As state’s road maintenance normalizes, VT Agency of Transportation tests new thin asphalt overlay for more durability and lower life-cycle costs.
By Paul Fournier
Approximately one month after Hurricane Irene had dumped up to 12 inches of rain in parts of Vermont on August 28, 2011, causing the state’s worst flooding in 80 years, state and municipal construction crews assisted by the Vermont National Guard had rebuilt and reopened many of the sections of some 300 roads that had been closed due to storm damage.
In most areas of the state, regular pavement maintenance was back on target. This included a stretch of US Route 7 in Danby that was slated for an asphalt overlay by contractor Pike Industries.
Fortunately, the portion of US Route 7 that had been selected for the overlay had not been affected by the August deluge.
“This area is about 25 miles south of where most flood damage occurred, although we did lose a bridge on Route 7 up in Clarendon,” said Mike Fowler, Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) Pavement Management Engineer.
Pike had a $1.8-million contract with VTrans to install a “Paver-Placed Type C Surface Treatment” on 11.6 miles of the highway, which in the Danby area is an undivided two-lane road. However, the Type C treatment was not applied to the entire 11.6 miles of the contract.