be most likely used for fixing the roads.
Obviously this won't happen, the City is doing the best job they can with the funding available. Yes Ospika Blvd has crappy pavement, they (the City) could have spent twice as much money and done it properly, but they didn't.
Frank is doing a fine job, the City is making great progress in keeping the roads maintained. I saw a crew fixing pot holes downtown tonight at 9pm.
Funds from the casino and gaming facility will be an added bonus for the city and these will be most likely used for fixing the roads.
Have anice day Frank.