ForConstructionPros.com

For the past few years, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) was regularly forced to patch and repair a 9-mile section of I-80 - going east and west - that begins at the top of the Wasatch Mountain Summit and extends to Salt Lake City, UT.

This section is commonly used while traveling through the beautiful tourist attraction of Parley's Canyon, and to the popular resort town of Park City. So the importance of safety and comfort is very high.

Previously, the state used an open graded surface course (OGSC) that was made up of a thin layer of hot mix asphalt, comprised of 1/2-inch aggregate, and provided a smooth and attractive ride for motorists.

An OGSC surface treatment is designed to have very small voids so precipitation seeps through it and drains off the side of the road. This process often works well, but not in this part of Utah.

Extremely cold temperatures prevented the treatment from bonding correctly to the existing asphalt overlay. Each winter, precipitation froze before draining away eventually creating major potholes upon thawing. So, UDOT looked at other surface options.