Inkara1
Well-Known Member
While driving from San Luis Obispo to Clovis to cover a high school football game for the paper, I traveled over a section of Highway 41 that I have driven hundreds of times. There is a repaving project on that road right now, with signs on either road saying it's a project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It's the federal stimulus dollars at work! Now, let's take a look at the project. I've included a map with the four sections I want to point out in different colors.
A (red): This area of the road was recently expanded to include an uphill passing lane, extending the passing lane from an existing one at the bottom of the hill to an existing one at the top of the hill. This project was completed in 2007 or 2008.
B (blue): This is section of road that is being repaved. As of Friday night, all the pavement was down and the road had those temporary striping flaps on it while it awaits permanent stripes to be affixed.
Notice that sections A and B overlap. They have repaved a portion of the road that was redone within the past two years.
C (purple): This section of the road was reworked during this decade. It was moved about 100 feet to the south of the old highway and built higher with some tunnels below it, apparently to prevent flooding of the road (Even though I never saw the old one flood). This section is also sporting new pavement. They have repaved a portion of the highway that was built completely brand new during this decade.
D (green): This is the section of the road that was in the worst shape, by far, of any of the four sections on my map. It has cracks and, as you head up the hill, six or seven sudden dips of several inches (very noticeable when you drive over it) due to plate tectonics, plus a couple more of the dips on the way down the other side. There are also humps in the road that are covered in tire marks due to being so sudden. These dips and humps cause the car to lift up, so even though the tires are usually still in contact with the ground, there is less pressure on them than normal, making it more dangerous if a sudden crosswind hits, which often happens the very second you crest the hill. This section is most in need of being ground down and repaved. But this section, the oldest, in the worst shape and the least safe, is NOT being repaved as part of this project.
A (red): This area of the road was recently expanded to include an uphill passing lane, extending the passing lane from an existing one at the bottom of the hill to an existing one at the top of the hill. This project was completed in 2007 or 2008.
B (blue): This is section of road that is being repaved. As of Friday night, all the pavement was down and the road had those temporary striping flaps on it while it awaits permanent stripes to be affixed.
Notice that sections A and B overlap. They have repaved a portion of the road that was redone within the past two years.
C (purple): This section of the road was reworked during this decade. It was moved about 100 feet to the south of the old highway and built higher with some tunnels below it, apparently to prevent flooding of the road (Even though I never saw the old one flood). This section is also sporting new pavement. They have repaved a portion of the highway that was built completely brand new during this decade.
D (green): This is the section of the road that was in the worst shape, by far, of any of the four sections on my map. It has cracks and, as you head up the hill, six or seven sudden dips of several inches (very noticeable when you drive over it) due to plate tectonics, plus a couple more of the dips on the way down the other side. There are also humps in the road that are covered in tire marks due to being so sudden. These dips and humps cause the car to lift up, so even though the tires are usually still in contact with the ground, there is less pressure on them than normal, making it more dangerous if a sudden crosswind hits, which often happens the very second you crest the hill. This section is most in need of being ground down and repaved. But this section, the oldest, in the worst shape and the least safe, is NOT being repaved as part of this project.
