OFFICIAL SITE - Quick Throttle® Magazine - Northwest Edition - WARNING! : HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION HAZARD COURTESY OF THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WARNING! : HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION HAZARD COURTESY OF THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Over the past few weeks we have gotten many e-mails regarding a new method that the DOT is using to connect or interface old, existing pavement with new pavement or patches. At the seam of the old and new pavement, hot liquid tar is poured the length of the seam and along both sides of the seam. The tar dries very quickly resulting in a shiny, glass like surface. When wet from rain it is like ice only worse. The problem compounds when the seam is irregular and goes off at an angle. Often the rear tire will lose its traction patch and begin to come around resulting in a slide. Attempts to steer out as you do in most slides will usually fail as the bike has lost all its traction.

If one section of pavement is higher or lower than the other and this poured tar method is used, you get an effect on the road much like a railroad track type “bump” where none is expected. Again if the “track” goes off at an angle the degree of difficulty increases dramatically. We know of several riders going down from these patches including recent incidents on Hwy 3 near the Bremerton Airport. Be vigilant, be aware and look ahead for “shiny” spots when in an area that has recently been worked on. More importantly contact the D.O.T. and ask that this method be altered by adding rock chips or some non skid product to the surface of the tar as it hardens. BE CAREFUL! The rainy season is here with a vengeance! QT.

CONTACT: www.wsdot.wa.gov, then click on Construction.

PS: You should also be aware of the new, deeper, wider grooved pavement that is being used for pre-paving as well as water run off. Certain brands and tire sizes actually get caught in the grooves and steer in the direction that the groove is going.


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NATIONAL HOME ABOUT US ARCHIVES BIKER FRIENDLY BIKER GALLERY BIKER NEWS EDITORIAL OUR ADVERTISERS RIDE & EVENTS CALENDAR ADVERTISING INFO H-D's FOR SALE LINK TO US SUBSCRIBE	WARNING! : HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION HAZARD COURTESY OF THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Over the past few weeks we have gotten many e-mails regarding a new method that the DOT is using to connect or interface old, existing pavement with new pavement or patches. At the seam of the old and new pavement, hot liquid tar is poured the length of the seam and along both sides of the seam. The tar dries very quickly resulting in a shiny, glass like surface. When wet from rain it is like ice only worse. The problem compounds when the seam is irregular and goes off at an angle. Often the rear tire will lose its traction patch and begin to come around resulting in a slide. Attempts to steer out as you do in most slides will usually fail as the bike has lost all its traction. If one section of pavement is higher or lower than the other and this poured tar method is used, you get an effect on the road much like a railroad track type “bump” where none is expected. Again if the “track” goes off at an angle the degree of difficulty increases dramatically. We know of several riders going down from these patches including recent incidents on Hwy 3 near the Bremerton Airport. Be vigilant, be aware and look ahead for “shiny” spots when in an area that has recently been worked on. More importantly contact the D.O.T. and ask that this method be altered by adding rock chips or some non skid product to the surface of the tar as it hardens. BE CAREFUL! The rainy season is here with a vengeance! QT. CONTACT: www.wsdot.wa.gov, then click on Construction. PS: You should also be aware of the new, deeper, wider grooved pavement that is being used for pre-paving as well as water run off. Certain brands and tire sizes actually get caught in the grooves and steer in the direction that the groove is going.
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