ASHE news brief related to Americas transporation issues that affect all of us.

[step.eng69]

Good morning Gents, thought I'd share my weekly American Society of Highway Engineers news brief related to Americas transporation issues that affect all of us.


August 16, 2018

Home | Organization | Membership | Conferences | Store
Subscribe | Archive | Advertise
Search Archive | View Web Version | Advertise
TOP NEWS

NTSB releases report showing large cracks in FIU bridge before collapse

Roads & Bridges Cracks that appeared in the Florida International University bridge days before it collapsed were far more extensive than previously disclosed, according to new photographs included in a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board. The photos show four large cracks — one at least 3.5 inches deep into the bridge’s deck — developing in precisely the section of the span that is believed to have failed on March 15, killing five motorists and one worker. READ MORE


Infrastructure spending: Which state is falling apart the worst?
(Pennsylvanis is 5th worst)

There are matters of public policy that most Americans can agree on — chief among them is investment in infrastructure. According to a recent non-partisan Gallup poll, 3 out of 4 Americans support the president's plan of spending more federal money on infrastructure. The president proposed a $1 trillion plan to improve aging roads, bridges, and tunnels across the country. READ MORE

Deteriorated roads cost California drivers $61 billion each year

ForConstructionPros.com Driving on California roads that are deteriorated, congested, and that lack some desirable safety features costs California drivers a total of $61 billion each year. TRIP has calculated the cost to the average motorist in the state’s largest urban areas in the form of additional vehicle operating costs as a result of driving on rough roads, the cost of lost time and wasted fuel due to congestion and the financial cost of traffic crashes. READ MORE

P3 statute expected to boost New Jersey infrastructure

Civil + Engineer New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law Senate bill No. 865, establishing a Public-Private Partnership program to allow for the repair, restoration and improvement of New Jersey’s infrastructure. The bill will enable the use of P3s for certain building and highway infrastructure projects as a means to encourage private investment to deliver needed assets to New Jersey’s taxpayers. READ MORE


Time-lapse tells story of NY/NJ bridge deconstruction

Roads & Bridges Building a bridge is a complex process, and deconstructing one as intricate as the Goethals Bridge spanning the Arthur Kill between Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Staten Island, New York, is equally as complicated. The deconstruction process required reversing the order of the original bridge’s construction. READ MORE

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

As one who travels quite a bit my ratings are: Michigan = atrocious, Penna. = terrible, Ohio = okay, West Virginia = okay, Upstate New York = okay, Virginia = best of the states I travel regularly.

Places that get overlooked for being rancid are city streets that aren't maintained by the State. Downtown Cleveland, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Wheeling are bombed out hellholes. These cities have terrible budget problems and street maintenance is the first thing to go.

I understand stuff needs paid for. Pennsylvania has THE HIGHEST GAS TAX IN AMERICA - higher than California, Hawaii, Connecticut or New York. So whose pocket is all the money going into? Dambly's tentacles must be longer than I thought.

Only crossed the Goethals Bridge once - never had any call to go to Jersey City. Step why did the steel truss go away? Everything is prestressed concrete now - very boring.

 

[Lion84]

As one who travels quite a bit my ratings are: Michigan = atrocious, Penna. = terrible, Ohio = okay, West Virginia = okay, Upstate New York = okay, Virginia = best of the states I travel regularly.

Places that get overlooked for being rancid are city streets that aren't maintained by the State. Downtown Cleveland, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Wheeling are bombed out hellholes. These cities have terrible budget problems and street maintenance is the first thing to go.

I understand stuff needs paid for. Pennsylvania has THE HIGHEST GAS TAX IN AMERICA - higher than California, Hawaii, Connecticut or New York. So whose pocket is all the money going into? Dambly's tentacles must be longer than I thought.

Only crossed the Goethals Bridge once - never had any call to go to Jersey City. Step why did the steel truss go away? Everything is prestressed concrete now - very boring.

Harrisburg is a deep dark hole like most state capitals and the money goes to corrupt politicians and special interests. There could be a $5 a gallon gas tax in pa and the road would stink be horrible.

 

[Obliviax]

As one who travels quite a bit my ratings are: Michigan = atrocious, Penna. = terrible, Ohio = okay, West Virginia = okay, Upstate New York = okay, Virginia = best of the states I travel regularly.

Places that get overlooked for being rancid are city streets that aren't maintained by the State. Downtown Cleveland, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Wheeling are bombed out hellholes. These cities have terrible budget problems and street maintenance is the first thing to go.

I understand stuff needs paid for. Pennsylvania has THE HIGHEST GAS TAX IN AMERICA - higher than California, Hawaii, Connecticut or New York. So whose pocket is all the money going into? Dambly's tentacles must be longer than I thought.

Only crossed the Goethals Bridge once - never had any call to go to Jersey City. Step why did the steel truss go away? Everything is prestressed concrete now - very boring.

the corruption is rampant. I have no idea where the money goes. I just had my property tax increased $3,000 per year. Federal tax income is breaking records.

 

[step.eng69]

I wass going to reply that PS concrete members are less expensive than steel on the typical interstate bridges but steel would be used to span major river or gorge crossings.

Here's an engineers statment that condenses the answer in a nutshell:

Initial Cost
When span lengths allow, concrete spans are cheaper than steel spans. This is partially because of material costs and partial because of labor (fabrication) costs.

There are a few situations where concrete is not feasible. These situations could be:

1. Very long span lengths.
2. Skewed spans.
3. Shallow structure depths.

In these situations, steel might be used even if it is more expensive.

Also, concrete spans are usually composed of typical cross sections. Once the forms for these precast, prestressed beams are made, the labor costs are greatly reduced. Every steel girder has the same amount of labor whether it has been previously done or not.

Long-term Maintenance
Concrete spans have reduced maintenance as compared to steel spans. Steel spans typically require periodic painting and cleaning. This isn't a requirement for concrete spans. Also, concrete does not require the same level of inspection as steel spans do. There is no need to check for fatigue cracks in concrete spans.

Added Together
When both the initial cost and and long-term costs are added together, concrete is typically cheaper. This is why there are more concrete bridges.

 

[step.eng69]

Harrisburg is a deep dark hole like most state capitals and the money goes to corrupt politicians and special interests. There could be a $5 a gallon gas tax in pa and the road would stink be horrible.

Lion, in past ASHE or ASCE news briefs I receive, the feds are tossing around the idea of raising the federal gas tax. Actually, it has to happen unless the damn government can find another source of money to fund for infrastructure improvements.

 

[Nitt1300]

maybe somebody in Washington can fix it, lol

circling the drain

 

[Nitt1300]

Something I've noticed riding in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia is that their roads and bridges seem to be in MUCH better shape than ours- in spite of more severe weather. And they have a lot of heavy truck traffic, as we do. Maybe we should ask why.

 

[Obliviax]

Something I've noticed riding in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia is that their roads and bridges seem to be in MUCH better shape than ours- in spite of more severe weather. And they have a lot of heavy truck traffic, as we do. Maybe we should ask why.

IDK, but I know here in CLE a problem is the number of times the temperature rises above then below 32 degrees. The engineers here tell me that the water seeps into small cracks. When it freezes it expands and makes the crack larger. This can happen 20 times in a couple of weeks. Before you know it, the pavement fails and you have a pothole.

This doesn't happen as much south of WVa. And further north the weather has a tendency to get cold and stay cold. Here in Ohio/PA, you have the temperature moving above and below freezing from Thanksgiving through early April.

 

[bison13]

I wass going to reply that PS concrete members are less expensive than steel on the typical interstate bridges but steel would be used to span major river or gorge crossings.

Here's an engineers statment that condenses the question in a nutshell:

Initial Cost
When span lengths allow, concrete spans are cheaper than steel spans. This is partially because of material costs and partial because of labor (fabrication) costs.

There are a few situations where concrete is not feasible. These situations could be:

1. Very long span lengths.
2. Skewed spans.
3. Shallow structure depths.

In these situations, steel might be used even if it is more expensive.

Also, concrete spans are usually composed of typical cross sections. Once the forms for these precast, prestressed beams are made, the labor costs are greatly reduced. Every steel girder has the same amount of labor whether it has been previously done or not.

Long-term Maintenance
Concrete spans have reduced maintenance as compared to steel spans. Steel spans typically require periodic painting and cleaning. This isn't a requirement for concrete spans. Also, concrete does not require the same level of inspection as steel spans do. There is no need to check for fatigue cracks in concrete spans.

Added Together
When both the initial cost and and long-term costs are added together, concrete is typically cheaper. This is why there are more concrete bridges.

Step, been a long time since Emech and Strength of materials classes (IE not Civil) but when I moved from PA to MD almost 20 years ago the first thing I noticed was the color of the roads is different. Not as many potholes but a tougher road to stop on in rain. My assumption was that the composition of the road was different. What kind of current guidelines are there and can each state make their own ratios? I know many factors regarding total vehicular traffic, road salt,etc but just wondering from the initial construction point of view.

thanks for the info....

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

IDK, but I know here in CLE a problem is the number of times the temperature rises above then below 32 degrees. The engineers here tell me that the water seeps into small cracks. When it freezes it expands and makes the crack larger. This can happen 20 times in a couple of weeks. Before you know it, the pavement fails and you have a pothole.

This doesn't happen as much south of WVa. And further north the weather has a tendency to get cold and stay cold. Here in Ohio/PA, you have the temperature moving above and below freezing from Thanksgiving through early April.

That is very true and it's a legitimate issue. So you just gotta keep up with the maintenance is all. Out here in Allegheny County instead of farting away a zillion dollars on the Western Beltway, maybe we should upgrade what we already have.

I'm on a real rant now. Stand by.

 

[Raffycorn]

That is very true and it's a legitimate issue. So you just gotta keep up with the maintenance is all. Out here in Allegheny County instead of farting away a zillion dollars on the Western Beltway, maybe we should upgrade what we already have.

I'm on a real rant now. Stand by.

Please do not bring up the massive wastes of money that are the Southern Beltway and the Mon-Fayetteville Expressway. I don’t want to get upset on a Friday.

 

[rohrmd9]

Wait....no mention of people driving slow in the passing lane?!

 

[Nitt1300]

There is a section of I-88 (eastbound) south of Albany where instead of fixing the road NY just put a few of these up

I think the signs are unnecessary, if you're driving on it, you already know.

 

[ImaWright]

IDK, but I know here in CLE a problem is the number of times the temperature rises above then below 32 degrees. The engineers here tell me that the water seeps into small cracks. When it freezes it expands and makes the crack larger. This can happen 20 times in a couple of weeks. Before you know it, the pavement fails and you have a pothole.

This doesn't happen as much south of WVa. And further north the weather has a tendency to get cold and stay cold. Here in Ohio/PA, you have the temperature moving above and below freezing from Thanksgiving through early April.

Very high numbers of freeze thaw cycles in central PA. About 120 days. Much fewer north, south, and west of that sweet spot. Much higher number in some of the Midwest- western states.

 

[psuro]

Something I've noticed riding in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia is that their roads and bridges seem to be in MUCH better shape than ours- in spite of more severe weather. And they have a lot of heavy truck traffic, as we do. Maybe we should ask why.

I noticed that when I did my NS trip a couple years back.

 

[psuro]

That is very true and it's a legitimate issue. So you just gotta keep up with the maintenance is all. Out here in Allegheny County instead of farting away a zillion dollars on the Western Beltway, maybe we should upgrade what we already have.

I'm on a real rant now. Stand by.

 

[step.eng69]

Something I've noticed riding in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia is that their roads and bridges seem to be in MUCH better shape than ours- in spite of more severe weather. And they have a lot of heavy truck traffic, as we do. Maybe we should ask why.

Hey Nitt, PA's transportation budget is 11% of total state= $3.5 billion (note: this was the same budget under Ridge's admin)

**funny that more money is allocated to pension)

PA:

Roads ....41,000 miles

bridges......25,000 (with average age over 50 years old)

Transportation budget includes:

$700 million on maintenance (snow removal, patching, guide rail repair, drainage system cleaning, etc)

I believe that $750 million was pissed away for state police state wide communication system, that's flawed (the new system isn't achieving the need of the PSP)

$$ to Septa

$$ to Airports

The above info is from what I remember from last PA Constructors Fall workshop last november, probably additional expenses.

You’ll have to itemize the above allocation distribution above to make a rough estimated comparison to Nova Scotia spending.

link to nova Scotia's transporation spending:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova...ruction-paving-roads-transportation-1.4456554

 

[bdgan]

Good morning Gents, thought I'd share my weekly American Society of Highway Engineers news brief related to Americas transporation issues that affect all of us.


August 16, 2018

Home | Organization | Membership | Conferences | Store
Subscribe | Archive | Advertise
Search Archive | View Web Version | Advertise
TOP NEWS

NTSB releases report showing large cracks in FIU bridge before collapse

Roads & Bridges Cracks that appeared in the Florida International University bridge days before it collapsed were far more extensive than previously disclosed, according to new photographs included in a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board. The photos show four large cracks — one at least 3.5 inches deep into the bridge’s deck — developing in precisely the section of the span that is believed to have failed on March 15, killing five motorists and one worker. READ MORE


Infrastructure spending: Which state is falling apart the worst?
(Pennsylvanis is 5th worst)

There are matters of public policy that most Americans can agree on — chief among them is investment in infrastructure. According to a recent non-partisan Gallup poll, 3 out of 4 Americans support the president's plan of spending more federal money on infrastructure. The president proposed a $1 trillion plan to improve aging roads, bridges, and tunnels across the country. READ MORE

Deteriorated roads cost California drivers $61 billion each year

ForConstructionPros.com Driving on California roads that are deteriorated, congested, and that lack some desirable safety features costs California drivers a total of $61 billion each year. TRIP has calculated the cost to the average motorist in the state’s largest urban areas in the form of additional vehicle operating costs as a result of driving on rough roads, the cost of lost time and wasted fuel due to congestion and the financial cost of traffic crashes. READ MORE

P3 statute expected to boost New Jersey infrastructure

Civil + Engineer New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law Senate bill No. 865, establishing a Public-Private Partnership program to allow for the repair, restoration and improvement of New Jersey’s infrastructure. The bill will enable the use of P3s for certain building and highway infrastructure projects as a means to encourage private investment to deliver needed assets to New Jersey’s taxpayers. READ MORE


Time-lapse tells story of NY/NJ bridge deconstruction

Roads & Bridges Building a bridge is a complex process, and deconstructing one as intricate as the Goethals Bridge spanning the Arthur Kill between Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Staten Island, New York, is equally as complicated. The deconstruction process required reversing the order of the original bridge’s construction. READ MORE

Pennsylvania has the highest gas taxes in the country

 

[LoyalandTrueLion]

As one who travels quite a bit my ratings are: Michigan = atrocious, Penna. = terrible, Ohio = okay, West Virginia = okay, Upstate New York = okay, Virginia = best of the states I travel regularly.

Places that get overlooked for being rancid are city streets that aren't maintained by the State. Downtown Cleveland, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Wheeling are bombed out hellholes. These cities have terrible budget problems and street maintenance is the first thing to go.

I understand stuff needs paid for. Pennsylvania has THE HIGHEST GAS TAX IN AMERICA - higher than California, Hawaii, Connecticut or New York. So whose pocket is all the money going into? Dambly's tentacles must be longer than I thought.

Only crossed the Goethals Bridge once - never had any call to go to Jersey City. Step why did the steel truss go away? Everything is prestressed concrete now - very boring.

When asking about PA ... state police pension took more 220 million than they were entitled to out of the last gas tax. And passed it off as we keep the roads safe.

http://www.tribdem.com/news/analysi...cle_012997e4-173b-11e7-81c7-07634921a7b3.html

 

[wilbury]

I was more interested in the FIU bridge collapse article. The photos of those cracks are incredible. I don't understand how anyone trained in engineering could look at those cracks and not immediately see that this was a serious issue, the structure was failing and the road needed to be closed right away.

 

[step.eng69]

Step, been a long time since Emech and Strength of materials classes (IE not Civil) but when I moved from PA to MD almost 20 years ago the first thing I noticed was the color of the roads is different. Not as many potholes but a tougher road to stop on in rain. My assumption was that the composition of the road was different. What kind of current guidelines are there and can each state make their own ratios? I know many factors regarding total vehicular traffic, road salt,etc but just wondering from the initial construction point of view.

thanks for the info....

Not a highway road guy, but know enough about asphalt pavement, sight and stopping distance design, this is not a simple answer. Sometimes you'll be driving through miles of new test areas of pave, if the asphalt is slightly different in color it is probably due to different natural aggregate available in each state.

There are so many different design mixes of asphalt depending on road classification, Arterial, Collector & Local Roads. You’ll experience a difference in stopping distance older pave vs. new (year old).

Basically, all state roads that federally funded roads, which relates to most state highways are required to be designed and constructed in accordance AASHTO and the Federal Highway Administration. So whether the road is in PA or Maryland, the designs (strength) and performance are similar.

LINk to Ashpalt mixes: http://www.pa-asphalt.org/assets/_control/content/files/Design_Guide.pdf

Abstract on stopping distance:
.
Maintaining a sufficiently short stopping distance is an important requirement for safe road operation. Stopping sight distances of road sections are decided during the highway alignment and roadway geometric design phase of the road development process. A pavement friction coefficient is used in the calculation of the stopping distances. Since pavement friction coefficient deteriorates with time under traffic action, and the available friction also reduces in wet weather, it is important for pavement maintenance engineers to ensure that sufficient skid resistance is maintained under actual operating conditions so that the stopping distances of road sections are less than the required safe stopping distance. This result requires pavement engineers to monitor regularly the available pavement skid resistance and the corresponding stopping distance of individual road sections. Because skid resistance is an accepted pavement condition to be measured in a pavement management system, it is proposed in this study that braking distance assessment be included as a part of the pavement condition monitoring program of a pavement management system. The proposed procedure consists of two parts: (a) measurement of skid resistance and evaluation of braking distance and stopping distance and (b) monitoring of the deterioration trends of individual road sections. The detailed procedure and the analytical tools necessary for the evaluation and prediction of braking and stopping distances, including a finite element skid resistance simulation model, are presented. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the concept and working of the proposed procedure.

 

[delcoLion]

That is very true and it's a legitimate issue. So you just gotta keep up with the maintenance is all. Out here in Allegheny County instead of farting away a zillion dollars on the Western Beltway, maybe we should upgrade what we already have.

I'm on a real rant now. Stand by.

Go for it, Fox. The roads suck and where is the money going?

There needs to be a higher standard for road construction. A nephew who travels to Germany says that their requirements are much higher than USA. Comments on that?

 

[step.eng69]

That is very true and it's a legitimate issue. So you just gotta keep up with the maintenance is all. Out here in Allegheny County instead of farting away a zillion dollars on the Western Beltway, maybe we should upgrade what we already have.

I'm on a real rant now. Stand by.

Now i don't want you sticking your foot in your mouth.....BUT....

Excellent observation Fox, last week I read and article concerning the very concept you have concerning new vs rehabilitation. The solution paralleled your post. I see if I could find the article and alert you.

 

[step.eng69]

Please do not bring up the massive wastes of money that are the Southern Beltway and the Mon-Fayetteville Expressway. I don’t want to get upset on a Friday.

LOL, suck it up Raffy, it's Friday

 

[David1956]

I understand stuff needs paid for. Pennsylvania has THE HIGHEST GAS TAX IN AMERICA - higher than California, Hawaii, Connecticut or New York. So whose pocket is all the money going into? Dambly's tentacles must be longer than I thought.

Does anyone know how much the PA taxpayer loses for each dollar paid due to the Prevailing Wage Law that jacks up hourly pay for construction workers employed on state funded projects? Is it ten, twenty, thirty percent fewer roads paved, bridges maintained, and infrastructure left to crumble?

Does VA, MD, NJ, DE etc. have the same Prevailing Wage Law? It is a joke how huge a difference it is crossing the state line into MD or DE. It's like going from rumble strips to driving on rails.

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

Now i don't want you sticking your foot in your mouth.....BUT....

Excellent observation Fox, last week I read and article concerning the very concept you have concerning new vs rehabilitation. The solution paralleled your post. I see if I could find the article and alert you.

It only makes sense to me that if you upgraded and rehabbed existing roads and streets they would operate at higher efficiency and greater capacity. How about synchronizing traffic signals so you get greens once in a while and the traffic keeps moving instead of a steady parade of reds? Maybe developers get ONE entrance and red light into their new strip mall instead of three? God knows we don't have enough strip malls - we need MORE strip malls that will be empty.

Red lights should be like liquor licenses. There are only so many available and when they are used up, you don't get any more. Every light that is erected, one somewhere else needs demolished. It is past time for an end to RED LIGHT HELL.

All of this could be done much quicker and cheaper than new construction.

 

[psuro]

Does anyone know how much the PA taxpayer loses for each dollar paid due to the Prevailing Wage Law that jacks up hourly pay for construction workers employed on state funded projects? Is it ten, twenty, thirty percent fewer roads paved, bridges maintained, and infrastructure left to crumble?

Does VA, MD, NJ, DE etc. have the same Prevailing Wage Law? It is a joke how huge a difference it is crossing the state line into MD or DE. It's like going from rumble strips to driving on rails.

NJ has a prevailing wage law and it differs by area - if you are working near NYC, its more than if you are working in Cumberland County.

 

[step.eng69]

Go for it, Fox. The roads suck and where is the money going?

There needs to be a higher standard for road construction. A nephew who travels to Germany says that their requirements are much higher than USA. Comments on that?

I haven’t a clue to the transportation design & construction standards in Germany. I would imagine that the foundation of all of their specification standards and codes include the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International). American transportation AASHTO & FHWA incorporate the same ASTM into their spec language.

One would have to be familiar with the specifications of both countries to make a statement that one countries standards are better than the others. I provided a few ASTM specs for material and testing below. Which of these does Germany follow contrary to American standards?

International Construction Standards:

Link: https://www.astm.org/Standards/road-and-paving-standards.html

"ASTM international and the global construction industry have enjoyed a long and enduring partnership marked by progress and innovation in the building of homes, plants, roads, airports, and other facilities worldwide. This relationship dates back to the founding of ASTM, as many of the society.s earliest technical committees and standards were driven by construction-related needs."

 

[tboyer]

Pa actually has the most miles of state highways of any state in the U.S. (120,000 miles), more than TX, more than Cali. That's why even with the nation's highest gas gax, Pa. can't take care of all its roads.

Why does Pa. have so many roads?
1) Age-- Pa has a dense network of historical roads that were stagecoach trails.
2) Pennsylvania is DUMB DUMB DUMB.

Under Pa. state law, the state doesn't have control over state highways once they're built. So local boroughs are allowed to put up as many traffic entrances and signals as they want, and highways degenerate into private driveways for strip malls. There are no planning rules whatsoever and no priority given to the original mission of the highway to provide transportation.

Over time Pa. highways become so clogged with traffic lights and strip malls they're unusuable.
So then PennDOT builds a bypass highway -- which in 20 years becomes clogged with traffic lights and unusable.
There are places in Pa. where they had to build bypasses around the bypasses -- three highways, all because Pennsylvania is DUMB. And we pay to maintain three highways when other states would have ONE highway that works.

 

[PeetzPoolBoy]

There is no need to check for fatigue cracks in concrete spans.

Great post Step.

I was just going to ask you why more bridges weren’t being built the “old-fashioned way”. That said, I’m a bit confused by the above bolded statement.

 

[Raffycorn]

It only makes sense to me that if you upgraded and rehabbed existing roads and streets they would operate at higher efficiency and greater capacity. How about synchronizing traffic signals so you get greens once in a while and the traffic keeps moving instead of a steady parade of reds? Maybe developers get ONE entrance and red light into their new strip mall instead of three? God knows we don't have enough strip malls - we need MORE strip malls that will be empty.

Red lights should be like liquor licenses. There are only so many available and when they are used up, you don't get any more. Every light that is erected, one somewhere else needs demolished. It is past time for an end to RED LIGHT HELL.

All of this could be done much quicker and cheaper than new construction.

I don’t necessarily disagree, but I think we need to be investing far more in transit than we do in additional road capacity even for the roadways we already have. One full bus takes about 30-40 cars off the road. Expanding transit routes, frequency and infrastructure - especially in denser urban and suburban areas - provides far more bang for the buck than adding additional car lanes ever could.

Not to go back to the Mon-Fayette and Southern Beltway, but you could spend far less money and get far better daily users by, for example, building out the T to Oakland and the East End of Pittsburgh, by extending the East and West Busways, or by improving the infrastructure through the Strip, Lawrenceville, and up to Aspinwall and Fox Chapel. These highway projects are enormous wastes of money for the benefits they generate.

 

[step.eng69]

t is past time for an end to RED LIGHT HELL.

I understand Penn DOT is using that reasoning to develop round-a-bouts at intersections to improve safety and increase capacity by 30%. Plus an added benefit is the decrease in fuel consumption and exhaust. (environmental issue).

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Does VA, MD, NJ, DE etc. have the same Prevailing Wage Law? It is a joke how huge a difference it is crossing the state line into MD or DE. It's like going from rumble strips to driving on rails.

Of the states you listed, only VA does not have a prevailing wage law. Each of the other states has differing laws on prevailing wages, mostly having to do with threshold for project costs.

The Davis-Bacon Act is in effect in all States, whether or not they have a prevailing wage law, for projects that are federally funded or federally assisted (funding from multiple sources).

 

[step.eng69]

Great post Step.

I was just going to ask you why more bridges weren’t being built the “old-fashioned way”. That said, I’m a bit confused by the above bolded statement.

Thanks good pick up PPB. As I noted in that post, I pasted a digested account of an engineer’s opinion on concrete vs steel. I briefly review his assessment and pasted his due to being a better presentation to the question asked.

That said, cracking in any member has to be reviewed and determine if it's progress cracking or stabilized. that will determine the repair approach taken.

Possibly the author, of the statement you posted, was leaning in this direction. Generally in Reinforced concrete (RC) beams steel reinforcement governs the fatigue life. Fatigue failure of concrete is delayed in RC beams because of its ability to redistribute stresses while the high, local concentration of stress on a steel member will occur at the same location. Take a soda can tab and start bending it, back and forth. It's going to have it's highest stress concentration in one location and eventually snap.

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

I don’t necessarily disagree, but I think we need to be investing far more in transit than we do in additional road capacity even for the roadways we already have. One full bus takes about 30-40 cars off the road. Expanding transit routes, frequency and infrastructure - especially in denser urban and suburban areas - provides far more bang for the buck than adding additional car lanes ever could.

Not to go back to the Mon-Fayette and Southern Beltway, but you could spend far less money and get far better daily users by, for example, building out the T to Oakland and the East End of Pittsburgh, by extending the East and West Busways, or by improving the infrastructure through the Strip, Lawrenceville, and up to Aspinwall and Fox Chapel. These highway projects are enormous wastes of money for the benefits they generate.

That Southern Beltway is the biggest boondoggle in ever. The area it is going through is the most sparsely populated part of the whole county. All right, build south from the Airport to Rt. 22, that makes a little bit of sense to help out the Weirton/Steubenville/Burgettstown corridor. But what sense does it make going all the way to I-79? None. You're spending tons of money to cut off seven miles or so from 79/Parkway West for the Washington/Mon Valley airport travelers.

You want to open up access to the Mon Valley - Fix Route 51.

As for my neck of the woods, outbound Route 28 goes to one lane at the Highland Park Bridge and jams up all the way to Etna at rush hour. I take the HP Bridge every day (I work in Lawrenceville), I access either from 28 or from Freeport Road. Allegheny River Blvd is terrible from Washington Blvd all the way to Oakmont. One thing that would help greatly is sync the red lights on Butler Street especially at Highland Ave and at Baker Street. This mayor will build bike lanes all over hell - but won't lift a finger to fix red lights. It's a joke.

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

I understand Penn DOT is using that reasoning to develop round-a-bouts at intersections to improve safety and increase capacity by 30%. Plus an added benefit is the decrease in fuel consumption and exhaust. (environmental issue).

Step roundabouts are an old idea that is new again. Route 30 (Lancaster Pike) and Route 41 coming up from Wilmington, used to be a terrible intersection. PennDOT installed a roundabout - Westbound traffic is on a new road and eastbound takes the original Route 30 alignment and they rejoin together like four blocks down the road. So much better there is no comparison.

Another problem with lights is the neutral zone (red on all sides). They had to program that in because so many drivers zoom through yellow and the first couple seconds of red. So if you take a typical red light with 30 seconds on the main, 20 seconds on the side street, and two 5-second neutral zone, that's 10 seconds out of every 60 (16%) where nothing moves. 16% waste for thousands of vehicles a day - no wonder red lights eff everything up.

 

[Roar More]

The problem in Allegheny County is the original traffic plan that envisioned Pittsburgh as a hub with all roads being the spokes that feed into it. I live in Plum. There is no rational way to avoid going through the heart of the city to get to the airport. And for some reason, every new road in southwestern PA gets a toll tacked onto it. That doesn't happen in other areas.