The North Carolina Department of Transportation began repaving a 10.4-mile stretch of Interstate-40 last week, which has inconvenienced some students, especially when commuting to campus.
The section of road to be replaced runs roughly from the Orange-Durham county line on I-40 in an easterly direction to the interchange of N.C. 147 and I-40, according to Phillip Johnson, the resident engineer in charge of the project.
“The concrete bond overlay has failed, and certain places have been replaced that were the worst areas,” Johnson said. “There is cracking in some areas, but [the cracking] is not uniformly distributed through the entire corridor.”
The repaving of this stretch of the interstate was necessary, regardless of the inconvenience posed to the traveling public, according to Johnson.
“We already take into account the traffic on the road, but [the pavement] has to be replaced, there is no choice,” he said. “It has to be done because eventually [the pavement] would fail to the point where it would be difficult to maintain the road.”
According to Johnson, the roads are currently nowhere near that point.
Johnson also said there is delamination, or de-bonding, between the existing concrete and the concrete overlay, that is occurring on I-40. Delamination can result in the formation of pot holes in the road that present a safety hazard for travelers.
Allison Bowles, a senior in textile and apparel management, said although she knows the road needs to be repaved, it irritates her to have to deal with all the construction.
“When I go home, it will be inconvenient,” Bowles said. “When the road is noticeably in disrepair, it should be replaced.”
“Around here I haven’t noticed [I-40] being that unsafe or in disrepair,” she said.
Jessica Bowen, an I-40 traveler and freshman in international studies, said she thinks the inconvenience of dealing with the construction is worth it if it lasts only for a short time, or if the improvements to I-40 are especially helpful.
“When it’s really congested and people are trying to get where they are going, it can be a little scary and turn into an accident,” she said. “Accidents hold up traffic and make it more inconvenient [to drive I-40].”
Lauren Stanulis, a sophomore in chemical engineering and off-campus student, said the traffic affects students commuting to school, and the deterioration has created a safety hazard for travelers on I-40.
“A lot of times people tend to forget that there are a lot of off-campus students that have a significant commute,” Stanulis said. “There is a point where the deterioration of the road becomes a safety hazard. It should be taken care of.”
Jessica Sturdevant, a junior in animal science, said she makes sure to drive during the day to avoid nighttime lane closures.
“When I come back from home I have to leave earlier to make sure I allow time for construction,” Sturdevant said. “When I drive on [I-40] and they close down lanes early, it causes a lot of traffic.”
According to Sturdevant, roads need to be replaced when they develop pot holes that could be dangerous for travelers.
Lane closures on I-40 East and West can occur from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday and 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays until the project is finished, according to a press release.
As many as nine weekend closures could occur, beginning at 8 p.m. Fridays and ending at 6 a.m. Mondays. However, there will be no daytime closures Monday through Friday, and during nighttime and weekend closures, one lane will remain open.
According to the press release, the work will not normally affect both eastbound and westbound lanes at the same time. Lane closures will be coordinated so as not to interfere with holiday traffic or traffic from other events such as football and basketball games.
The speed limit will be 55 miles per hour when lanes are closed and 65 miles per hour otherwise. There will be a $250 fine for speeding in the work zone, regardless of whether lanes are closed or not.
All work is weather permitting, according to the press release. The work will stop in November of this year and will continue in March 2008 when warmer weather returns.
Funding for the project is through the Federal Highway Administration and comes from federal and state taxes, according to Johnson. The repaving should be complete by May 2008, according to the press release.
