The New Wyatt Earp Won't Last Long

[Bubba]

I've noticed a very disturbing trend lately. Drive down Wyatt Earp that was just re-done of an early morning and sometimes late at night and notice that the city is watering the concrete street along with the grass on the sides and on the median. Not only is that a huge waste of water (wasn't there an article in the paper just the other day about how the aquifer is dropping fast?) but watering the street allows the water to seep into the expansion joints cut into the concrete and soak the dirt under the concrete. Once the dirt under the concrete is wet then the traffic driving on the street moves that wet packed dirt that used to support the concrete around. The next thing you know the concrete street has big cracks and potholes and everybody wonders why our brand new street has turned to crap.

To illustrate this point take a good hard look at the northbound lane of 14th in front of Dillon's. That part of 14th isn't that old, but with all the water and traffic on that street there are big cracks and potholes in that fairly new street. The amount of water put on Wyatt Earp is much more than what has/is on 14th.

The city isn't the only ones watering the new concrete street though. You can look at Burger King and Taco Bell of a morning and see that their automatic sprinklers are watering the street as well.

With the amount of water and traffic on Wyatt Earp I give it one or two years and we will be spending big bucks (taxpayer money) in street repair. That will end my rant of the morning. Thank you.

[KONQ RADIO]

I was told that the original specs called for the concrete to be poured over an asphalt (non-porous) sub grade; but it was poured over an aggregate (think 'sponge').

[Jolly Rancher]

I agree. I have bitched since the beginning about the sprinkler system. Why on earth would an engineer not know that there is wind in SW KS (other than the fact that we don't hire an engineer from KS).

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by KONQ RADIO

...(think 'sponge').

Exactly!!

[aft_lizard01]

Originally Posted by KONQ RADIO

I was told that the original specs called for the concrete to be poured over an asphalt (non-porous) sub grade; but it was poured over an aggregate (think 'sponge').

I am no engineer but if it was the noon-porous I think that would be worse than the porous as the water wouldn't be able to escape necessarily as it would be trapped between layers, porous would allow the water to seep through many levels and eventually into the substrate underneath the road.

[Made in the USA]

It doesn't matter. The cattle trucks and semi's will have it broken up before they get the bypass done anyway!! I would have thought that they would have gotten the bypass done, and outlawed trucks in town, BEFORE they re-did the streets!!

[Tee]

Originally Posted by Made in the USA

It doesn't matter. The cattle trucks and semi's will have it broken up before they get the bypass done anyway!! I would have thought that they would have gotten the bypass done, and outlawed trucks in town, BEFORE they re-did the streets!!

That would require wisdom and forethought.

[KONQ RADIO]

Originally Posted by aft_lizard01

I am no engineer but if it was the noon-porous I think that would be worse than the porous as the water wouldn't be able to escape necessarily as it would be trapped between layers, porous would allow the water to seep through many levels and eventually into the substrate underneath the road.

The Southeast bypass is similar except they provided drains that can become noticeable by the growth of the ditch-weed.

[pootsy]

Originally Posted by Tee

That would require wisdom and forethought.

They thought about it im sure and they decided to do it this year so JAG would have more work to do in a couple years.

[lowflight]

Originally Posted by Made in the USA

It doesn't matter. The cattle trucks and semi's will have it broken up before they get the bypass done anyway!! I would have thought that they would have gotten the bypass done, and outlawed trucks in town, BEFORE they re-did the streets!!

Even after the new bypass is built it won't slow the heavy truck traffic down (southwest bypass too far out of the way) and there is no way our local law enforcement (both city & county) have the manpower (or care) to enforce the "no truck rules" I don't think there is an "ordinance" yet that addresses truck traffic through town. I guess we will have to wait and see.