For those coming through Atlanta in the next 6 months...Don't.

jimbbski wrote: I don't see why it should take that long. If you remember there was a gas tanker fire on an overpass in the San Fran area a few years ago. I believe they repaired that overpass is less than 45 days. Perhaps there are alternative to using this section of highway vrs the San Fran highway so why rush to repair?

I looked it up. 26 days for the repair. This is a guess, since I'm not DOT, and I'm not a civ engineer.

With the 580 collapse, it was 3 lanes, and a short section. They reused the pillars (if thats what they are called?), so the work was just replacing the section in between. With this, there's no way those pillars are being reused. From the pics, the ones in the middle of the heat are significantly damaged. Its also 12 lanes, and I'm sure more than just one section will have to be replaced.

Kreb wrote: Compare that to the Freeway that collapsed after the Northridge earthquake (Southern California), and they had it replaced in about the time it takes to form an exploratory committee up here.

I was going to say they need to hire THAT contractor. He finished it way early and got a big fat bonus.

It seems like this would be a good place to divert some of the materials they were planning on building that wall along the southern border of the U.S. to.

Kreb wrote:

Advan046 wrote:

Kreb wrote: If that was in Northern California, it'd be a three-year repair. In Southern California, they'd have it fixed for Memorial Day weekend.

Please explain the estimates you have here?

It was a joke. In liberal North California (where I reside), they spend so long trying to hear everyone's input, that I've actually seen federal grants expire and the funds revoked on significant projects. Compare that to the Freeway that collapsed after the Northridge earthquake (Southern California), and they had it replaced in about the time it takes to form an exploratory committee up here.

Oh ok I was just curious because there are many ways things get to go fast or slow with infrastructure work. Living in the Metro DC area there is a funny mix of both. Some project are done a year ahead of schedule and others are abandoned in place at 90% completion. Not sure how a county just stops building a road but it happened, you can get to 200m of the main road that it was supposed to connect to but that is as far as you go just some portable wood barricades.

Depending on the exact nature of the construction area, public input can get sticky. In Northern VA there are more and more sound walls going up along the freeways whenever major road surface work is done. Interesting that I don't hear about it on the news when in the wealthy parts, it just appears, but when in the poorer cities it is a big debate about the expense. C.R.E.A.M.

Whenever I head to Road Atlanta from FL, I always avoid I-75, and going through Atlanta. I'll take US-1 to 441 and travel through rural Georgia. It's a nice, relaxing drive with roads interesting enough to enjoy, and hardly any traffic. It may take an extra 1/2 hour, or hour---- heck, I'd still take this route if it took 2 hours more just to avoid the frustration.

Anyone heading North to the Mitty--- I'd recommend traveling East of Atlanta until Athens or so-- then cut West. I especially look forward to the drive home after the event. I usually get out of the track just before dusk on Sunday--- so the drive home is very relaxed.

spitfirebill wrote:

Kreb wrote: Compare that to the Freeway that collapsed after the Northridge earthquake (Southern California), and they had it replaced in about the time it takes to form an exploratory committee up here.

I was going to say they need to hire THAT contractor. He was offered a big fat bonus to finish it way early.

As the husband of a heavy highway construction estimator/project manager - I fixed that for you. You want to see a company come up with ways to get stuff done, offer them an early completion bonus.

Also, posted to the Exomotive website this morning...

Kreb wrote:

Advan046 wrote:

Kreb wrote: If that was in Northern California, it'd be a three-year repair. In Southern California, they'd have it fixed for Memorial Day weekend.

Please explain the estimates you have here?

It was a joke. In liberal North California (where I reside), they spend so long trying to hear everyone's input, that I've actually seen federal grants expire and the funds revoked on significant projects. Compare that to the Freeway that collapsed after the Northridge earthquake (Southern California), and they had it replaced in about the time it takes to form an exploratory committee up here.

After that earthquake, the government suspended a LOT of various planning/bidding stages in order to get E36 M3 done as quickly as possible, the (correct) operating theory being that perfect is the enemy of good enough.

In times of non-emergency, you can take your time to try to do it perfect. When you have a major catastrophe like this, you just don't have time for that.

So without any further information on how a large section of road catches fire and melts, and not enough care to search it out...I'm going to assume either spontaneous combustion, or a ginormous magnifying glass.

I used to go running in that area when I lived in ATL. There are some abandoned railroad tracks that intersect under that bridge. I often find homeless taking shelter where they store those pipes. I bet it was a little hobo campfire gone wrong.

Remember, only YOU can prevent PVC fires.

Back in the day, when I lived in Tampa, I came across a truck roll over. Truck loaded with big green plastic pipes went too fast on an exit / merge lane. Simple roll over. But fuel tanks ruptured, caught fire. Just a little fire, but more and more plastic ignited. Tampa FD arrived, but water did not affect the blaze. This was happening on the perimeter of Tampa airport. A little fire truck from there arrived. Two round tanks on the back. Two firemen got out, donned their gear, pulled out ONE hose. Calmly walked over to the fire and hit it with a 10 second burst of foam. Fire was instantly out. Incredible to watch. But this was a far smaller amount of PVC. Remembering this incident, I can see how this could bring down a bridge. That stuff burns very hot and smoky, very difficult to extinguish.

In reply to cwh:

Probably brominated foam. That stuff actually interferes with the combustion process. It doesn't need to remove the oxygen or lower the fuel's temperature the way just dumping water on it works.

In reply to Tom_Spangler:

Brilliant. Nothing short of brilliant....

In reply to Advan046:

I've noticed that in Metro DC (Baltimore here, but still within DC's gravitational pull), too. Those new fancy toll roads sure got built in a hurry.

Keith Tanner wrote:

spitfirebill wrote:

Kreb wrote: Compare that to the Freeway that collapsed after the Northridge earthquake (Southern California), and they had it replaced in about the time it takes to form an exploratory committee up here.

I was going to say they need to hire THAT contractor. He was offered a big fat bonus to finish it way early.

As the husband of a heavy highway construction estimator/project manager - I fixed that for you. You want to see a company come up with ways to get stuff done, offer them an early completion bonus.

I was actually living 4 miles from the epicenter of that quake, and managed to sleep through it.

We had to drive through the northern I5 collapses to get to the track every Saturday and weren't terribly inconvenienced, but weekdays added 3 hours to round trip commutes when it was at it's worst. (Assuming you were traveling with traffic.)

IIRC, the contractor that got the job was offered a substantial bonus for every day they finished early. The state tried to reneg when he came in 6 months ahead of schedule until it went to court.

Somebody was real pissed about the Braves moving north.

Tom_Spangler wrote: Unconfirmed reports have this man sighted in the area with a box of matches:

You win

Hmm I'm traveling to north GA from central FL wonder if this will effect my trip.

I'm waiting to hear more about the cause.

I having trouble believing that pile of HDPE (not PVC) would cause enough heat to cause this kind of a failure.

Joe Gearin wrote: Whenever I head to Road Atlanta from FL, I always avoid I-75, and going through Atlanta. I'll take US-1 to 441 and travel through rural Georgia. It's a nice, relaxing drive with roads interesting enough to enjoy, and hardly any traffic. It may take an extra 1/2 hour, or hour---- heck, I'd still take this route if it took 2 hours more just to avoid the frustration.

I had a temp job in Tifton GA one year and coming from Spartanburg, I would do the same thing. I would hit the interstate around Macon.

We had a somewhat of a similar event here in Spartanburg years ago. An inspection found cracking in a bridge on I-85 over Lawson Fork Creek. The contractor set up a temp bridge like the military would use off to the side and rebuilt the damaged bridge in a few weeks working 24/7. He too got a bonus.

SVreX wrote: I'm waiting to hear more about the cause. I having trouble believing that pile of HDPE (not PVC) would cause enough heat to cause this kind of a failure.

I have no problem believing there was enough heat. I witnessed a couple of controlled plastic burns at the Factory Mutual facility outside Boston, Mass. The heat built to 400 or 500 degrees in less than two minutes. When the sprinkler heads went off the water wouldn't make it to the floor, turning to steam instead. The weight of the plastics involved was less than 3000 pounds. It was put out in 5 minutes, so the heat wasn't allowed to heat up the ceiling of the concrete bunker.

Don't worry, Keannu's gonna get us through!

Atlanta traffic was difficult especially during rush hours. People stayed off the roads Friday and spring break is this coming week. But school will be back week after next and then the real fun will begin. Officials recommend 285 to go around town. Which will likely go from stupid to insane during rush hours. If you have to come through you may want to plan doing so during off peak hours. Also be aware that Atlanta drivers used to be courteous but with the regions growth some have taken to emergency lane racing, lane cutting, non signal cut offs,red light running, four lane changes, intersection blocking, two lanes turning and every other jerk wad technique. Two people have been shot on my primary commute in the last twelve months. One fatally two days ago.

Also be aware that Atlanta drivers used to be courteous

That can't possibly have been true since maybe the 1960s.

In reply to SPG123:

This is the primary reason I never got a concealed carry permit.