Road resurfacing work

[mumbo jumbo]

We all moan about pothole and generally shite road surfaces. And rightly so. But credit where credit's due. Bham City Council seem to be doing a huge amount of resurfacing work at the moment. And I'm not just talking about filling holes. This is the complete resurfacing of whole roads. Particularly impressive in these times of austerity.

On my "patch" of southern Bham I can think of probably 15 roads that have had "full works" treatment in the last few months. And those are just the ones I come across. There are bound to be loads more just off my normal routes. In the last week I've chanced upon Oakfield Road (Selly Park) and tonight Wake Green Rd (Moseley) getting the treatment.

I'm particularly grateful that my own road in Hall Green and Liverpool Street in Digbeth have been done as they were true bone rattlers!

Don't get me wrong, there's loads more they can be doing but I wonder if anyone else is seeing similar?

 

[henshaw11]

They've just top-dressed a 1/4 mile length of 40mph nr Chertsey/Walton/Shepperton, down here in surrey. I can't recall the surface being *that* bad (wide, with a cycle path on one side, and that's where I normally am). But they've completely ignored the next 15-20 yrds between the next two lots of pedestrian reservations (in the 30mph section), and the surface is utterly shot to sh*t because previous top dressing's coming away

 

[2PedalsTez]

But they've completely ignored the next 15-20 yrds between the next two lots of pedestrian reservations (in the 30mph section), and the surface is utterly shot to sh*t because previous top dressing's coming away

I've often wondered how councils chose the stretch of road to dress? (you always seem to find that stretch straight after that is terrible)
Speaking for myself, I always have a certain amount of dread when I see a road sign warning of a newly dressed road (tar and chipping I guess you call it). It just seems like a way of visibly hiding and smoothing the potholes without fixing them.

Round my area there are several areas of road that have be properly surfaced from the winter issues... in many cases that surface is already breaking up!

 

[Twizit]

They've just top-dressed a 1/4 mile length of 40mph nr Chertsey/Walton/Shepperton, down here in surrey. I can't recall the surface being *that* bad (wide, with a cycle path on one side, and that's where I normally am). But they've completely ignored the next 15-20 yrds between the next two lots of pedestrian reservations (in the 30mph section), and the surface is utterly shot to sh*t because previous top dressing's coming away

Yup it's that time of the year in Surrey when they throw down loads of lose chippings in the vague hope it will improve the roads. Pot holes will be back in no time at all and the surface is absolutely lethal to ride on the motorbike, and damn unpleasant on the cycle.

 

[GrasB]

There's a bit of road I was riding on that switched between fresh beautifully laid asphalt & gawd damn awful stuff falling to bits with multiple layers of top dressing falling apart... On the 4th or 5th transition I realised it was where county boundaries changed... of course after a steep section of nice smooth stuff coming across the awful stuff was er... slightly challenging at >40mph

 

[Asprilla]

They've just top-dressed a 1/4 mile length of 40mph nr Chertsey/Walton/Shepperton, down here in surrey. I can't recall the surface being *that* bad (wide, with a cycle path on one side, and that's where I normally am). But they've completely ignored the next 15-20 yrds between the next two lots of pedestrian reservations (in the 30mph section), and the surface is utterly shot to sh*t because previous top dressing's coming away

Are they using the 'chip n seal' technique that they've used from Walton to Molesey? It's just a terrible road surface for cycling on and it doesn't improve over time. It also mean that road furniture like drain covers are now two inches lower than the road surface and I suspect the drains themselves have had their flow restricted by being filled excess chips.

This is the olympic road route we are talking about.....

 

[Night Train]

It must be the time for it.

The main road at the end of my street has just been top surfaced.
Not sure why as it wasn't that bad. Now it is a river of loose chippings and has already formed chip free tram lines where the lorry tyres run.

Not cycled on it yet, daren't, but driving it is just a shower of grit under and over the car.

Interesting roller though, pnumatic tyres with an offset so that they overlap on the road surface.

(Yeah, I am sad enough to stop and take photos of the plant!)

 

[ManiaMuse]

I pinged a loose chipping at a car this morning. Tyres at 120psi probably helped but it made an awesome noise loud enough for another cyclist to turn and look.

 

[mumbo jumbo]

Can't say that I've noticed any particular problems with the results of the resurfacing work going on here. It's a dream to ride on compared to what it was like before.

 

[al78]

Yup it's that time of the year in Surrey when they throw down loads of lose chippings in the vague hope it will improve the roads. Pot holes will be back in no time at all and the surface is absolutely lethal to ride on the motorbike, and damn unpleasant on the cycle.

Yeah tell me about it, plus my legs get pebble-dashed every time I am overtaken.

Having said that when traveling to work today there was a really atrocious section of road near Ewhurst brickworks that was being resurfaced with proper tarmac and had been finished when I came home this evening. That should make the ride to work tomorrow a little more pleasant. Well done Surrey council.

 

[BrumJim]

I took a detour recently down the Pershore Road, just so I could enjoy some new flat tarmac fun.

Yes, its good.