INTERSTATE 71, which is known as "interstate 540" in northwest arkansas, and probably by many other names as it surges from new orleans to minneapolis, is one of the truly great highways in america, the backbone of america, if you will, the primary northsouth conduit in the nation's heartland.
The highway started out, like all other highways, as an animal trail, became a human foot trail, then a dirt road, and finaly, a two lane blacktop, before finishing its development as a gleaming smooth four lane thoroughfare up and down the nation's spine.
The northwest arkansas stretch is particularly beautiful, gently rolling up and down green ozark hills. It was finished in its four lane form right before the turn of the millenium. The problem with it now it that certain parts of it are cracking, badly.
About halfway between ft smith and fayetteville is a tunnel through a mountain called the "Bobby Hopper" tunnel. One wonders if this tunnel even needs to exist; the mountain through which it was drilled could by all appearances have been circumnavigated or topped at much less expense.
The concrete around the tunnel is cracking, and repair work will cost much, and is unavoidable. The cracking is caused by the particular type of concrete used in making the highway. The actual cracking process is called alkiline silicon reaction, or "ASR".
Concrete, which consists of a gravel like substance with a hard drying sticky substance filling in between the grains, comes in many formulas. the basic idea of cement concrete was invented by the ancient romans, and the invention permitted the building of the roman empire.
Of all the types of concrete available, the one which cracks most was used on this stretch of highway, though all concrete is subject to some degree of cracking with use and weather. But the important issue is the expense, and the unavoidable necessity of maintaining our vast network of roads and highways and bridges, regardless of expense.
How can an already bankrupt nation maintain a world wide empire, a huge complex of entitlement programs, and a vast network of transportation? The answer, in short, is that it can't, and will ultimately have to pick and choose. Perhaps all of the above will have to be cut back considerably, that all the above might survive, in some reduced form. The choices we face are upon us even now; we had best prepare to meet them head on.
No comments:
Post a Comment