US-460 in Bedford County VA Closed for at least four weeks

Started by Beltway, July 19, 2012, 10:39:07 PM

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Beltway

Are all 4 lanes closed?
...............

Route 460 in Bedford County won't reopen for at least four more weeks
http://www2.newsadvance.com/news/2012/jul/19/route-460-bedford-co-wont-reopen-least-four-more-w-ar-2070322/

MONTVALE, VA --
It will be several more weeks before Route 460 is open in the Bedford County community of Montvale. The road was closed after an 18-wheeler, hauling gasoline overturned back in May, spilling about 7,000 gallons of gas onto the road and killing the driver.

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74/171FAN

The VDOT news release on this back in May stated that all traffic was diverted to the westbound lanes for about .7 mile.  There hasn't been an update since then so I would assume nothing has changed.
http://virginiadot.org/newsroom/salem/2012/traffic_alert_eastbound_route58112.asp
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hbelkins

Why was it necessary to completely close the lanes? Did the spilled gas damage the pavement? I understand removing soil from any embankments, but what was the problem with the pavement?


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Alps

Quote from: hbelkins on July 21, 2012, 01:39:07 AM
Why was it necessary to completely close the lanes? Did the spilled gas damage the pavement? I understand removing soil from any embankments, but what was the problem with the pavement?
Maybe the pavement was permeable and they have to remove and replace some of the subgrade.

Beltway

Quote from: Steve on July 21, 2012, 04:32:30 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 21, 2012, 01:39:07 AM
Why was it necessary to completely close the lanes? Did the spilled gas damage the pavement? I understand removing soil from any embankments, but what was the problem with the pavement?
Maybe the pavement was permeable and they have to remove and replace some of the subgrade.

"The overturned tanker spilled approximately 6,700 gallons of gasoline."

Even assuming that it didn't catch fire, that is a lot of gasoline, almost a full large tanker worth.  It could have seeped in and destroyed several hundred feet of asphalt pavement through its full depth, plus seeped into the soil over a wide area, with the need to have the contaminated soil removed and replaced for environmental reasons.
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deathtopumpkins

I doubt it would be that much of an issue considering that last week an overturned tanker on MA 128 spilled over 8,000 gallons onto new asphalt pavement and they had the road fully open for the morning commute mere hours later (apart from one temporary lane closure resulting from removing the wrecked tanker). Even the tanker that exploded on US 1 in Saugus last year didn't result in a long-term closure.
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hbelkins

Quote from: Beltway on July 21, 2012, 04:43:19 PM
Even assuming that it didn't catch fire, that is a lot of gasoline, almost a full large tanker worth.  It could have seeped in and destroyed several hundred feet of asphalt pavement...

I need a chemist to explain to me how gasoline (a petroleum product) would destroy asphalt (made in large part with a petroleum product).


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

NE2

Quote from: hbelkins on July 21, 2012, 11:08:01 PM
Quote from: Beltway on July 21, 2012, 04:43:19 PM
Even assuming that it didn't catch fire, that is a lot of gasoline, almost a full large tanker worth.  It could have seeped in and destroyed several hundred feet of asphalt pavement...

I need a chemist to explain to me how gasoline (a petroleum product) would destroy asphalt (made in large part with a petroleum product).

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Beltway

Quote from: hbelkins on July 21, 2012, 11:08:01 PM
Quote from: Beltway on July 21, 2012, 04:43:19 PM
Even assuming that it didn't catch fire, that is a lot of gasoline, almost a full large tanker worth.  It could have seeped in and destroyed several hundred feet of asphalt pavement...

I need a chemist to explain to me how gasoline (a petroleum product) would destroy asphalt (made in large part with a petroleum product).

I'm not a chemist, but if gasoline pooled over an asphalt roadway, it would slowly dissolve the asphalt cement in the pavement, basically loosening the pavement structure to where it was no longer a solid pavement.  Semi-liquid hydrocarbon material between the aggregate stone.  Destroyed in the sense that no longer functional as pavement.

Gasoline is a solvent for the asphalt that holds the gravel in asphalt concrete together.

Going to the article, there was a major environmental cleanup --

"DEQ now has to comb through hundreds of pages of data that include exactly what's been done since the accident happened weeks ago.  They estimate 5,000 tons of contaminated dirt have been removed from the site."
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WillWeaverRVA

Quote from: Beltway on July 22, 2012, 12:04:00 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 21, 2012, 11:08:01 PM
Quote from: Beltway on July 21, 2012, 04:43:19 PM
Even assuming that it didn't catch fire, that is a lot of gasoline, almost a full large tanker worth.  It could have seeped in and destroyed several hundred feet of asphalt pavement...

I need a chemist to explain to me how gasoline (a petroleum product) would destroy asphalt (made in large part with a petroleum product).

I'm not a chemist, but if gasoline pooled over an asphalt roadway, it would slowly dissolve the asphalt cement in the pavement, basically loosening the pavement structure to where it was no longer a solid pavement.  Semi-liquid hydrocarbon material between the aggregate stone.  Destroyed in the sense that no longer functional as pavement.

Gasoline is a solvent for the asphalt that holds the gravel in asphalt concrete together.

Going to the article, there was a major environmental cleanup --

"DEQ now has to comb through hundreds of pages of data that include exactly what's been done since the accident happened weeks ago.  They estimate 5,000 tons of contaminated dirt have been removed from the site."

In addition, both gasoline and asphalt are nonpolar substances. They can mix more easily, and as Beltway said, gasoline is a solvent and can gradually dissolve the asphalt and degrade the pavement.

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Sykotyk

5000 tons would be about 100 truck loads of dirt. That is a lot of dirt to be removed.

My guess is that the roadway itself was removed in order to dig up the dirt.

And as mentioned, gasoline dissolves most everything else petroleum based. Same reason I wash my hands in gas after working with oil or tar. May not be the healthiest thing to do, but it's fast.

Beltway

Quote from: Sykotyk on July 23, 2012, 11:51:13 PM
5000 tons would be about 100 truck loads of dirt. That is a lot of dirt to be removed.

My guess is that the roadway itself was removed in order to dig up the dirt.

And as mentioned, gasoline dissolves most everything else petroleum based. Same reason I wash my hands in gas after working with oil or tar. May not be the healthiest thing to do, but it's fast.

Actually, 5,000 tons would be about 300 truck loads of dirt.
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cpzilliacus

Quote from: Beltway on July 24, 2012, 07:01:42 AM
Quote from: Sykotyk on July 23, 2012, 11:51:13 PM
5000 tons would be about 100 truck loads of dirt. That is a lot of dirt to be removed.

My guess is that the roadway itself was removed in order to dig up the dirt.

And as mentioned, gasoline dissolves most everything else petroleum based. Same reason I wash my hands in gas after working with oil or tar. May not be the healthiest thing to do, but it's fast.

Actually, 5,000 tons would be about 300 truck loads of dirt.

I hope the insurance company that insured the truck has a lot of money to reimburse the Commonwealth of Virginia for (what sounds like) an impressively expensive remediation and reconstruction project.
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74/171FAN

Well the project to get reconstruct the S-curves here EB is on the 6-year plan.
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Beltway

Quote from: 74/171FAN on June 15, 2016, 07:28:14 PM
Well the project to get reconstruct the S-curves here EB is on the 6-year plan.

VDOT project webpage -- Route 460 S Curve Realignment - Bedford County

"The primary purpose of the project is to enhance safety by realigning 1.4 miles of the eastbound lanes of Route 460 in Bedford County near Montvale to improve safety by eliminating existing "S"  curves."

"The project also includes modifying five existing crossovers, closing one existing crossover and adding one new crossover. To enhance safety, the crossover improvements will include restrictions for some left turn movements to and from Route 460 and enhancements to facilitate U-turn movements."

"As of 2015, approximately 15,900 vehicles use this section of Route 460 each day.  This is projected to increase to 18,000 by the year 2041."

Cost $18.8 million and start construction in 2020.

Very good project!
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