Do Austin Roads Seem Bumpier than Normal?

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by creepy

I noticed over the past several months several roads that turn left onto the IH-35 access road have been changed from double turn lanes to single, which makes it particularly bad during rush hours. I find it an odd decision seeing as we have just as much if not more traffic each week.

I wonder if it's because of accidents due to people not staying in their lane when they turn in those locations?

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

I wonder if it's because of accidents due to people not staying in their lane when they turn in those locations?

It IS amazing how many people just cross the line into the adjacent lane in order to "cut the corner". Apparently, physics and geometry understanding have joined common sense as 'things of the past'.

[ScoPro]

One thing is for sure - city utility backhoe machines apparently have fresh asphalt sensors. Because not long after road building contractors get the new pavement finished, the city invariably comes along to dig holes & trenches in it.
Of course the patched repairs are always done have-assed and leave an ugly mismatched bump in the road. Just a personal conclusion after almost 60 years of first hand observations in the Austin area.

[Snowpacked]

Originally Posted by cBach

I think part of the reason is the weather in California. Here you have extreme heat, rain, freezing weather, & ice storms. This leads to severe buckling of the roads.

I would have to say that the metering lights in California are a good idea and I wish we had it here. Dallas and Houston have it in places but nowhere as consistently. Trying to merge onto I-35 at rush hour is problematic, the metering lights would solve it.

That is a pretty flimsy reason for us having bad roads here.
Above or near the 34 parallel and that is accurate.

[ScoPro]

Yep, it’s a result of poor design, inferior construction, and lack of proper maintenance.
Not to mention lack of proper funding.

[Westerner92]

Originally Posted by ScoPro

One thing is for sure - city utility backhoe machines apparently have fresh asphalt sensors. Because not long after road building contractors get the new pavement finished, the city invariably comes along to dig holes & trenches in it.
Of course the patched repairs are always done have-assed and leave an ugly mismatched bump in the road. Just a personal conclusion after almost 60 years of first hand observations in the Austin area.

Vehicle sensors involve a single saw cut to the pavement, but no trenching. Wet utilities would involve trenching, which if it was planned, was a lack of communication between city departments, but otherwise an emergency repair. Dry utilities would be the patches from where private utility companies directionally drill their conduit under the road. Speaking from personal experience, the more powerful the utility company, the more likely they are to drag their feet and only get around to installing/relocating utilities until after the pavement work is complete even if they’ve been included in the design process from the very beginning.