Utility Cuts in Bike Lanes

[consularrider]

This is my second rant of the morning. After taking a fall on Thanksgiving morning because of hitting a “speed bump” in the westbound bike lane on Williamsburg Blvd under I-66, I’ve been wondering who, if anyone, is responsible for inspecting completed road work. It seems like bike lanes in particular get short shrift. There were a series of cuts in the east bound bike lane on Williamsburg Blvd coming down off the hill heading to the stop light at the intersection with N Harrison. At least one of these was never very level and now the patches are deteriorating. Also it seems with compete repaving jobs, we see an inconsistent level of finish work. The Nelly Custis job from Military Rd to Lorcom lane used a fairly course finish and the contractor left an uneven seem down the middle of the east bound bike lane. Ok, end of rant.

Topic

[MCL1981]

Two words. Lowest bid.

[paulg]

Pet peeve of mine too. I’m a Civil Engineer and I know how a hole and patch in the road should be done correctly but it so often isn’t. The hole should be back filled in layers usually max 12 inches, usually new backfill and not the rubbish they dug out of the hole. Each layer should be compacted properly before moving to the next layer.

The blacktop should then be replaced in the same configuration and layers as required by the governing authority, or at least to the same standard or higher than the surrounding blacktop of the road. Doing it this way means it won’t sink as vehicles drive over it, and it should maintain a smooth transition to the surrounding road.

So that’s the theory but what usually happens is that the rubbish dug out of the hole is pushed back into the hole in one 3 to 4 foot layer and compacted at the surface effectively leaving un-compacted dirt for 2 or 3 feet. The blacktop is whatever they have on the truck at the time. The inspectors for the governing authority are either not called in the first place or too spread out to be able to inspect the work as it’s happening. The patch is driven over and sinks as the dirt eventually reaches some kind of consolidation. Freeze thaw and rain then go to work on the poor blacktop, breaking it up.

There are always exceptions and I’ll admit I’ve seen it done properly too.

What you can do is call up the governing authority and make a complaint. Someone is paying the contractor to do this work and that payment can get withheld if they don’t do a good job. I’m afraid I don’t know who is responsible for the section you were on

Sorry to hear about your fall, I hope you are alright.

[OneEighth]

I’m going to chime in with a general observation that repaving in Arlington has been pretty substandard this year. I’ve notice that neighborhood roads that have recently been resurfaced are not at all smooth—the surface of the asphalt is very granular and look like they will deteriorate quickly over the winter.
Clearly, someone, despite being paid to do so, has not been overseeing the work very diligently.

[Tim Kelley]

See this link: http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/EnvironmentalServices/cpe/pave/EnvironmentalServicesSlurry.aspx

There is some contact information at the bottom of it you might want to use for general complaints.

I’ll pass along the Williamsburg Blvd issue to one of the inspectors and hopefully we’ll see something come of it.

Thanks!

[OneEighth]

Thanks for the link, Tim.

[PrintError]

FFX did some repaving on 193 west of the intersection with 123, and it seriously felt like solid gravel. I waited months for them to finish paving it, but they never did. It was the consistency of freshly grated pavement. They threw on some yellow lines and called it a day. Definitely the worst fresh pavement I’ve ever been on.

[Tim Kelley]

On the Williamsburg Blvd/I-66 underpass issue, the Water Sewers Streets Bureau is going to check it out. I’ll let you know if I hear specifics on getting it fixed.

[consularrider]

Thanks Tim.

@PrintError – that sounds like what I hear referred to as “chip seal” paving on other bike fora. I ran across numerous hole patchings on FFX county roads a couple of weeks ago that seemed like this.

[PrintError]

Yeah, it felt like chip seal, but it was a half mile of it!

[consularrider]

@Tim Kelley 11420 wrote:

On the Williamsburg Blvd/I-66 underpass issue, the Water Sewers Streets Bureau is going to check it out. I’ll let you know if I hear specifics on getting it fixed.

I rode this section yesterday afternoon, and the three utility cuts had been worked on and the worst one is now relatively level with the old pavement surface. Thanks to taking it to the responsible office.

[Author]

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