Is There Any Quality Assurance When Roadworks Happen?

Jaystea on 25/10/2020 - 00:46
Last edited 25/10/2020 - 07:42 by 1 other user

I've been driving to Dandenong via the Monash freeway for work lately, and have noticed that the roadworks that was in place over this year has yielded an extremely poor quality road.

I take the road from Glen Waverley to Dandenong exit, and on both ways, the road is crumbly, the tarmac not flattened, with lots of patchy areas. On one stretch that goes for a few hundred metres, the road is almost wavy, and the car bobs from side to side like I'm on a boat.

My question is: Is there any quality assurance when roadworks happen, or do construction just do a slap dash job and GTFO? Are there different companies who do it - or are they all employed under the government? And given it's so bad at the moment - will they fix it again? The Eastern Freeway in to the city, for example, is excellent - and that hasn't had any major roadworks in ages.

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  kanmen on 25/10/2020 - 01:01

  +2

  You probably need a bit of clarity to say you're talking about the Monash.

  Usually they do a resurface at the end of all upgrades pretty sure and the road ends up better than ever. Not really sure what the actual construction process is like but I've typically noticed they strip the road pretty bare for roadworks and re-do it.

  The Government will have a tender process for the company/companies that do it. Usually its Fulton Hogan that gets the contract I think.

  • 

    Jaystea on 25/10/2020 - 01:18

    My mistake - Yes the Monash, have changed to update this.

    Usually they do a resurface at the end of all upgrades

    This makes sense, I was just in disbelief that after fixing the road, it'd be worse off than when it started!

    • 

      BadHorse on 25/10/2020 - 12:42

      This is correct, one of the last steps is called the wearing course. Which is a thin layer that goes over the top of the resurface road, they won't do the wearing course until the everything else is finished.

      VicRoads does a lot of testing and QA on this to make sure the ride quality passes strict test - which include vibrations, deviation and other parts. They have a special vehicle to measure this.

      • 

        try2bhelpful on 25/10/2020 - 13:06

        Yeah, they probably are yet to do the resurface.

      • 

        Euphemistic on 25/10/2020 - 15:03

        In addition they have laser survey vehicles that often run the roads to detect issues before they become problems. Helps with preventative maintenance.

      • 

        kanmen on 25/10/2020 - 15:47

        +1

        This makes a lot of sense. Thanks to yourself and Euphemistic for explaining. All I know is from my observations from it being the major road I travel on for basically my whole life!

        The Monash is always being upgraded and having works done to it just because of the sheer amount of traffic it gets from growth in the South-Eastern Suburbs.

        It did get a major widening/duplication in the last few years but last I've seen it's still having works done which explains why it hasn't been resurfaced yet.

        • 

          BadHorse on 25/10/2020 - 17:42

          @kanmen: Yeah can't comment on how long it's been since it was last properly resurfaced. But they will never be done with adding more lanes - you can't build your way out of congestion by tacking on more lanes and highways due to induced demand.

          By improving the travel time on a given route, you make it more attractive for others to use, so less people might take the train and jump in the car.
          More road users = more congestion = politicians thinking another road/lane will solve it!

          But people seem to vote for more roads so I guess people like roadworks shrugs.

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            kanmen on 25/10/2020 - 20:52

            @BadHorse: Seems to be a catch 22 tbh. It's not just induced demand, it is increased demand. On average 150 families used to move into the City of Casey per week. Our centralised business and job system means that inevitably there is an increasing amount of flow towards the city for work.

            Added onto that the inability of the public transport system to meet that demand by a lack of PT to stations and lack of parking at stations- getting on the freeway seems like an easy and convenient choice but of course then there's the issue of traffic. People are going to complain either way, our governments have no choice but to deal with both.

            I'm just saying it's a bit more nuanced than that. People out here lose out either way.

            But you're right about adding more lanes- pretty sure that's what they're doing now. I saw they're making the road sign gantry (is this what they're called??) wider and more into the sides of the road.

            • 

              BadHorse on 27/10/2020 - 23:33

              @kanmen: Sorry late reply, but yes absolutely it's not all induced demand.

              Yeah lots of places they are adding lanes in the median strip or onto the shoulder area.
              Parts of the Tulla Freeway recently went from 100km/h to 80km/h after additional lanes because they emergency stopping lane (shoulder) isn't wide enough anymore to meet specifications at 100km/h.

              As for PT - your freeway capacity measured in vehicles per lane per hour is around 2,200. Increasing train frequency would clear the same number of people in around 3 trains worth assuming ~730 people per train. So by upgrading train lines to be able to run trains at 13 trains per hour (every 4-5 minutes) instead of 10 trains an hour (every 6 minutes) theoretically moves the same amount of people.

              What the outer burbs suffer from is lack of transport diversity - stations are spread out and not well connected (poor buses connections and frequency) so people choose to drive rather than wait for a poor quality bus service

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                kanmen on 29/10/2020 - 00:00

                @BadHorse: So interesting! I think we have to wait till the Metro train tunnel is done before my line can get to 13 trains per hour so it'll be a few years unfortunately. I think to have trains at this frequency the level crossing removals were absolutely necessary and will have to happen all across the line.

                Currently the Pakenham line has Skyrail up to Dandenong but there are works happening for level crossings to go at some stages between Dandenong and Pakenham. My local station is a busy Premium station that still has a level crossing. I'd never end up getting on a train because I'd be stuck in my car waiting for the crossing to clear if we were at a train every 3-4 mins. But I digress from the topic of Freeway works XD

                100% agree about the lack of transport diversity.

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  Hybroid on 25/10/2020 - 01:23

  This may help: https://www.snapsendsolve.com/

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 25/10/2020 - 10:33

    +1

    You want him to get outta his car on a freeway to take photos…

    • 

      Hybroid on 25/10/2020 - 15:54

      Adding a photo is optional. You can manually set location on a map…

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  Euphemistic on 25/10/2020 - 06:19

  +4

  Is there any quality assurance when roadworks happen,

  Yes. Fairly strict specs to attain. If they miss the spec by a little bit they get paid less (deductions). Ride quality is part of the specification, especially for freeways. If they mess it up a lot, have to redo.

  Are there different companies who do it - or are they all employed under the government?

  Depends on the project, but ultimately the govt pay contractors to do the work. Some toll roads are paid for by contractors and they collect the toll as payment. Again, specifications mean there are minimum standard to meet.

  And given it's so bad at the moment - will they fix it again?

  As mentioned above, it’s not unusual for reconstruction to be a bit piecemeal to keep traffic flowing. Things like realignment and widening really need to be done in sections to maintain traffic access. The last thing they normally do is complete a final overlay from start to finish to smooth it out.

  The eastern freeway in to the city, for example, is excellent - and that hasn't had any major roadworks in ages.

  The base layers of the road should last for decades. Asphalt surface is designed to last for 8-10 years without maintenance at which time the plan to replace the top layer (or two) to maintain a smooth road. Concrete lasts decades on the surface but is typically less smooth, more noisy and is also harder to repair.