concrete base roadbeds

[Mergingtraffic]

I noticed in CT lately, they don't seem to be using concrete roadbeds for expressways when new expressway sections are built or realligned. Of course, it could be that I just happened to drive by or see pics after the asphalt is laid down.

I noticed the lack of a concrete base at the...
1) US-7 Expressway extention back in 2009 in New Milford, CT,
2) the widened, but not yet opened to traffic, I-95 in Norwalk
3) and just today I drove by the new, unopened, allignments of the consolidated Exit 44-45 ramps, also on I-95, in New Haven. 

So is it just me or is CT and some other states not putting down concrete base roadbeds anymore?

[ET21]

Concrete roadbeds are more expensive, so more states are using asphalt pavement instead.

[roadman65]

I know it is a shame.  I used to like I-78 in New Jersey with its from Exit 3 to just west of Exit 29.  Now NJDOT paved it over.

Heck I used to like when NJ had concrete roads all over and with the old NJ white post cable guard rails.  Those sadly are gone as well.

I also wonder when NJDOT is going to pave over the concrete part of I-78 between Exit 49 and the NJ Turnpike.  I hope they do not anytime soon.

[pctech]

LADODT still uses concrete in some new construction. Recent I-10 widening was done with concrete, but I-12 project has been done mainly with asphalt. Concrete doesn't always work well in southern Louisiana especially around New Orleans area due to subsidence type soils.

[US71]

Concrete roadbeds are more expensive, so more states are using asphalt pavement instead.

Fayetteville, AR faced a lawsuit about 15 years ago over paving a new city street. The lowest bidder sued because his bid wasn't chosen. His bid was to use asphalt, the winning bid was concrete. The city was able to prove that the slope of the street warranted concrete because asphalt would (supposedly) slide down the hill and bunch up.

[roadman65]

I-75 near Brandon, FL and Tampa, FL still have the original 1985 concrete. 

I know concrete is more expensive to lay down, so that is why they repave with asphalt as its a cheaper way of redoing, but its still as shame to see all of it go in various places.  I am glad that this piece of freeway still has it and I am hoping it does not wear out too soon. 

That is why I love new freeways opening, because many use it as grading.

[ET21]

Concrete roadbeds are more expensive, so more states are using asphalt pavement instead.

Fayetteville, AR faced a lawsuit about 15 years ago over paving a new city street. The lowest bidder sued because his bid wasn't chosen. His bid was to use asphalt, the winning bid was concrete. The city was able to prove that the slope of the street warranted concrete because asphalt would (supposedly) slide down the hill and bunch up.

That's an interesting lawsuit

For Illinois, rehabilitation of roadways are now paved over with asphalt. This was done with I-294 and I-88, where some concrete sections were paved over or just shaved.

Newer constructions like the Circle, I-57/294 interchange, I-90 widening, and the Elgin-O'Hare Bypass are doing concrete roadbeds from what I could tell so far

[cl94]

NYSDOT and NYSTA use concrete for new expressway construction and major reconstruction projects for expressways and high-traffic surface roads, except Downstate, where the vast majority of work is done at night, forcing the use of asphalt to ensure travel lanes are clear for the morning rush hour. NY 17 near Exit 98 and I-781 were built as asphalt. Don't know why that section of NY 17 is, but I-781 is likely due to the climate of the North Country and the shorter setting time of asphalt. Many highways from the mid-80s or later still have their original concrete pavement, such as the NY 7 expressway, I-990, and the Sprain Brook Parkway.

[Big John]

The US-41 reconstruction is using concrete pavement over an asphalt base.

[bulldog1979]

When I was researched the M-6 article for Wikipedia, I came across an article in The Grand Rapids Press about how MDOT basically used a conversion formula to equalize the price differential between bids in asphalt and concrete. The first phase was built in asphalt and the next two were later built together in concrete. The first phase opened in 2001, it was repaired in 2006 under warranty and again in 2009. The rest of the freeway opened in 2004 and has not been fixed yet.

[cl94]

I think we need to make a distinction between the "sub-base", "base course", and "wearing surface".

The sub-base goes directly on the subgrade (i.e. dirt) and consists of reinforced concrete (major roads) or gravel (minor roads). This carries most of the load. A failure of the sub-base is a major cause of crocodile cracking and potholes.

The wearing surface is the uppermost layer which comes in contact with highway traffic. This is usually asphalt, but may be concrete when a longer-lasting surface is desired.

If asphalt, there is often a middle base course layer consisting of aggregate. This won't be present if the asphalt is overlaid over a highway with a concrete wearing surface, as is true with most expressways and several high-traffic roads.

Most of what people are posting concerns the wearing surface.

[Mergingtraffic]

I think we need to make a distinction between the "sub-base", "base course", and "wearing surface".

The sub-base goes directly on the subgrade (i.e. dirt) and consists of reinforced concrete (major roads) or gravel (minor roads). This carries most of the load. A failure of the sub-base is a major cause of crocodile cracking and potholes.

The wearing surface is the uppermost layer which comes in contact with highway traffic. This is usually asphalt, but may be concrete when a longer-lasting surface is desired.

If asphalt, there is often a middle base course layer consisting of aggregate. This won't be present if the asphalt is overlaid over a highway with a concrete wearing surface, as is true with most expressways and several high-traffic roads.

Most of what people are posting concerns the wearing surface.

Yes I'm talking sub-base. The locations I mention go from dirt to asphalt.

[vdeane]

NYSDOT and NYSTA use concrete for new expressway construction and major reconstruction projects for expressways and high-traffic surface roads, except Downstate, where the vast majority of work is done at night, forcing the use of asphalt to ensure travel lanes are clear for the morning rush hour. NY 17 near Exit 98 and I-781 were built as asphalt. Don't know why that section of NY 17 is, but I-781 is likely due to the climate of the North Country and the shorter setting time of asphalt. Many highways from the mid-80s or later still have their original concrete pavement, such as the NY 7 expressway, I-990, and the Sprain Brook Parkway.

We also have I-490 west of downtown, which was built as asphalt overlaying concrete.

[mcdonaat]

US 167's widening through Grant Parish is an asphalt-only project. The road seems to have waves in it where the asphalt settled, and the ride is very bumpy. The older road, which is a concrete base with asphalt on top, is perfectly suitable for 65 MPH.

[pctech]

US 167's widening through Grant Parish is an asphalt-only project. The road seems to have waves in it where the asphalt settled, and the ride is very bumpy. The older road, which is a concrete base with asphalt on top, is perfectly suitable for 65 MPH.

That's DODT's new level off the dirt and put pavement on it roadbed system :-) I would think the soil in Grant Parish would be pretty stable.

[cl94]

US 167's widening through Grant Parish is an asphalt-only project. The road seems to have waves in it where the asphalt settled, and the ride is very bumpy. The older road, which is a concrete base with asphalt on top, is perfectly suitable for 65 MPH.

That's DODT's new level off the dirt and put pavement on it roadbed system :-) I would think the soil in Grant Parish would be pretty stable.

Stuff like that makes me wonder if they actually have engineers on staff. Seems like a decision some politician would make to save money and win some votes. One should never put asphalt directly on the subbase for just that reason. Doesn't stop countless municipalities from doing just that.

[mcdonaat]

US 167's widening through Grant Parish is an asphalt-only project. The road seems to have waves in it where the asphalt settled, and the ride is very bumpy. The older road, which is a concrete base with asphalt on top, is perfectly suitable for 65 MPH.

That's DODT's new level off the dirt and put pavement on it roadbed system :-) I would think the soil in Grant Parish would be pretty stable.

Stuff like that makes me wonder if they actually have engineers on staff. Seems like a decision some politician would make to save money and win some votes. One should never put asphalt directly on the subbase for just that reason. Doesn't stop countless municipalities from doing just that.

Agreee. Our soil is still pretty sandy, even with the hills. Makes me think they used a shortcut, because the same engineer designed US 165 in Pollock, an all concrete roadway.

[roadman65]

When I drove the expressway portion of US 31 in Michigan I remember some old concrete was the roadbed from Holland to Grand Haven.  This was back in 08, so I do not know if they paved over it since, but I remember the roar your tires make then which newer concrete does not make that sound anymore.

Its funny when I was a kid, I used to hate concrete roads as back in the 70's when I was a youngster almost all of New Jersey had it on state maintained roads.  US 9, for example was concrete most of its way south of US 1.  I remember in New Gretna where US 9 now diverges from its original NJ 167 alignment it was concrete right up until a few hundred feet before it.  It was paved when US 9 got shifted and that intersection was realigned, but on NJ 167 beyond the former barricade that was there the concrete continued. It showed me as a young lad how that road was once continuous and that when NJDOT realigned US 9 to the GSP nearby using that local road that is now continuous with US 9 from the north they just asphalted over some of the original concrete.

I also remember US 130 being half and half where one side would be concrete and the other asphalt.  Even US 202 from Somerville to Flemington was back in 1990 asphalt NB and concrete southbound.  I believe that has to do with one side being the original two lane US 202 and the other side being the add on lanes, however the new roadway had the concrete while the old road had the black top.  I am guessing that at the same time NJ widened the road the repaved the original roadway or some short time later.  It actually looked kind of neat seeing both black and white off into the distance as some of you New Jerseyans know that US 202 is hilly between the Somerville Circle and Fleminton Circle so the roadway dips up and down quite frequently there so you get to see plenty of the road surface in many spots such as near the NJ Transit Raritan Valley Line overpass.

[roadman65]

Here is one that is recently been made concrete near Cocoa, FL.