New asphalt mix faces big test
| • | Map: Eastbound H-1 lanes to be closed |
By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Transportation Writer
The state plans to close parts of H-1 Freeway this evening for repaving in what officials say will be one of the largest applications yet of its new Wespro asphalt mix.
Up to three eastbound freeway lanes from the Waiau Interchange to Ka'amilo Street overpass will be closed at one time through the night and early morning while crews put a new layer of the material over deteriorated stretches of the road.
The work is scheduled to last from 10 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. The Waiau eastbound on-ramp will be closed the entire time.
The project will use up to 15 tons of the Wespro asphalt mix, which the state first began buying in bulk late last year, said Michael Medeiros, a field engineer in the Highways Division's road maintenance branch.
Previously, the product was available only in 5-gallon buckets making it suitable for fixing potholes but not large-scale projects, he said.
"This is an area where there are a lot of big potholes, and we're going to go in and fix that with a skin patch. We will go all the way across the freeway instead of just doing individual potholes as in the past," Medeiros said.
The Wespro asphalt mix, which sells for about $600 a ton (compared with $65 to $75 a ton for traditional hot-mix asphalt) enables the highway crews to work large-scale projects at night because it does not harden right away. It also can be used in wet conditions.
"We can buy a big dump-truck load of it and keep using it without having to worry about it going hard right away," Medeiros said.
Traditional hot-mix asphalt has to be used right away because it hardens so fast — usually in less than four hours; the manufacturer claims that Wespro remains useable for up to four weeks, Medeiros said.
Initially, three eastbound lanes of the freeway will be closed tonight for repaving. Once the new pavement hardens, within an hour of being put down, officials will open those lanes and close off the remaining two lanes for repaving.
The crews also will try to repave at least one small area in the westbound lanes of the freeway during the night, Medeiros said.
Officials hope to have the entire repaving project done in one night, but may have to extend the work to Friday night, he said.
Motorists should anticipate some delays, allow for extra travel time and use caution while driving through the work area and alternate routes, state officials said.
Reach Mike Leidemann at 525-5460 or mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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