Anyone here works for Caltrans?

[SSSnail]

*Oldscough*

If you do, can you please tell your compadres who are working on fixing the I-5 to check their steamrollers? Apparently, the steamrollers may have flats as the road surfaces that have just been paved are very lumpy, even more so than the surfaces that were there before (cracks and potholes notwithstanding).

At first, I thought that the Caltrans crew have to either be incompetent, worthless or just flat out don't care about their jobs. But after thinking about it a bit more, I know none of the reasons I initially thought of are valid. The workers cost a the tax payers a ton of money, so they aren't worthless. They seem to care about what they're doing as there are always a TON of people surrounding what seems to be a routine job - quality assurance is paramount, I suppose. And from what I observed, they don't seem to be incompetent as there are equipment moving to and fro, and there are people with flags directing, and noises, and such...

So, it dawned on me that the culprit for the piss poor quality of work has to be faulty equipment. Please have someone replace the flats on the steamrollers and those guys should be back in business flattening the road surfaces at least to an acceptable standard.

 

[JEDIYoda]

trying for a laugh?? failed again!!

 

[olds]

I doubt it was Caltrans workers. Probably a contractor.
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/maint/msrsubmit/

 

[SSSnail]

I doubt it was Caltrans workers. Probably a contractor.
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/maint/msrsubmit/

So you're telling me the entire I-5 corridor is being fixed by contractors? But they have big orange trucks! Who's in charge of hiring them? 5 years old kids with a dartboard?

Are there any sort of accountability in anything?

 

[Humpy]

I've often seen them grind off the high spots before the final layer goes on.

The interstates through my city were recently redone with laser/GPS guided grading and paving equipment. Smoothest thing I've ever driven on. I would think the standards are similar nationwide.

 

[olds]

All big jobs are done by contractors. I don't remember the dollar amount as I have been out of the field for 6 or 7 years. The limit might be $49,999, it was closer to $25,000 when I started out. Caltrans is required by law to contract out any work over that dollar amount. The theory is state employees can't be taking food out of the mouths of private employees. And if you reach that $ limit, you can't do another project at that limit within 1 mile.
Often people think that anyone on a highway is Caltrans.

 

[rpanic]

OP, are you the guy posting pot holes all over the I5 on Waze?

 

[who?]

Do highway trucks in Ca. still use amber warning lights? In New Mexico the highway contractors use red and blue lights because those colors get more respect.

 

[olds]

Do highway trucks in Ca. still use amber warning lights? In New Mexico the highway contractors use red and blue lights because those colors get more respect.

We use amber. The vehicle code doesn't allow for any others. The exception is red for tow trucks on the bridges and IIRC, ferry boats.
Blue is reserved for law enforcement.

 

[mpo]

Rippling pavement is a big problem with superpave-spec roads. Superpave mixes have more rock and less binder than traditional mixes. Wrong speed, wrong vibration settings, or the wrong temperature can lead to the transverse high spots.

If it is any consolidation, the rippling gets worse over the winter months. So at least you won't get extra bumpy roads in a few months.

Please do complain to Caltrans.

 

[Slew Foot]

Are there any sort of accountability in anything?

In the CA government? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHALOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO

 

[Jerem]

I *might* know the equipment mechanic on the 5 at Kettleman City. I can pass the message but as soon as I say "steamroller" everything else will be lost from the laughter.

 

[olds]

I *might* know the equipment mechanic on the 5 at Kettleman City. I can pass the message but as soon as I say "steamroller" everything else will be lost from the laughter.

True

 

[Leyawiin]

While we're on the subject, what the hell is going on with I-5 in Stockton? They've been working on a five mile stretch of road for SEVEN damn years! That's stretch of freeway has been screwed up so long in that city. About three times a year I go through there and it seems they never get any work done. Was just there last week for the first time in six months and its still tore up and looks like they've made no progress at all since Christmas. It boggles the mind because they built all of Interstate 5 in about the same amount time back in the 1960s (as in hundreds of miles of road). What the hell takes so effing long now?

 

[olds]

While we're on the subject, what the hell is going on with I-5 in Stockton? They've been working on a five mile stretch of road for SEVEN damn years! That's stretch of freeway has been screwed up so long in that city. About three times a year I go through there and it seems they never get any work done. Was just there last week for the first time in six months and its still tore up and looks like they've made no progress at all since Christmas. It boggles the mind because they built all of Interstate 5 in about the same amount time back in the 1960s (as in hundreds of miles of road). What the hell takes so effing long now?

http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist10/environmental/projects/i5nstkn/index.htm