Here in Alaska we have some heavy rutting due to studded tires. Every few years they have to lay down a leveling course of asphalt. Or roto mill and lay down a new wearing course. They have switched over to new light weight studs ? but looks like the same old problem. Several theories have been discussed as to the real fault. Too much oil in the mix, a different formula, different oil, etc. The high traffic roads and streets all develope ruts. Just wonder how it is elsewhere in the country. Are the ruts as severe ? I don't dare stop and lay a straight edge to find out the true depth, LOL , but it is apparent as you drive. Photos are of the Glenn Hwy, by Fort Richardson in Anchorage . Taken 1-29-09
Hi Northart, man those are ruts! Well, here in N.B. we get them on our main highways due to heavy tractor trailer traffic. From what I've seen it's not so bad in our cities and villages, although some of our secondary roads rut quite bad. It's a never ending job resurfacing them.
There used to be a law here in Connecticut that outlawed studded tires for the non winter months of the year.I have never seen pavement that was affected by running them but I can imagine the potential for it exists which is why they are banned. Job security? That is great country and I enjoy your wonderful pics.Ron G
Good morning Ron, there is a law here that studded tires are only allowed in the winter. Wouldn't the States (those that get ice/snow) have this law? Curious...
We get the ruts, although not that severe. Studs here are allowed from October to April or something like that.
I think the Connecticut law still stands and it is probably the same as the New York law regarding the months they can be used.I have used them but considered them too much hassle for what I considered a marginal benefit.Radial tires were a bigger improvement for traction in inclement weather in my opinion.Ron G
We have the same problems here in Northern California on Hwy 80 going over Donner Summit. And there the road surface is poured in place concrete.
If cars are running studded tires, there will be ruts. I don´t think there´s any way around this. Over here, there are days where the air quality is very bad because of the dust that´s generated from the studded tires grinding away at the asphalt.
Have the same problem here in Washington only on concrete roads. The ruts are not the width of a normal car or truck but exactly the width of compact and sub compact cars and generally at pionts of acceleration or uphill. My thinking is that the small cars have a lot different horsepower to weight ratio plus the square inches or rubber on the ground is less and are spinning their wheels most of the time and grinding tracks in the pavement. Wish the DOT would install GPS on some small cars to see of they are really traveling as many miles as they think they are. I'll bet their gas mileage isn't as good as they think they are getting either. State is trying to outlaw studded tires but those little bugs couldnt move without studs. If this is right it sure is false economy to save all that money on little cars and then spend it to repair the roads. Didn't notice the problem until compact cars became so popular.
Just a question... How long do they road resurfacing up there? How long do the asphalt plants run overthe year?
The plants here shut down the second week of December and usually open the second week of March.
Once again something else us southerners don't have to worry about:drinkup That's pretty interesting though, I never though about how it would waer the roads down. The only ruts we get are from roads that are too thin and have had overweight trucks on them, get the same results. The scale is much smaller though
Glenn Highway The Glenn runs right by my houseThese ruts are a big cause of accidents when it snows or gets icy.I know they resurfaced this area just two or three years ago. Northart, what's your opinion of the approaches to the overpasses at the Glenn/Parks interchange. The overpasses seem fine but the approaches seem to have sunk enough that I catch air going to Wasilla. Bothers only cause its taking so to fix and they are so new. Rutting problem is asphalt mix and studs. Residental asphalt is soft enough to sink your truck in on a hot day.The state is suppose to expermenting with a mix that includes ground up tires. Scott
Indiana has the same problems on the interstates. But not because of studs or chains. It is just plain old poor enginering. We use to hall blacktop in the summer some. They have tried every blend you could imagine. They have tried less oil, more oil, ground tires, and slag. One summer thier new supermix was so poor as we were hotrock'n up hill the mix was sliding down the highway and stacking up at the bottom of US 231.
Glenn Hwy Hello Landtekk, Somehow I should know you, from your handle. Yes, both north and south bound lanes, of the Parks/Glenn interchange , have subsided at the abutments. It is a AKDOT flawed design. The Nancy Lake /Whites Crossing Bridge over the ARR, on the Parks Hwy, is the same. Subsidence at the abutments. Either the roadway has to be extended 10' more, under the spans, or the spans lengthened another 10' to avoid long term subsidence. The abutments are too close, to the end of the embankment, for proper loading support. All the ARR (Alaska RailRoad ) Hwy crossing are similar. Never a smooth transition. Over time the RR settles due to the heavy freight trains. Can't see why they don't construct a Concrete Prefab T shaped affair , with built in adjustment , for the differential loading by the hwy and RR traffic. Talk about airborne, the Seward Meridian/Parks Overpass Bridge by WalMart had too much chamber. The transitions were notorious , and still are noticeable, after some milling. The vertical profile on the bridge, and approaches , are mismatched. ???? How did that happen ??? Ah ! Modern suspension on vehicles help ! LOL Hello Milling Drum, The Asphalt Plants generally run from June 1st to Oct 1st. That is "generally" it varies according to the weather and various contracts. Sometimes earlier and sometimes later. In rare extenuating circumstances the contractor pays the plant to stay open for contractual finishes. How often ?? Geez , seems like they ought to put a giant zipper on the roadway so they can just pick it up and replace it . LOL Which they do in reality. Mill it off, and replace it. recycling the new construction $$$ through the same paving companies ! Over and over ! Much like the Harbor , Marine waterways dredging ! Anyway, it is problematic right now till somebody comes up with another solution .
seems to me in bad weather the ruts would infact keep you going in a straight line so are they really that bad.... just a thought i am sure it sucks changing lanes
Your right ,changing lanes is the problem. Hello Northart, I don't think we ever met.I do have property off of Talkeetna spur on Montana Creek. I live in Peters Creek, have a small business there. I've followed your post for a couple years ,but I don't post much. Wow, finally an answer that's brief and to the point. I often wonder about some of the projects that have been built lately and I can only compare with the other bridges in the area that are older but don't have these problems. You would think that someone in charge would be embarassed enough to try and fix it.Or spend the money on some of those "dip in the road" signs. Now that I have ranted, I have decided that instead finding a way to fix the bumps in the road,I will apply my energy to aquiring a better suspension to ride those bumps out.LOL Scott
Subsidence ? Hello Landtekk, Years ago the bridge abutments were put in carefully and slowly, a great compaction effort was carried out. Some of that lack of diligence , can be blamed for some of the current dips you see at the abutments after a couple of years. Then there is the design flaw aspect also. The Kuparuk Low Water crossing and bridge is another one that had a road abutment collapse under a 2,000 ton oil field module. This was many years ago. '80's ?? The O'Malley Overpass Bridge road abutment had a settlement on the north side, filled in with asphalt. The southbound Glenn going over the Eagle River Bridge , at the south end is in terrible shape with severe rutting ,at the abutment, causing lots of mishaps right there. Should be posted even. I can critique lot of this from actually working on some of the projects. Yes, the roads keep the Tire and body shops busy . LOL Later, Northart
Here in the UK we have problems with rutting but ours is down to the heavy truck traffic not studs, and is mainly confined to lane 1, although this past couple of days studs would have been nice for some people As for bridge abutment backfill :Banghead, as you say Northart there didnt used to be a problem in the good ole days, its the standard of the backfilling that has changed. :crying