The horrible roads are killing the fun.

We just completed a trip from Atlanta to the Dakotas and back. All in all I didn’t think the roads were all that bad. There are some sections that are in need of repair but overall 90+% were pretty good. (We drive a Monaco Executive with a road master 10bag chassis).

However, in this day and age one would think we could be doing a better job with our interstate roads. Last time we were down in Mexico, they were in the process of rebuilding their hwy 15. They were laying a very thick slab of concrete with a machine that was similar to an asphalt machine. The end product was basically seamless and very smooth. It will be interesting to see how this Hwy endures.

I like bad roads. They make me appreciate the good roads even better.

Pbutler97 wrote:
I love RVnet, we even have experts on road construction and concrete mix designs here. Fabulous!

I don't claim to be expert. Can you claim what we are doing is working?
I have stock-piled thousands of tons of material at concrete plants, and always inch sized or less. More than once truck get stuck going into job sites. Dump and level a load of gravel, can get few trucks thru, but soon pumped down in the ground. OTOH, a load of 6 inch minus, worked down to about a foot deep will let trucks roll. To me, it would make sense to use larger rock, say 3 inch down to 1 inch, instead of the 1 down to half mostly used now. Sure, would need more cement to fill the voids, but I think roads would last longer

I love RVnet, we even have experts on road construction and concrete mix designs here. Fabulous!

wa8yxm wrote:
For many (Too many) years we have been neglecting the roads.. Then some electable idiot (Several in fact) came up with the idea of basically band aid.. Let's lay down a couple inches of asphalt instead of doing it right (Replacing the concrete) Makes a really nice smooth road for a very short period of time (Usually just long enough for the governor to say "See how I smoothed the roads. And look at all the money I saved over replacing the concrete"

Kind of like slapping a band aid on a wound when you really need 20 stiches.. (Won't hold long).

Well. finally we are starting to do it right.. But.. alas.. it's going to take a long time.

And when people ask questions like "I"m going to Chicago tomorrow (From Detroit) is there any construction on I-94? Folks that's around 200 miles of freeway

YES THERE IS CONSTRUCTION... There will always be construction for by the time they get it done. its time to do it again.

I can agree with most of this. But you fail to mention some important parts. Most times when they do repair the full depth, or even close to that, there is such a rush to get the lane open they use faster setting mix, so does not last.
And even worse, IMHO, is the fact that if a road/road repair does not last, nobody with the power to change how it was done looses their job. They might pass some grief to the contractor, but all the time the contractor is working a state man is right there making sure the work matches the plan.
You kind of disparaged asphalt overlay. If the subgrade is good, asphalt can last for quite a while. And a overlay will keep water out of, and smooth the expansion joints in concrete. If water is allowed to get to dirt under the road that dirt will move, letting concrete shift so the slabs on each side are not same level. That causes bounce, which breaks slabs. State comes in, cuts out 1 bump, puts in 2.
There is 1 street in KC that was paved when Truman was in charge of roads in the county. 1 of Truman's major supporters was boss of concrete suppliers in the area. Lots of scandal, but in the late 90s, we where doing some sewer work in that road. Looking at that pavement, you could see a lot of wear, but the only parts that could be called 'rough' was where it had been cut/patched for utilities. Where the surface was worn you could see rock in the mix that would not pass a 2 inch screen. It would be back-breaking work to smooth that surface with equipment of the time, but the road did last!

For many (Too many) years we have been neglecting the roads.. Then some electable idiot (Several in fact) came up with the idea of basically band aid.. Let's lay down a couple inches of asphalt instead of doing it right (Replacing the concrete) Makes a really nice smooth road for a very short period of time (Usually just long enough for the governor to say "See how I smoothed the roads. And look at all the money I saved over replacing the concrete"

Kind of like slapping a band aid on a wound when you really need 20 stiches.. (Won't hold long).

Well. finally we are starting to do it right.. But.. alas.. it's going to take a long time.

And when people ask questions like "I"m going to Chicago tomorrow (From Detroit) is there any construction on I-94? Folks that's around 200 miles of freeway

YES THERE IS CONSTRUCTION... There will always be construction for by the time they get it done. its time to do it again.

C20 wrote:
If you think the roads here are bad, try Alaska! So bad the tow bar bracket on the jeep snapped a bolt off. Fixed and down the road we broke a bilstein shock on the jeep. Hard to dodge the potholes in the rain!

That was all I need to convince me to avoid Alaska - period.

Mind-blowing trip/scenery, sure, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, for certain. But if conditions are so severe they break the equipment, I'll pass, thanks all the same. I don't need that.

If you think the roads here are bad, try Alaska! So bad the tow bar bracket on the jeep snapped a bolt off. Fixed and down the road we broke a bilstein shock on the jeep. Hard to dodge the potholes in the rain!

Dick_B wrote:
The latest conspiracy theory (that I am just making up) is that the tire companies and the government are in cahoots somehow. The worse the roads are the more tires are needed. Good for the tire companies. Less road maintenance means lower taxes and more incumbents are re-elected. Good for the politicians.

Back in late '50s/early '60 it was proven in court that Firestone Tire, General Motors, and a 3rd large corp conspired to put trolley systems out of business.
Now, if you look at most things we have politicians working to disrupt the function, so government can't do what needs done. Then because government is so in-efficient we must privatize, let for profit industry will work for some.

Dick_B wrote:
The latest conspiracy theory (that I am just making up) is that the tire companies and the government are in cahoots somehow. The worse the roads are the more tires are needed. Good for the tire companies. Less road maintenance means lower taxes and more incumbents are re-elected. Good for the politicians.

:C
I like the way you think!