PA Gas Tax Increase Kicks In

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by ki0eh

I think the state road folks have been doing better in ths regard. However they do have standards that disallow a permanent repair with plant mixed asphalt during the time when most potholes open up. Asphalt plants close for the winter and the cost to open one up for a day is pretty significant so it won't happen just for a pothole or two. In PENNDOT Publication 408, Section 409

(35 F for base course)
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Why waste money for paving that last only a week or less? Cold patch, applied properly, can last for years. I once paved a commercial parking lot with cold patch and it lasted a decade+. The key to applying it is to put it down on a dry surface and roll it. Our State will come out and throw it into a cold, wet, holes and rely on traffic to roll it. Sometimes motorist will try to avoid the patch to keep tar off their vehicles. If our State simply rolled it; is should last much longer. Preferably we could come up with some form of space heater to blowout, dry, and heat the holes before the cold patch application. I think that would lead to a longer lasting patch. Our State recently paved one roadway close to my house that only lasted days - so why waste the time and money? You can cite regulations - but why have the regulation if it cost money?

[ki0eh]

Well, they could get one of these for each county maintenance yard, after the next gas tax increase: Python 5000 Pothole Patcher

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by ki0eh

Well, they could get one of these for each county maintenance yard, after the next gas tax increase: Python 5000 Pothole Patcher

The description sounds good. But we had many that bought into that older technology - that also does not last. I don't know what you call it? But I am talking about the similar machine that blows the mix into the hole - but they did not roll that one. This one, in your link, specifies that the machine rolls the new paving material.

Why would PA have a regulation that patches cannot last?

[ki0eh]

They are supposed to go back and fix them during the summer. I actually observe this, relatively often anymore, a credit to PENNDOT.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by ki0eh

They are supposed to go back and fix them during the summer. I actually observe this, relatively often anymore, a credit to PENNDOT.

I seriously doubt that they remember every single pothole that they temporarily patched last winter - unless their patching failed.

I was a truck driver up until about five years ago when I retired. What I have always wanted was for PA to mimic the very best practices from other states. If somebody does something better than us; I want us equal those practices or improve upon them. Safety for road workers and motorist is not camping out on an interstate forever. Speed, when it comes to roadwork, saves lives. Everyday we constrict traffic or slow it down; we take a chance of somebody dying or seriously injured. Nine out of ten work zone accidents kill motorist - not pedestrian workers.

I have heard all of the excuses over the years. I don't want excuses; I want progress. If we are rated last or even second place; I want us to be in first place. I can picture a football fan or baseball fan saying they don't care! I care where my money is spent and how we spend it.

[trackstar13]

Got gas this morning in Northeast Ohio for $3.15 per gallon and when I got back to PA I noticed it was $3.45 per gallon. Gas tax?

[blazerj]

Originally Posted by trackstar13

Got gas this morning in Northeast Ohio for $3.15 per gallon and when I got back to PA I noticed it was $3.45 per gallon. Gas tax?

Yes, but not necessarily this new gas tax (which is $0.095/ gallon).