While part of Interstate 94 will close this weekend so road crews can resurface it with asphalt, “the voice of America’s cement and concrete industry” has caused controversy by running billboards along the highway claiming concrete roads would last longer.
The sign is posted along I-94 for all to see. It says that concrete lasts three times longer than asphalt.
“Studies have shown that asphalt resurfacing in the metro area last exactly eight years compared to concrete a concrete road will last for 25 years before requiring any maintenance,” said Doug Burns with the Portland Cement Association.
Burns says the national campaign is designed to attract more maintenance dollars from projects like the resurfacing of I-94.
“Thinner concrete overlays can function like an asphalt resurfacing application, but its proven that they do last longer,” said Burns.
Richard Wolters with the Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association says the billboard doesn’t tell the truth.
“I don’t think it’s a fair representation for the taxpayers of Minnesota,” said Wolters.
Wolters says in Minnesota and nationally the highway system is 94 percent asphalt.
He says not only is hot-mix asphalt the best buy for the taxpayer its environmentally friendly.
“After some given useful time it can be picked up and recycled back as a portion of new material,” Wolters said.
However, Burns points to the new I-35W bridge as to why concrete is durable and cost effective.
“The bridge is a good example of the durability of our material. The I-35W bridge is designed with 100 percent concrete and it’s designed to last 100 years,” said Burns.
Wolters says resources would be better spent if both the asphalt and concrete industry work as partners.
That way they can address the needs as well as the funding that is going to be required to preserve the county’s investment in its infrastructure.
16 Reader Comments
7:05 am
IMHO the “25-years before maintenance” claim for concrete roadways is bogus. I can think of two instances of road blowouts on 35W just south of downtown — once in 1987 during that July monsoon (less than 25 years after the highway opened), and another more recent blowout due to extreme temperatures — that caused partial or complete shutdowns of the freeway.
Give it just another couple of winters and there will be maintenance done on the 35W bridge road surface.
Factor in, too, the construction time required for concrete vs. asphalt. No way anyone could resurface even small sections of I-94 with concrete in a weekend. The curing time alone would prevent that from happening.
7:05 am
Sweet, I love a good asphalt v concrete debate.
7:19 am
They get hotter than Georgia asphalt.
7:21 am
Wait until the brick paver crowd starts commenting, kwatt. And don’t get me started on those cobblestone extremists!
7:46 am
Doesn’t asphalt buckle and explode when it gets really hot? Seems to me that would be a problem. Driving on the asphalt streets on some parts of this city is already like driving in Baghdad or Kandahar.
7:50 am
However, Burns points to the new I-35W bridge as to why concrete is durable and cost effective.
You can’t build a bridge out of asphalt. But you can surface roads with it. Cheaper. Bogus argument is bogus.
7:50 am
@rat
and you are an expert on Baghdad and asphalt how again?
7:52 am
Well, aren’t we snippy this fine summer morning.
You’ll notice I was asking a question, indicating I was not an expert, correct?
9:02 am
@Rat: Concrete can also buckle under extreme conditions. A section of I-94 near Lowry Ave buckled just this past May. It’s all concrete along that stretch of the freeway. (The buckle might even have been repaired with asphalt.)
9:31 am
Concrete expansion joints suck – team asphalt.
9:38 am
F@&% Waffles
10:15 am
Given the extremes in temperature we experience here in the Midwest, it’s very difficult — and expensive — to maintain road surfaces of any kind.
Here’s a list of the current MnDOT research projects regarding various road surfacing materials: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/mnroad/projects/. If you ever drive up to St. Cloud, you’ll pass MnDOT’s MnROAD research station near St. Michael where they test not only road surfacing materials but also do real-world testing on road striping options.
10:27 am
As a descendent of Henning Sidewalk Company, I can say with confidence that concrete is more durable. And expansion joints are a lot less troublesome than buckles. I’ve noticed the city has given up patching asphalt – just propping sawhorses in the crevasses, and calling it a day. Maybe we should start patching asphalt with concrete!
11:20 am
Even though more durable, concrete is a far-noisier surface. For this reason alone, asphalt is the preferred choice for urban highways.
10:08 am
Take a good look at how they do their major roads in Germany. They build up a 24\ structure, with the primary layer being concrete. Then they put on a top coat of asphalt that can be removed and recycled every few years. Their roads put ours to shame. If the concrete guy thinks his product will last 25 years without repair in Minnesota, I’d like to see him prove it. Repairing roads with concrete is a total misconcept. Concrete should be used for the primary body, not the surface.
4:28 pm
All I want to know is when we will have road markings that last longer than a month. It’s 2010 and it still seems like the bike lane markings they laid out are gone before they dry.