TOPICS
StreetWorks
Motto
of the Month
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Introduction
At this present time, a rainy evening in July, I am still
adding bits and pieces, here and there when new reports or
specifications are being published, or I find another good website to
add to my links page.
But generally speaking there will be no major increase in new
pages until the darker nights draw in, here in the U.K., summer is
short enough in England without wasting it in front of a computer.
Streetworks
For those of you who
are involved in highways maintenance in the U.K., it is likely, in some
way or another, the work performed in the highway by the utility
companies will affect you.
So, it is important for you to know that the new,
Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in
Highways
has been issued and is in force from the 1st. of July, 2002.
This specification can be downloaded in .pdf format from the Department
for Transport, Streetworks, website.
You may wish to familiarise yourself with the way excavated material
can now be "processed" and used as part of the road pavement
construction rather than just backfill.
This newly included section of the specification being one of the big
changes in the new edition.
It is my opinion that this new part of the specification. although introduced
for good reasons, will be very difficult to monitor because of the low
levels of supervision incorporated in "modern" working
practices.
Therefore it will be a "wait and see" policy to determine
whether these new practices are successful, by then it may well be too
late and local authorities could well have many failed reinstatements
to repair at considerable cost.
I hope the various processes for adding strength to excavated and
recycled material will be carried out correctly and I am proved wrong,
but I remain sceptical.
Be aware that the "web" version of the specification is more
up to date than the "bound" copy as some changes have
already been made to rectify small errors and omissions, and it is
likely that further changes will follow as local authority engineers
and technicians become aware of the content of the new document and
its implications.
Motto of the Month
"Trust in
God, and keep your powder dry."
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