The Virginian-Pilot
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NORFOLK
Drivers may notice that Interstate 264 westbound in Norfolk has been patched and is a smoother ride. Eastbound motorists, however, will have to wait a little longer.
The $2.9 million concrete replacement project began last spring. In all, crews will replace 19,000 square yards of concrete between the Broad Creek Bridge, west of Military Highway, and Claiborne Avenue, west of Brambleton Avenue - a 2.5-mile stretch. About 120,000 vehicles a day travel that portion of highway.
The worst sections of concrete in the eastbound lanes have been torn out and replaced.
The Virginia Department of Transportation's contractor suspended work for the winter because concrete needs consistently warm temperatures to set. The repairs will resume on the east lanes starting in the spring and wrapping up in the fall.
The state has a goal of maintaining a certain pavement rating on highways - a 70 on a 100-point scale. The pavement scores on most portions of I-264 have dipped to half that number, below the "very poor" threshold.
State highway officials said two consecutive harsh winters accelerated the deterioration of the 50-year-old highway.
Debbie Messina, 757-446-2588, debbie.messina@pilotonline.com
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What winter?
The roads are the worst I have ever seen. I blew a tire in a pothole that was over 8" deep.
I lived inChicago, and they managed to keep their roads in top condition through real winters. Next excuse will be it is too hot to work.
We need to bring our roads up to safe, drivable condition. The roads, not just 264 have more potholes now then five years ago and keep on getting worse. Now they say it is not warm enough? Really. A lot of people were at the beach today and yesterday. It doesn't take a month to pour concrete and it is over 90% cured the first few hours and continues the hardening process as long as it is there.
check your concrete guide
quicker the set the more brittle it is. heavy wieght takes longer to harden the thicker it is etc.
I64 needs work too
The work they've done on I64 so far has been good but the roads close to the tunnel are terrible as well. It's a shame our interstates in Hampton Roads have gotten that bad. My family opts to take the MMMBT route instead when going to the peninsula because 664 is that much better.
but nobody noticed!!!
We got a little bit of the massive amount of concrete replaced going west on 264 and some on 64 to the tunnel. But during all this they accomplished work on 64 from greenbrier parkway to Northampton. This stretch was not bad I drive it every day. They repaved all the shoulders and some of the road way and the on and off ramps, patched minor concrete which was just cracked not pothole ridden, replaced what look like good guard rail and regrooved the concrete. Basically made a slightly worn penny shinny new and left most the old buffalo nickel of 264 east and west and the beach. They could have been working on more concrete and with the money spent here and fixed both sides going east and west of 264 to the beach.