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People who drive the North Umpqua Highway between Roseburg and Glide on a daily basis deserve to be a little cranky. Not only did they face construction delays on the four-lane road this past summer, but since then they've been dealing with flying rocks — rocks that crack windshields and leave pockmarks in paint jobs.
Some would say those are the hazards of driving. Just like you never know what another driver might do to put you at risk, and you never know the condition of the roadway until you travel it.
In this case, however, the number of complaints the state received about the chip-seal project on Highway 138 East has Oregon Department of Transportation officials and the contractor returning to the scene to see what's causing the problem.
Shortly after News-Review reporter Heather Morse wrote a story about the situation, ODOT employees, along with those from contractor Copeland Sand and Gravel of Medford, walked the section of highway that seems to be creating the most trouble.
Near what's known as Blacktop Hill, about seven miles east of Roseburg, lies a one-mile stretch where excess rock is kicking up and causing the majority of the damage.
ODOT spokesman Jared Castle said he can only speculate on what may have caused the failure. Maybe the temperature was too low, the oil too thick or thin, or the coating on the rocks came off too quickly when the chip seal was laid. But for some reason, the rocks didn't adhere to the oil and compact into the surface of the highway.
At this point, Castle said ODOT and the contractor are focused on how to fix the problem and make the highway safe for travelers.
“There's still plenty of time to figure out whose fault it is,” he said, noting that the contractor did the work but ODOT inspected the project so either could be culpable.
He said the two entities will meet on the highway again this week, but he anticipates the problem area will be ground down to the original surface the week after Thanksgiving and it will remain that way through the winter.
When warmer weather returns next summer, they will take another shot at the chip seal.
It's unfortunate the resurfacing work did so much damage to the vehicles of Douglas County residents because the project was funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, better known as stimulus funds.
It was a $3.3 million project that included 25 miles of chip-seal coating on Highway 138E — designed to extend the life of a road that hadn't been paved since 1996 — along with 12 miles of U.S. 199 in Josephine County.
ODOT awarded one contract for both projects to save money in issuing contracts and to ensure the successful bidder would be able to keep crews working longer.
Considering the fact that stimulus funds allowed ODOT to double the amount of highway work done in a typical summer, Castle sees flying rock in a one-mile stretch as a hiccup in an otherwise smooth work season.
We hope those who have filed paperwork with the state to be reimbursed for damages are successful. That may soothe the hassle of having to replace windshields.
We have to wonder if the unusual twist to this story is the domino effect of the stimulus funds. It seems the flawed roadwork may have also kept insurance adjusters busy and boosted the business of glass companies and auto body shops.
Some would say those are the hazards of driving. Just like you never know what another driver might do to put you at risk, and you never know the condition of the roadway until you travel it.
In this case, however, the number of complaints the state received about the chip-seal project on Highway 138 East has Oregon Department of Transportation officials and the contractor returning to the scene to see what's causing the problem.
Shortly after News-Review reporter Heather Morse wrote a story about the situation, ODOT employees, along with those from contractor Copeland Sand and Gravel of Medford, walked the section of highway that seems to be creating the most trouble.
Near what's known as Blacktop Hill, about seven miles east of Roseburg, lies a one-mile stretch where excess rock is kicking up and causing the majority of the damage.
ODOT spokesman Jared Castle said he can only speculate on what may have caused the failure. Maybe the temperature was too low, the oil too thick or thin, or the coating on the rocks came off too quickly when the chip seal was laid. But for some reason, the rocks didn't adhere to the oil and compact into the surface of the highway.
At this point, Castle said ODOT and the contractor are focused on how to fix the problem and make the highway safe for travelers.
“There's still plenty of time to figure out whose fault it is,” he said, noting that the contractor did the work but ODOT inspected the project so either could be culpable.
He said the two entities will meet on the highway again this week, but he anticipates the problem area will be ground down to the original surface the week after Thanksgiving and it will remain that way through the winter.
When warmer weather returns next summer, they will take another shot at the chip seal.
It's unfortunate the resurfacing work did so much damage to the vehicles of Douglas County residents because the project was funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, better known as stimulus funds.
It was a $3.3 million project that included 25 miles of chip-seal coating on Highway 138E — designed to extend the life of a road that hadn't been paved since 1996 — along with 12 miles of U.S. 199 in Josephine County.
ODOT awarded one contract for both projects to save money in issuing contracts and to ensure the successful bidder would be able to keep crews working longer.
Considering the fact that stimulus funds allowed ODOT to double the amount of highway work done in a typical summer, Castle sees flying rock in a one-mile stretch as a hiccup in an otherwise smooth work season.
We hope those who have filed paperwork with the state to be reimbursed for damages are successful. That may soothe the hassle of having to replace windshields.
We have to wonder if the unusual twist to this story is the domino effect of the stimulus funds. It seems the flawed roadwork may have also kept insurance adjusters busy and boosted the business of glass companies and auto body shops.
