Asphalt seams on Custis

[huskerdont]

@TimV 192416 wrote:

New (to me) on this morning’s commute.

At the bridge over the 66W Glebe Road exit on the Custis (eastbound – climb, westbound – descent), there are new asphalt seams on either end of the bridge to smooth the lip of the concrete. Much nicer not having to hop over them.

Yes, they did this yesterday between the morning and afternoon commutes. I never minded the westbound lip, but eastbound always made me worry about flatting, though I never did.

[ChristoB50]

@TimV 192416 wrote:

New (to me) on this morning’s commute.

At the bridge over the 66W Glebe Road exit on the Custis (eastbound – climb, westbound – descent), there are new asphalt seams on either end of the bridge to smooth the lip of the concrete. Much nicer not having to hop over them.

Oh happy day!
I recently tried a minor hop (eastbound) at that bad seam joint, and managed to derail the chain in the process right there.

[huskerdont]

@ChristoB50 192419 wrote:

Oh happy day!
I recently tried a minor hop (eastbound) at that bad seam joint, and managed to derail the chain in the process right there.

I too am bad at bunny hops uphill. Downhill fine; uphill I’m likely to mistime it and make it worse.

[wheelswings]

That’s great news. If the repair crew wants to “keep up the good work,” I’d put on their list the lip to get over the I-66 foot bridge near Madison Manor Park, where my chain has flown off multiple times (including one time last year that resulted in a knee-full of stitches).

[consularrider]

Unfortunately there are just way too many of these asphalt to cement bumps throughout the region. The multiple repaired pair of bumps on the 4MRT by S Cleveland St in Arna Valley are getting pretty bad again.

[Tania]

Meanwhile, I’m over here like “aw yeah, the root/frost heaves are coming back on the custis where they just repaired it!” (the westbound downhill section near Uhle St)

[ursus]

@Tania 192442 wrote:

Meanwhile, I’m over here like “aw yeah, the root/frost heaves are coming back on the custis where they just repaired it!” (the westbound downhill section near Uhle St)

The bumps are also coming back on the W&OD going downhill heading west to go under the US15 bypass on the east side of Leesburg. They repaved this section last summer.

[bentbike33]

@ursus 192443 wrote:

The bumps are also coming back on the W&OD going downhill heading west to go under the US15 bypass on the east side of Leesburg. They repaved this section last summer.

I wonder if there is an affordable technological solution to the root-heave problem on trails, other than eradicating all trailside trees? Maybe it’s something the League of American Cyclists or Rails-to-Trails Conservancy could study?

[drevil]

@bentbike33 192444 wrote:

I wonder if there is an affordable technological solution to the root-heave problem on trails, other than eradicating all trailside trees? Maybe it’s something the League of American Cyclists or Rails-to-Trails Conservancy could study?

Bump jumping
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDGzI-OBxgA

This one’s for you, bentbike:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekefr3xH3y8

[Steve O]

These are actually two different, but similar, problems:
– Seams at transition from asphalt to concrete. This is generally caused by the asphalt settling over time.
– Root heaves, caused by tree roots growing, duh.

The seams benefit from adding filler to smooth the transition, which is what they did on the Custis. The heaves are fixed by grinding them down or something like that.
Transitions can also be fixed by grinding the concrete, as has been done on sections of the 4MRT on the way to the airport.

[Starduster]

@bentbike33 192444 wrote:

I wonder if there is an affordable technological solution to the root-heave problem on trails, other than eradicating all trailside trees? Maybe it’s something the League of American Cyclists or Rails-to-Trails Conservancy could study?

I think, because these trails do not have to bear the weight of your average road (sustained pressure from countless cars and high tonnage trucks), they are built lighter. Much thinner gravel base/ballast (if at all), and a thinner top layer of asphalt. So it is easier for a tree root to press upward and crack it from underneath. If there is anyone here from Arlington County who knows roadbuilding, please chime in! Because some of these root heaves are on fast downhills. Unless you are running a dual suspension bike, that’s a big problem.

[Sunyata]

@drevil 192446 wrote:

This one’s for you, bentbike:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekefr3xH3y8

OMG. That looks terrifying! How do you get over rocks and logs with that thing?!

[drevil]

@Sunyata 192473 wrote:

OMG. That looks terrifying! How do you get over rocks and logs with that thing?!

Same way as any other bike: with conviction… and your eyes closed

I found another video of a guy riding the Porcupine Rim in Moab. I would definitely try it given the opportunity, but probably have something other than Dire Straits playing in the background.

[dasgeh]

@Starduster 192458 wrote:

I think, because these trails do not have to bear the weight of your average road (sustained pressure from countless cars and high tonnage trucks), they are built lighter. Much thinner gravel base/ballast (if at all), and a thinner top layer of asphalt. So it is easier for a tree root to press upward and crack it from underneath. If there is anyone here from Arlington County who knows roadbuilding, please chime in! Because some of these root heaves are on fast downhills. Unless you are running a dual suspension bike, that’s a big problem.

This is my understanding as well. It’s still cheaper to build the trails to lower standards, and maintain them more. But we have to make sure maintenance doesn’t get cut.

Arlington has a budget for this, so report issues. There’s Arlington’s 311 app, or kstalica arlingtonva.us (the “trails” address is dead)

[ChristoB50]

Does Arlington have a “trail sweeper” machine (like a road cleaner machine?)
The pea-gravel/loose gravel that collects on parts of 4MRT in Barcroft Park is a skid-out waiting to happen. I opened a ticket about 2 very large spreads of pea-gravel recently… they cleared one, but not the other (and it was located about 6 feet away from the gravel they cleared!)
I’m probably going to buy my own stiff-bristle “shop floor” broom — because there are 2 bends in this trail that routinely collect gravel, and both are quite close to home so I could zip out there and clear it myself when the gravel warranted, rather than go through the hit-or-miss chances with a new ticket every time.
But I did wonder if they had a machine to do it, or if they sent a worker out — with a stiff broom.

[Author]

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