OK, but many people have problems with understanding wtitten text :), so I wanted to make it clear :)

well, don't take seriously those people who cannot read.

btw, it's cool to see crap roads from some old times!
:)

I will write it using small text.
I know we in Poland still don't have road network like we should have. I know this was not only one crappy road in Poland, and there are still roads like that. I just can't believe that polish drivers agreed to use this road every day - this was (and still is) my way from home to work.
I posted my pictures only to prove, that we improve our roads. And i'm sad, that it takes to much time. But it's not any offence for me, that someone has fun looking at this picture. This thread is to have fun. I can post thousands of pictures, that will make you laugh. The offence would be, if this road stayed in this condition.

I'm waiting of course to see crappy roads from all your countries. :)

Sorry for my english, my parents taught me polish.

A special message to X-type: This year i visited Croatia and i'm jealous of croatian motorways. If you find this war pictures, post them.

Thank you for your attention.

Your English is quite alright. I've seen (much) worse.

About crappy motorways in the Netherlands; we don't have any. Ofcourse the pavement is sometimes a bit bumpy, but crappy? No.

post some mexicans!

Uzbek piece of art:

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee119/Verso1/Uzbekistan.jpg
Source: Chris (http://forum.autosnelwegen.nl/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3975) :D

About crappy motorways in the Netherlands; we don't have any. Ofcourse the pavement is sometimes a bit bumpy, but crappy? No.

Maybe the Strijp in Eindhoven? (never been there, but I heard it was very bad pavement there) Though I doubt it has still a motorway qualification...

^^ That's more like a long entrance ramp to the A2. I never been there, i've seen some pics of this section, i see if i can find them.

About crappy motorways in the Netherlands; we don't have any.

O yes, if it comes to quality - motorways in Netherlands are my favourites. Even better than german. Wide, smooth and because of speed limits - much safer.
My objection is, that sometimes you can't drive straight ahead with the main direction, but you need to change roads. For example, from Your area: A1 near Almelo, A6 near Emmeloord or (that is really irritating) A2 near Eindhohen - You need to change 4 times. Luckily interchanges are extensive and you don't need to slow down to 30 km/h to change.
And the second point are vanishing motorways - for example A50 near Zwolle :) - when suddenly motorway, without any understandable reason (ecology? i've only seen maps and satellite pictures of this road), becomes a single carriageway and 20 km later motorway comes back.

Yeah, those are called TOTSO's (Turn Off To Stay On).

About the A50; it has been planned as a motorway since 1968. The section Ens - Emmeloord has 1 lane per direction, + emergency lanes, and also divided by a barrier. Kind of a one lane motorway. The section near Ens has traffic lights, the exits near Kampen are grade separated. The N50 is now 2+1 between Interchange Hattemerbroek (A28/A50/N50) and Kampen-Zuid (south), with a speed limit of 100km/h. The section between Kampen-Zuid and Kampen has a speed limit of 80km/h, but the section between Kampen and Kampereiland (across the IJssel river) has a 100km/h limit.

There are talkings about a motorway from time to time, but i doubt if it will happen within the next 15 years.

Edit: double post

We relatively do have a lot of TOTSO's (Turn Off To Stay On), indeed. Most of them are just for historical (older motorway parts who got completed later on), but also for ecological reasons. But average distances are quite low here, so people won't even notice it. Btw, the situation on the A50, A1, or A6 is nothing compared to motorways like the A58 or A59. More than 5 TOTSO's on each of them. :lol:

Edit: Chris was before

There are talkings about a motorway from time to time, but i doubt if it will happen within the next 15 years.

Hehe, we've got something in common :) Polish national program of building motorways and expressways can't seriously start for 30 years. But we need 5000 km, not 35 :(


Jeroen669:
Sometimes people can't even notice, they are in Netherlands :), for example driving from Aachen to Brussel or from Duisburg to Antwerpen. 30 minutes and it's over.
And don't remind me road from Apeldoorn to Breda (A50/A59/N65/A58). Ughh... Night, rain, traffic jam, road works, yet another vanishing motorway... Never again....

Uzbek piece of art:

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee119/Verso1/Uzbekistan.jpg
Source: Chris (http://forum.autosnelwegen.nl/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3975) :D

I'm still pleasantly surprised they put a concrete barrier in the middle.

I'm still pleasantly surprised they put a concrete barrier in the middle.

yeah, that was first what have i noticed, too :D
btw, those mongolian look fantastic! :D

Maybe the Strijp in Eindhoven? (never been there, but I heard it was very bad pavement there) Though I doubt it has still a motorway qualification...

I drove down that stretch a couple of times last year.
It's great example of old motorway construction in its original state. It is a 70kph arterial route now. Oh, and yes...it's bumpy concrete paving

A real crappy motorway:
A4 between Legnica and Wrocław (92 km), one of most attended in Poland.

Here you have some pictures
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=15286500&postcount=801

You might ask, what's crappy in new road? Ok, I tell you. It was opened in 1936 by Germans and reconstructed in 2002-2006 just in the same line - with no widening or straightening. This road, signed as a motorway, has no emergency lanes - there are only places to stop every 2 km away. There's also no place to add emergency lanes (look at the bridges). Because of that, there's a speed limit 110 km/h (instead of 130). And look at the junctions with speed limit 30 at exitramps!

If they wanted not to waste a lot of money, they should make it 3+ with new infrastructure - bridges etc...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Belfieldexpressway.jpg/796px-Belfieldexpressway.jpg
Highway 409 near the Toronto Airport.

It is bumpy and its not a good idea to go over 120km/hr..

It is not bad really, but a depressing highway..

However the 427 near the airport is good, There are like 5 lanes on both sides and it has a sharp turn. Its funny to watch 2 trucks go through on 2 lanes...

Why depressing?

to me as well looks depressing, everything is gray and old.

It indeed looks depressing with all that rust, and the van makes it even worse. :D

Maybe they should sell prozac at the junctions?

BTW: You shouldn't visit England, 'cause almost every english motorway is depressing (look at Pathetic Motorway website, http://pathetic.org.uk/).

A real crappy motorway:
A4 between Legnica and Wrocław (92 km), one of most attended in Poland.

Here you have some pictures
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=15286500&postcount=801

You might ask, what's crappy in new road? Ok, I tell you. It was opened in 1936 by Germans and reconstructed in 2002-2006 just in the same line - with no widening or straightening. This road, signed as a motorway, has no emergency lanes - there are only places to stop every 2 km away. There's also no place to add emergency lanes (look at the bridges). Because of that, there's a speed limit 110 km/h (instead of 130). And look at the junctions with speed limit 30 at exitramps!

If they wanted not to waste a lot of money, they should make it 3+ with new infrastructure - bridges etc...Well, it certainly doesn't qualify for this thread, but it indeed is kinda sad for such an important highway to be without hard shoulders and speed limit 110 km/h. :( Although I can see hard shoulders every now and then. It wouldn't really get my attention, if it wasn't renovated recently. But ok, at least it's much better than it used to be! ;)

i hope that highway is improved...

You know concrete medians and such....


The highways around have been really fixed and improved but this road is just a long off ramp from one highway to another... Only 6 km long...

yeah also it is in a industrial area so that does not help either.

A real crappy motorway:
A4 between Legnica and Wrocław (92 km), one of most attended in Poland.


it isn't crappy at all if we consider about it as expressway, not motorway! the only thing are probably exit ramps (i don't see them, but i can imagine 30 km/h projected ramps).

There you have picture to see, what am i talking about.

http://images25.fotosik.pl/14/6a5eaf6c350117e5.jpg

And this road is signed as a motorwayhttp://www.znaki-drogowe.pl/images/3_2_5_D_9.png, not an expresswayhttp://www.znaki-drogowe.pl/images/3_2_5_D_7.png.

One explanation: A18 is an extension of A4 motorway towards Berlin.

omg! this is an exit?! i thought it's an entrance ramp! well, exits are extremely crapy indeed without lanes for slowing down

That's very shoddy indeed

At present the Waikato Expressway towards Hamilton from Auckland is pretty rough. It's got quite a shoddy road surface on it, though it doesn't have exits like that Polish motorway!

I'll take some pictures next time I'm heading down that way.

Jesus the shinanigans with that Waikato Expressway seem never ending.......delays,crappy work that has to be patched up just after it's done, more delays.
I'm starting to wonder if I will be able to drive from Auckland to Cambridge on a smooth,completed highway before I turn 40......

At present the Waikato Expressway towards Hamilton from Auckland is pretty rough. It's got quite a shoddy road surface on it, though it doesn't have exits like that Polish motorway!

I'll take some pictures next time I'm heading down that way.

Chip seal?
Not the smoothest or quietest of surfaces

Yeah it's chip seal. I seriously don't know why they did that (other than cost of course). The expressway has been terribly managed and the points that they have not yet upgraded are downright dangerous. Traffic travelling at 100kph with no lights on the road and a minimal wire barrier between the lanes.

^^
I agree. The highway between Auckland and Hamilton needs alot of work. A number of 100kph stretches should be reduced to 80kph for safety

There are shocking bottlenecks where the short sections of completed expressway change back to old 1X1 highway on long weekends or even just ordinary weekends.
And yes I hate chip seal, too-it is noisy and rough as guts.

Now do you believe me, that A4/A18 in Poland is a crappy motorway?
this looks similar to this one in Germany (A4, exit 86):
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee119/Verso1/1-10.jpg
The difference is, that polish A4/A18 was reconstructed. It's a new road!

A18 is still under reconstruction, only one direction is ready :)

^ Maybe, but it's definitely a new pavement (concrete), so I'm really shocked to see that Hitler-like exit! But on the A4 there are normal exits, right?

Good old Hitler, father of the freeway.

But on the A4 there are normal exits, right?

Let me check.

A4 heading for the east (Wroclaw):
http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/3636/004a4zuidkrzywa001cb7.th.jpg (http://img381.imageshack.us/my.php?image=004a4zuidkrzywa001cb7.jpg) http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/7063/004a4zuidkrzywa002qj4.th.jpg (http://img171.imageshack.us/my.php?image=004a4zuidkrzywa002qj4.jpg) http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/2336/005a4zuidchojnw001kv2.th.jpg (http://img362.imageshack.us/my.php?image=005a4zuidchojnw001kv2.jpg) http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/2346/005a4zuidchojnw002rl6.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=005a4zuidchojnw002rl6.jpg) http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/1552/005a4zuidchojnw003ys5.th.jpg (http://img171.imageshack.us/my.php?image=005a4zuidchojnw003ys5.jpg) http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/6523/007a4zuidzlotoryja001ik1.th.jpg (http://img171.imageshack.us/my.php?image=007a4zuidzlotoryja001ik1.jpg) http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/6544/007a4zuidzlotoryja002ks4.th.jpg (http://img362.imageshack.us/my.php?image=007a4zuidzlotoryja002ks4.jpg) 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^^ These pics were taken this spring. It still looks a bit substandard to me.

Ok, let's say it one more time.
This part of a motorway is after reconstruction.

A4 from this place to Wrocław has no emergency lanes and not even enough place to build them. All other exits have exitramps. This exit, without any exitramps is an exception, and will be closed next year, when they open new part of A4 with junction. But even if it is a temporary exit, it should fulfil requirements of safety.

A18 under reconstruction starts 10 km from this place and will have normal emergency lanes.

but other direction of A4 is normal motorway, right? and at which section is this motorway without SOS lanes?

but other direction of A4 is normal motorway, right? and at which section is this motorway without SOS lanes?

I hope you have map of Poland. Take a look. This exit is named Krzyżowa, near Bolesławiec. In autumn 2008 they will open new A4 section from Zgorzelec (german border) to Krzyżowa, normal 2x2+el motorway. Part from Krzyżowa to Wrocław already exists - this is this crappy part with no emergency lanes, reconstructed in 2002-2006. Part from Wrocław to Katowice is another normal motorway, 2x2+el.
And A18 leads from Krzyżowa to german border near Cottbus. Direction form Cottbus to Wrocław is newly constructed (2 lanes + el) and from Wrocław to Cottbus will be reconstructed (2+el) in close future.

I'm still pleasantly surprised they put a concrete barrier in the middle.

that´s quite awful

^^ These pics were taken this spring. It still looks a bit substandard to me.

Why substandard? In Germany there are also many higways without security lane and I suppose in Holland as well.

Why substandard? In Germany there are also many higways without security lane and I suppose in Holland as well.

But this is a new motorway! We both know how should new motorway look. I'm sure you know how does A72 Hof-Chemnitz look (reconstructed in last 10 years). Or A4 Chemnitz-Dresden. Did You see in Germany any new motorway without emergency lanes?

Kurde, głupio się gada z Polakiem po angielsku...

^^ Many people can only hear fairytale stories about the German Autobahn network, but Germany has often narrow or no emergency lanes, making a considerable portion of the German Autobahns substandard. Some interchanges (cloverleafs) have only a 30km/h leaf, making a lot of interchanges outdated.

Dutch motorways have 3 - 4m wide emergency lanes everywhere. Sometimes we have rushhour lanes (Seitenstreifen befahren), but it can be closed if an accident or breakdown occurs. However, i'm not too happy about these rushhour lanes, i consider them a temporarily solution.

Ok, let's say it one more time.
This part of a motorway is after reconstruction.

A4 from this place to Wrocław has no emergency lanes and not even enough place to build them. All other exits have exitramps. This exit, without any exitramps is an exception, and will be closed next year, when they open new part of A4 with junction. But even if it is a temporary exit, it should fulfil requirements of safety.

A18 under reconstruction starts 10 km from this place and will have normal emergency lanes.

dziekuje.

and is it in both directions without SOS lanes, or only in one direction?

and is it in both directions without SOS lanes, or only in one direction?

Both.

But even if it was in one direction, it would be meaningless for those driving in other.

This motorway is a real crap.

I think it's an "in between" situation. They didn't have funding or time for procedures for widening and upgrading, but they didn't want the A4 in the run to Euro 2012 to be in such a bad condition.

The pavement is good now, but let's hope they'll expand it later to real motorway standards.

They had money to build normal 2+ motorway.
The proof is, that after reopening they were happy, that they saved 90 million euro!!

^^ The problem is that Poland has to apply European laws for transportation, since they joined EU. That means European procedures in land acquiring, environmental impact assessments, noise pollution and air quality have to be done. That takes up a lot of time, easily several years, if there is a lot of opposition to the motorway from local farmers or residents. Maybe Poland didn't want to wait that long, and only repaved the road, and did minor improvements.

However, this is just a theory of mine.

Chris, that's not just a theory. You are absolutley right. But now, when the main target is Euro 2012, we simplified our laws. And we started to reconstruct this road before we joined EU. Would this all procedures take much more time? I dont think so - look at the other parts of A4 and A18.
So we wasted big chance to have great 3+ motoway. I saw You will visit Poland next year, and then You will see, that this 3+ motorway is necessary.

At present the Waikato Expressway towards Hamilton from Auckland is pretty rough. It's got quite a shoddy road surface on it, though it doesn't have exits like that Polish motorway!
I'll take some pictures next time I'm heading down that way.

We are waiting. :)

We are waiting. :)

I'm a Uni student in exam period! Give me time, the Waikato expressway leads to a city that not many people really want to go to (Hamilton)...

I'm a Uni student in exam period!

Good luck then!!

Give me time...

Ok, but don't forget us :)

khm, there is some 200 m (not km fortunately!) of croatian A3 at bridge over river Sava at zagreb bypass in direction east that is really horrible!

ok, i ahve found one photo of this, i took it a year ago (north part of bridge was under reconstruction, so there was 2 way traffic on the crappy south one and this is described part). i traveled there this week and i wanted to take photos, but i was late: now there is 2 way traffic at north part and crappy part is going to history :D
so, this photo will stay the only evidence of it (tnx god)

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/ixic/A4-D28/IMGP1412.jpg

I remember an other dutch example. The "Moerdijkbrug" in the A16 is in really bad shape at this moment...

Hey you, raising on western motorways, if you drove old A6 near Szczecin, you wouldn't even notice this croatian A3 crap... ;) (or better comment would be :()

Hey you, raising on western motorways, if you drove old A6 near Szczecin, you wouldn't even notice this croatian A3 crap... ;) (or better comment would be :()

well, it is only 200 m section fortunately. the situation is (was) crappy because it's a bridge, so i guess it a bit more complicated to repair it than non-bridge section. i haven't caught crucial parts - there were 2-3 holes in pavement, i allways drove slalom between them because they were calling my axles to damage it ;)
actually, you can see one hole, it's at the right edge of pavement near shadow of portal. (btw, portal is also extremely old fashioned and ugly, it has allready been changed this year)

I see there were 3 lanes without emergency - will the bridge be widen or only pavement will be changed?

no, there are 2 lanes and emergency. those yellow lines are temporary because of road works (men at work :D ), look at those white (they are very bright) - those are real.

only pavement is being repaired. there are plans for widening Zagreb bypass in next few years to 3+3, but i think the bridge will stay without emergency lanes in that case because it would be quite complicated to widen it (it is more than 1 km long and pretty high). you must have passed accross that bridge if you entered to Croatia from Hungary

Now i know, what deceived me. It is a reverse carriageway, and this white broken line divided 2 traffic lanes. And left yellow line is painted on white continous line, which divided traffic lane and emergency lane.
I entered Croatia from Slovenia near Maribor, not from Hungary, so i don't know that bridge. But i think i drove on something a little bit crappy just like this one.

EDIT: It was sufficient to look at road sign.

ÿes, you understand now ;) this bridge is over river Sava at the place where A4 divides from A3 (it's still A3). there is another bridge over river Sava at Zgb bypass, at west side at A2. it's also long little more than 1 km, also crappy (not as this one) and also under repair (you remember that one). those bridges were built in app. 1980 and haven't been maintained well. so now they are repairing them. next year it will be completely done (both)

Here is it:
http://i13.tinypic.com/6y9uf82.jpg

http://i8.tinypic.com/87a4dq0.jpg

:cheers:

Maybe the Strijp in Eindhoven? (never been there, but I heard it was very bad pavement there) Though I doubt it has still a motorway qualification...

Right here:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v99/mitchellmaxwell01/slechtwegdek.jpg

Yes the pavement is absolute crap, it looks exactly like the pavement in this picture.
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee119/Verso1/1-10.jpg

It's like your driving on concrete blocks! This part is made in the 60's, but I don't think it's renovated once!

Yesterday, I drove the A27 in Belgium between St. Vith and Malmedy. I felt like driving somewhere in Russia 10 years ago (although I have never been there, just like "prejudicewise") because of the crappy loud darkbrown-colored pavement

Yeah the A27 or E42 is no good south of Verviers. The pavement is actually only 15 years old. It shouldn't be so noisy after 15 years of light traffic. It's obviously a total lack of maintenance.

Mr.Mit. [NL];16449680']
Yes the pavement is absolute crap, it looks exactly like the pavement in this picture.
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee119/Verso1/1-10.jpg

It's like your driving on concrete blocks! This part is made in the 60's, but I don't think it's renovated once!

The M11 between London and Stansted Airport also has this type of crappy concrete block paving, or at least it did when I last drove on it a couple of years ago.

Every second you hear thum, thum, thum, thum, very annoying.

I have been to Krakow on March, and unfortunately Polish highways are crappy. They are not wide, full of holes, bad signs. But i also saw some improvement, and I think they will get great highways. (Roads in Krakow were actually excellent)

Verso are there any crappy highways in our Slovenia? I usually drive from Maribor to Koper (210 km) and there is not a single hole. Only near Slovenska Bistrica pavement is a bit "uneven".

But unfortunately we dont have "waterresistant" highways like Struma for example:lol:

^ Depends on which half of the Ljubljana ring you use. :lol: The transit one is ok, the other one's got some not very nice holes, but they started renovating it. Of course, the Struma quality is their goal, but that's just a wishful thinking. :cheers:

Rekec(slo), which motorway did you drive? Maybe toll A4 from Katowice to Kraków?

Yeah, that toll A4 is quite old when i drove there. I think that was the oldest post-nazi-era motorway.

No, it wasn't post nazi, as i wrote on Curiosities, it was opened in 1983.
But it is in really bad condition.

Rekec(slo), which motorway did you drive? Maybe toll A4 from Katowice to Kraków?

I don't know for sure. I was on bus:lol: (School trip to Auschwitz). But I remember we drove from Maribor-Vienna-Brno- (Katowice?)- Krakow.

But Czech motorways were worse than Polish. I also remember i saw a lot of construction workers repairing roads.

p.s.: I have to say, that Krakow is one of the best looking cities in the world! And also very modern, with clean streets great roads. Krakow looked much better than München in Germany.

:gaah: Why every school trip to Poland must visit Auschwitz? And half of them gain conviction, that it was polish camp... Why couldn't they show you more Kraków? Or Zakopane or brewery in Żywiec or whatever?

Ok, i'll be quiet and go back to topic. This motorway is a real crap, it's under reconstruction since 1995 :nuts:. But still it is fully paid.

:gaah: Why every school trip to Poland must visit Auschwitz? And half of them gain conviction, that it was polish camp... Why couldn't they show you more Kraków? Or Zakopane or brewery in Żywiec or whatever?

Ok, i'll be quiet and go back to topic. This motorway is a real crap, it's under reconstruction since 1995 :nuts:. But still it is fully paid.

We all know that this was Nazi concentration camp, and that has nothing to do with Poland, except that it is placed in Poland.
But we did spend 1 whole day in Krakow, watching beautiful architecture (buying silly cheap cigarettes, and getting drunk:lol:). And in Auschwitz we spent only 4 hours.

I was positively surprised, since I thought Poland will look less developed:cheers:

:gaah: Why every school trip to Poland must visit Auschwitz? And half of them gain conviction, that it was polish camp... Why couldn't they show you more Kraków? Or Zakopane or brewery in Żywiec or whatever?

Ok, i'll be quiet and go back to topic. This motorway is a real crap, it's under reconstruction since 1995 :nuts:. But still it is fully paid.

Because Auschwitz is THE symbol of the mass extermination of the Jewish population by the Nazis. A very, very big part of history.

Mr.Mit. [NL];16449680']Yes the pavement is absolute crap, it looks exactly like the pavement in this picture.
It's like your driving on concrete blocks! This part is made in the 60's, but I don't think it's renovated once!

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/3432/crapwy8.png

We all know that this was Nazi concentration camp, and that has nothing to do with Poland, except that it is placed in Poland.
Because Auschwitz is THE symbol of the mass extermination of the Jewish population by the Nazis. A very, very big part of history.

I only wonder, if people at the age of 14-16 are ready to visit that kind of place and realize, what really happened there. And my answer is: no, they aren't. I saw many young, immature people saying: wow, burning people, that's really cool! And when get older, they only remeber pile of glasses, pile of hair, pile of clothing, story of the people killed there and, what is most dangerous, that this camp was in Poland. And then they have simple association - Poles killed people.
I'm glad you see the difference between "Polish concentration camp" and "nazi concentration camp in Poland"

But we did spend 1 whole day in Krakow, watching beautiful architecture (buying silly cheap cigarettes, and getting drunk:lol:).

You barbarian!!

Ok, that is nothing more, that what i do while being in Kraków: drinking a lot of beer and smoking cigars :cheers: :)

Let's go back to motorways, even crappy :).

I only wonder, if people at the age of 14-16 are ready to visit that kind of place and realize, what really happened there. And my answer is: no, they aren't. I saw many young, immature people saying: wow, burning people, that's really cool! And when get older, they only remeber pile of glasses, pile of hair, pile of clothing, story of the people killed there and, what is most dangerous, that this camp was in Poland. And then they have simple association - Poles killed people.

Do you really think that youngster are that stupid?

I was 16 when i visited Auschwitz with my school and i can tell you that nobody there ever forgets what they saw there. People who bagatalize or even deny the holocaust should see it with their own eyes. Thats why it's a good thing such excursions are made. The impact on everybody was huge and we all carry it with us for the rest of our lives.

Now back on topic?

Do you really think that youngster are that stupid?

I was 16 when i visited Auschwitz with my school and i can tell you that nobody there ever forgets what they saw there. People who bagatalize or even deny the holocaust should see it with their own eyes. Thats why it's a good thing such excursions are made. The impact on everybody was huge and we all carry it with us for the rest of our lives.

Now back on topic?

I just wanted to say i completely agree with that.

pmaciej7 your really don't have to worry that Polish people will be connected to Auschwitz in our minds. Polish , Yugoslavs, Gypsies , Jews , and other Non-Germans were only victims.
Concentration camps were run STRICTLY by Germans (our guide, and our professor both said that)

I have been to Krakow on March, and unfortunately Polish highways are crappy. They are not wide, full of holes, bad signs. But i also saw some improvement, and I think they will get great highways. (Roads in Krakow were actually excellent)

Verso are there any crappy highways in our Slovenia? I usually drive from Maribor to Koper (210 km) and there is not a single hole. Only near Slovenska Bistrica pavement is a bit "uneven".

but new polish motorways look really great, nobody can deny it (except Radi).

about Slovenia - i remember one bad section, but i was somewhere about 1996-1997: Kozarje - cestninska postaja LJ zahod was quite bad. i remember it was repaired, but it was not repaved by whole width of lane, but to half, about 1 m wide. it looked quite crappy. fortunately, it's been repaired till today.


and stop with offtopic.

No, we won't stop offtopic! I had an answer!
Ok then, i'll send PM.

We have a lot of crappy roads, and motorways as well. Have you ever seen 10 cm ruts on 5 year old expressway? Have you seen 70 years old, not renovated ex-german motorway? This picture posted by Verso was not the top one. Grrr...

And Poland is the only country, where motorway was deconstructed. Some parts of ex-german motorways from Cottbus to Bolesławiec (A18) and today's DK22 form Elbląg to Kaliningrad (Koenigsberg) - not finished carriageways were pulled down after WWII. Can you imagine that?

And talking about slovenian motorways, most crappy are missing parts of motorways, for example A2 Ljubljana-Karawanke. :)

but on pictures those new sections of A4 for instance looked really well, especially part near Katowice

A4 near Katowoce is polish pride and joy :). Only one with 3 lanes, build in a hard area (coal mines).

As you see A4 is Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde of polish motorways. Some parts are great, but some are a real crap.

This summer i drove from Legnica to Kraków - 313km and it was swing of moods.

^^ At least the worst part is rehabilitated (Krzyzowa - Wrocław)

^^ It is now finished. Narrow, with only two traffic lanes, with no emergency lanes, with permanent 110 instead of 130. This is second crappy part. I already showed pictures.

And Poland is the only country, where motorway was deconstructed. Some parts of ex-german motorways from Cottbus to Bolesławiec (A18) and today's DK22 form Elbląg to Kaliningrad (Koenigsberg) - not finished carriageways were pulled down after WWII. Can you imagine that?
WTF are you talking about? Those nazi-built motorways never had the second carriageway!

When the Adolf-Hitler-strassen were built, they always made the earthwork for both carriageways. They used soldiers and later prisoners for this kind of work, so "the labour was cheap"... Do you know that traces of earthwork for the autobahn from Szczecin to the east go on for about 150 km? http://www.berlinka.pcp.pl/berlinka.html

But for bridges and the pavement you need concrete and steel. In a wartime there's not enough of them, especially steel... So, they weren't too hasty to build both carriageways, escpecially where they weren't needed at the time. The tanks can go over 1 lane, there's no need to build the other...

Generally, in Poland we used what the nazis left behind, with minor reconstructions where it was useful. For example, 1 or 2 bridges on the DK22 closer to Elbląg were rebuilt, but other bridges on the route to (then closed) russian border were destroyed in the fights of 1945, and noone bothered to rebuild them, as they were on a road leading to nowhere... So the concrete pavement was still there, it just got covered with moss and grass (a good picture to illustrate: http://www.berlinka.pcp.pl/szyleny1991.jpg).

(Info for foreigners: DK22 is now being rebuilt to 1x2-expressway standards, as the Russians want to open the border-crossing on that old autobahn to Kaliningrad/Königsberg).

http://www.berlinka.pcp.pl/szyleny1991.jpg

fascinating

@ E2rdEm: Easy man, don't be so nervous. I didn't say one of active carriageways, i said not finished carriageways. You must remeber, that some roads were abandoned by Germans, far before 1945 in the state, they were in that moment. I know that, because my grandfather worked by deconstructing some pavement sections. What happened to these concrete blocks? I dont know.

O.o kiwikass where is this one ?

^^
see E2rdEm's post above mine. The image comes from the second link he posted. I could'nt help but post the picture. Old WW2 Nazi highway

I didn't say one of active carriageways, i said not finished carriageways. You must remeber, that some roads were abandoned by Germans, far before 1945 in the state, they were in that moment.
That's true, most of the autobahn construction was halted in 1942. But they usually didn't get to the state of "unfinished carriageways". For instance, on today's DW142 (*) you can still see where the works were interrupted:
(all images are from Bartosz Bajków's site http://www.berlinka.pcp.pl/berlinka.html)

http://www.berlinka.pcp.pl/dw142_31V05_2.jpg

http://www.berlinka.pcp.pl/DW142_26maj05_1.jpg

http://www.berlinka.pcp.pl/lotnisko1.jpg

It's not that the concrete pavement was pulled off from between those concrete kerbs. The pavement was never laid there...
http://www.berlinka.pcp.pl/lis3.JPG

(*) DW142 is the part of the autobahn from Szczecin to the east, which is used today as a local road.

I know that, because my grandfather worked by deconstructing some pavement sections.
Where exactly did he do that? I don't want to offend your grandfather, but I'm afraid he was selling you some "urban legend"...

fascinating
Isn't it? You can't get crappier than that :lol:

1. Motroway legend rather than urban legend ;).
2. He worked on today's A18.
3. I know this road, i live in Szczecin.

I wish i had pictures of the chilean route 5 highway before it was privatized! :(
That's a PERFECT example of crappy motorways, now it looks great though.

1. Motroway legend rather than urban legend ;).
2. He worked on today's A18.
3. I know this road, i live in Szczecin.
It would be so interesting if that autobahn could be completed on its original grade all the way to that border crossing that the Russians want to open. I have traced much of its routing on Google air photos and I can see no physical impediments to doing that.

Mike

I've found it. Can you believe this?

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee119/Verso1/Polish_A6.jpg

Hey, I think it's great! Cobblestones on a divided, multilane highway! Why that's almost art, kind of like driving the old American Route 66 or something. Whatever you do, don't loose that, it's not replaceable.

http://www.berlinka.pcp.pl/hornskrug2.jpg

Also this is part of ''Berlinka'', a Voivodship Road DW142, it was build in 1942.

Interesting, where is it located?

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/6532/dw142ky0.gif

It is near Szczecin, it highlighted on blue, up to crossing with DW141 it's 2X2

http://www.berlinka.pcp.pl/szyleny1991.jpg

fascinating

Hehehe, that's my Master. Although I know it was never a motorway.

Quite nice maintenance, huh ? ;)

Someone would be jealous about shiny crashbareers and clean surface :D

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Olimpijka_Puszcza_cm03.jpg/796px-Olimpijka_Puszcza_cm03.jpg[/IMG]


Although these abandoned parts of Olimpijka somewhere in the Middle Poland are also great.

Yes, part of motorway Belin-Moscow, planned for Olympic Games 1980 in Moscow. Maybe they will use this part during the construction of the motorway from Łódź to Warsaw

Yes, part of motorway Belin-Moscow, planned for Olympic Games 1980 in Moscow. Maybe they will use this part during the construction of the motorway from Łódź to Warsaw

I think the place for new beauty shiny Struma-like A2 will be the same. So, only 2, maybe 3 years left to visit it and take photos ;)

Those are not really crappy motorways, but more historic remnants.

But this part of DW142 is crappy, still exist. And I have no idea when it can be renovated ;)

Purbaleunyi Toll-way *Indonesia :nuts:

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z171/rilham2new/purbaleunyi_0012.jpg

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z171/rilham2new/purbaleunyi_0009.jpg

But this part of DW142 is crappy, still exist. And I have no idea when it can be renovated ;)

Does it have a motorway-status?

Pictures from Germany (1993):

A12 Autobahndreieck Spreeau
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/2563/dreieckspreeau1jb3.jpg
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/9719/dreieckspreeau2gv2.jpg
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/1977/dreieckspreeau3fb7.jpg
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/7686/dreieckspreeau4ad6.jpg

A10 Schönefelder Kreuz
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1860/schnefelderkreuz1qg1.jpg
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5495/schnefelderkreuz2sk3.jpg
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2121/schnefelderkreuz3tc3.jpg
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2056/schnefelderkreuz4ue3.jpg
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9444/schnefelderkreuz5it8.jpg

No it doesn't :lol: It has status of Voivodship Road. In road hierarchy first is motorway (A) then expressway (S), then National Road (DK), then Voivodship Road (DW). And only motorways and expressways have prefixes on signs, A and S respectively

how old are those pics from Germany? ^^ i think they are at least 10 years old (look at the cars), so there is possibility that those crappy signs are removed

Is a motorway the same thing as a freeway or tollway? We never use the term motorway in the United States.

No, Motorway is a highway, freeway is or can be dual carriageway, Motorway can be toll, or expressway can be toll also.

Pictures from Germany (1993):


Is the signage from the first 4 pictures the original from the DDR? I was recently wondering what it looked like.

Is a motorway the same thing as a freeway or tollway? We never use the term motorway in the United States.

hehe this has been discussed quite often here. I'd say "freeway" would be the most common US term (note that freeway does not mean toll-free).

hehe this has been discussed quite often here. I'd say "freeway" would be the most common US term (note that freeway does not mean toll-free).
A motorway in Europe is the equivalent of a freeway/tollway in the USA.

BTW, NOBODY, but NOBODY would be caught dead referring to a toll highway as a 'freeway' here in the upper midwest USA. Here they are tollways.

:)

Mike

Is the signage from the first 4 pictures the original from the DDR? I was recently wondering what it looked like.
From what I understand, driving around in former East Germany in the first part of the 1990s was indeed a 'drive into the past', as the Commies never really maintained the highways that they took over at the end of WWII. Commerce was just never a priority of theirs. Germany is STILL bringing WWII-era autobahns up to standard, too, nearly 20 years later.

Mike

how old are those pics from Germany? ^^ i think they are at least 10 years old (look at the cars), so there is possibility that those crappy signs are removed

15 years old, and i haven´t seen such signs there a few years ago.

Motorway = Freeway/Expressway

Freeway means more likely free-flow than free of charge.

^^ That's true, but as mgk920 said, even this varies around the world. I'd call everything just Autobahn. :)

how old are those pics from Germany? ^^ i think they are at least 10 years old (look at the cars), so there is possibility that those crappy signs are removed

the first 4 pics should be old DDR signs, they look similar to those pics i found and posted in the historical-thread.

the newer signs on the other pics are not better. two destinations in one line (Dresden Cottbus / Magdeburg Leipzig), buttugly and not so good to read. and arrows under the text for driving forward but arrow on the left side for the exit sign on the same signbridge :puke:

btw: Dreieck Spreeau nowadays looks like this (pictures from www.rippachtal.de)
http://rippachtal.de/12/A12-2-09-01-20.jpg
http://rippachtal.de/12/A12-2-09-01-21.jpg
http://rippachtal.de/12/A12-2-09-01-30.jpg
http://rippachtal.de/12/A12-2-09-01-40.jpg

Now this autobahn looks way better :)

Definitely better :). What bugs me, though, is the fact that they didn't extend the shoulder to a decent width in some places. I would be a bit worried if my car broke down in those sections.

^^ That's also a problem in Spain, i saw a lot of Autovía's with just 1,5 - 2m wide shoulders.

Section of A4. near old West Germany/East Germany border in Eisenach looks like that, the good thing is they are renovating it :D I wish it to be like A4 near Dresden , Jena , Chemnitz. Pretty concrete, 3 lanes autobahn :D

Can someone fill me in on the difference in colour of tar? How come some countries freeways are white, while others are black. I prefer white, but most around Melbourne are tacky black, while up north around gold coast some are white.

Even on normal roads, what is the difference between the two?

I'm not sure if I'm understanding the question right, but from the sound of it you're describing roads paved with asphalt (black) and cement (white). The two have their strengths and weaknesses. I'm no civil engineer, so I'll let someone else weigh in on the differences between the two.

This is a bit biased as it was published by the The Concrete Paving Association of Minnesota, but here's one side of the argument:

Concrete costs less in the long run

Federally funded studies show that concrete Interstate pavements cost 13-28% less in the long run than asphalt Interstate pavements.

Recent U of M studies in Olmsted and Waseca counties show that the use of concrete pavement saved up to 19% in the long run over the cost of using and maintaining similar asphalt roads.

The same studies shows that maintenance costs were reduced 75% when concrete was used to pave roads in these counties.

Advancements in concrete technology have reduced the cost of concrete paving while improving performance greatly; advancements in asphalt technology (so-called "SuperPave" mixtures) have increased paving costs significantly (even before considering skyrocketing oil prices) with only modest increases in performance.

Concrete lasts longer with less need for maintenance and repair

No potholes - so concrete pavements stay smoother longer.

No ruts form to fill with water and cause wet weather accidents. Fewer traffic interruptions for repair and maintenance.

Mn/DOT reports that the average life expectancy of their concrete pavements is 27.5 years before repair while asphalt pavements have an average life expectancy of only 15.5 years before repair

Federally funded studies show that concrete Interstate highways around the U.S. last about 2.5 times longer on average than asphalt Interstate highways.

New Minnesota concrete pavement designs are expected to last for 60+ years with minimal maintenance.

Concrete costs less for users, too

Heavy trucks get up to 20% better mileage on concrete.

Better long-term performance means fewer interruptions and lower user costs.

Concrete roads are not subject to spring load restrictions that increase the number of truck trips or driving distances.

Concrete is quiet!

After years of testing and research, Mn/DOT has adopted concrete paving designs and techniques that make concrete roads as quiet as most asphalt roads, while maintaining superior skid resistance.

Concrete is safer

Concrete provides better and longer lasting skid resistance.

No rutting or potholes to cause loss of vehicle control.

Concrete offers better visibility on rainy nights.

Concrete is generally less slippery in wet weather.

Concrete is environmentally friendly

Concrete is completely recyclable.

Concrete doesn't release odorous petroleum products into the air.

Concrete conserves oil, which is used to produce asphalt pavements.

Replacing asphalt pavements with concrete can help to lower summertime temperatures.

Concrete reflects sunlight instead of absorbing it.

The "heat island" effect seen in large cities has been attributed, in part, to the use of asphalt pavements.

Concrete is aesthetically pleasing

Concrete pavements have a clean appearance and brighten neighborhoods, both day and night!

Concrete can be colored and textured to produce attractive designs and patterns

^^ Concrete IS slippery, especially during winter when it's snowing.
Concrete is no way quiet. The most quiet road cover material is phorous asphalt (or smth). Even regular asphalt is more quiet, because it doesn't have that tack-tack-tack noise.
Asphalt is also recyclable. You can use old asphalt to cover dirt roads.
I don't agree that concrete is visually more pleasant. Road markings are white so from light concrete it's uncomfortable to see them.
Besides, when an asphalt road can be repaired easily and quickly, a concrete road has to be shut down for days, even weeks.

except i'm sure we have white asphalt in some places in Australia..what is that?

Its probably the type of stone they use, here in ontario we have pink asphalt in areas

I'm working in the field here, but i'm not a pavement expert.

Concrete
Pro's
Much longer durability
Lower construction costs
Cons
Can crack easily
Noise pollution is considerably higher
Can get slippery, because the water drainage is much worse than asphalt
People often see concrete more as urban blight than asphalt

Asphalt
Pro's
In case of PAC, no splashing water when it rains
Higher capacity because of better drainage
Less slippery except with icy conditions
Far less noise pollution (favorable in urban area's)
More Aesthetic
Con's
(far) higher construction costs
Higher maintenance costs
Not favorable on roads with a lot of trucks, unless you like high maintenance costs
Can also crack, but can be repaired better

Besides that, Asphalt is normally black, but can be constructed in any color.

I'm not a civil engineer so this is just my personal opinion based on real experience. Currently most of Czech highways are being built using concrete wherever possible.

Pro's:
- durability (R35 in CZ is 10 years old and stil very comfortable to drive)
- no "rails" (I mean truck traces) since concrete rather cracks than bend
- the surface is rough therefore the safety is improved due to shorter stopping distance

Con:
- drive is noisy and shaky more than asphalt

I thought there is already such topic as asphalt vs. concrete roads...

I've noticed that asphalt in Germany is way more black than here in Sweden...

Concrete might be more cost efficient in the long run (lower maintanance, no potholes and cracks) but as far as i know it costs more to build, than asphalt.
I think asphalt looks better, but concrete would look great with black markings, dont you think?

^^ cocrete is more costly, but for the long run it is not(concrete's durability is around 30 years, and asphalt's - 10 or 15)

But when it comes to maintance it is not the same - cocrete need to be provessionally "supervised" all the time

Following things support cocrete:
- it's far more smooth than asphalt(when made prperly)
- very durable
- rut - proof :)
- IMO it looks better

I think asphalt looks better, but concrete would look great with black markings, dont you think?

No, because have you ever seen black markings at night? Of course not, because they are not visible then :D

I've noticed that asphalt in Germany is way more black than here in Sweden...
In Estonia asphalt is black at first but after the first winter it becomes light grey. I think it's caused by stubbed tyres. This might be the case in Sweden also.

Its probably the type of stone they use, here in ontario we have pink asphalt in areas

I think that's concrete mixed in with dye or oxidized iron (rust basically). I remember a discussion in Ottawa a few years back to pave Wellington St. with the stuff to mark the Confederation route I believe it was called which would run in a loop between Ottawa and neighbouring Hull. I've seen the "pink asphalt" as you call it and it bears a greater similarity to sidewalk cement than road asphalt.

If you like concrete expressways, you should go to Michigan.

No, because have you ever seen black markings at night? Of course not, because they are not visible then

I think asphalt looks better, but concrete would look great with black markings, dont you think?


Don't they just have white reflective markings outlined in black, combined with reflective buttons?

You can see them just fine night or day.

Concrete is much better in my opinion. I also really love the whistling noise your tires make when driving over the grooves. I've noticed in Houston and Dallas some of the surface streets are being built with concrete like on the freeways. I was telling one of my friends who knows I'm a nerd that I love how her street sounds like a freeway when I'm speeding.

Asphalt in the rain just really sucks unless it's that type of asphalt that makes that low grumbling noise. Smooth asphalt is the worst.

No, because have you ever seen black markings at night? Of course not, because they are not visible then :D

oh yeah never thought of that hahahahahaha:hammer:

I think nowadays the problem of costs/km is the biggest. Post here if you know how high are the expenses/km in your country for: -asphalt vs. concrete on highway (4lanes+2emergency lanes); - asphalt vs. concrete on expressway (4lanes splitted in the center). Let's say the roads are normal ones build on land, without bridges or tunnels.
I am quite curious about this issue.

We do not construct any concrete motorways, so i can't really tell.

We do not construct any concrete motorways, so i can't really tell.


What about the asphalt ones Chris?

Well, i think our road construction is one of the most expensive in the world, but sometimes more money goes to natural compensations, procedures, bureacracy etc, than the actual road. A good compensation is therefore hard to make.

For instance, the A4 Delft - Rotterdam is planned for 700 million euro's. This road is only 7000 meters long... :nuts:

Dutch higways can differ very much in colour. See this:

http://i26.tinypic.com/3537fhk.jpg

http://i31.tinypic.com/24cusr4.jpg

Both pics are taken on the A7, Afsluitdijk. The road on the last pic has been resurfaced recently. The upper one is still waiting for reconstruction, but it will have black asphalt after resurfacing.

Yeah, it fades over the years but freshly laid asphalt is sooo quiet and stays dry in the rain. That effect degrades over time but it's way better than concrete. There is a small section of road near me built using concrete in the early 1990s and the quality of the road is shocking.

^^there's nothing wrong with concrete German autobahns, you just need to maintain them well, otherwise this kind of things happen:

http://i26.tinypic.com/2whmbn9.jpg

A18, Poland. Concrete road which hasn't been well-maintained for about 70 years.

Yeah, it fades over the years but freshly laid asphalt is sooo quiet and stays dry in the rain. That effect degrades over time but it's way better than concrete. There is a small section of road near me built using concrete in the early 1990s and the quality of the road is shocking.

It is completely new to me that asphalted roads stay dry in the rain. I wonder why so much effort is spend on cross slope.

Anyway, the biggest advantage of asphalt is its flexibility. The economical superiority of concrete pavement stretches as far as large-scale pavement. That's why mainly carriageways of motorways and airport runways are constructed this way. For narrower roads this advantage shrinks to zero and below.
The biggest advantage of concrete pavements is the far better visibility in the dark.

Concrete

http://www.interstate-guide.com/images151/i-175_fl_et_12.jpg

Asphalt

http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/news/monashfreeway/congestion_brady_rd.jpg

I prefer concrete. Much better visibility in the dark.

It is completely new to me that asphalted roads stay dry in the rain. I wonder why so much effort is spend on cross slope.

dryer*

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Berlin_A113_Ausfahrt_Stubenrauchstra%C3%9Fe.jpg/800px-Berlin_A113_Ausfahrt_Stubenrauchstra%C3%9Fe.jpg
Concrete. A113, Berlin.

the first 4 pics should be old DDR signs, they look similar to those pics i found and posted in the historical-thread.

the newer signs on the other pics are not better. two destinations in one line (Dresden Cottbus / Magdeburg Leipzig), buttugly and not so good to read. and arrows under the text for driving forward but arrow on the left side for the exit sign on the same signbridge :puke:

btw: Dreieck Spreeau nowadays looks like this (pictures from www.rippachtal.de)
http://rippachtal.de/12/A12-2-09-01-20.jpg
http://rippachtal.de/12/A12-2-09-01-21.jpg
http://rippachtal.de/12/A12-2-09-01-30.jpg
http://rippachtal.de/12/A12-2-09-01-40.jpg


Nice one :cheers:

Ugly and noisy, what is being worsened by this semi-tunnel effect. I causes more reflections of the noise.

I despise concrete roads. They make me have to wear sunglasses even when there's no sun.

^^there's nothing wrong with concrete German autobahns, you just need to maintain them well, otherwise this kind of things happen:(...)A18, Poland. Concrete road which hasn't been well-maintained for about 70 years.

Well, after 71 years of utilization it is still in use(till 2009), with numorous trucks driving on it, so it is no way to maintain it anyhow for such a long period of time.

Yes, it will be reconstructed in the coming decade, so it's the best to leave it like this. Furthermore, when you drive from NL to southern Poland, the A18 is the shortest route, but when the A4 is finished, it is only 20 km longer, so it is better to use the A4 then. (sorry for going off-topic..)

Ugly and noisy, what is being worsened by this semi-tunnel effect. I causes more reflections of the noise.

Don't worry. It is quieter there than you think. The porous masonry absorbs most of the noise.

'Both' is one alternative...
http://imgcash3.imageshack.us/Himg142/scaled.php?server=142&filename=1001127qw4.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=480

Replacing asphalt pavements with concrete can help to lower summertime temperatures.
The "heat island" effect seen in large cities has been attributed, in part, to the use of asphalt pavements.
Concrete can be colored and textured to produce attractive designs and patterns

In Japan
There is the asphalt that temperature does not rise.
There is color asphalt.
There is asphalt absorbing water.

The grip powers of the tire are different.(An accident rate)
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/1115/ytorh6.jpg

Another "asphalt vs concrete" road.

http://images33.fotosik.pl/207/db9fa784759c448a.jpg

^^Is that the S6?

btw: when I was in Poland, I saw that most new highways are concrete, while the new expressways where surfaced with asphalt. Am I right?

No, 60 km further, A11 in Germany.

And this is not so simple with A/S roads surface in Poland. A4 and A18 are exceptions. Other roads (A2, A4) are asphalted.

^^Is that the S6?

No, the S6 is all-asphalt

The only half concrete - half asphalt road in Poland is A18 secion border Trzbiel exit(10 km). Westbound lane is concrete, eastbound - asphalt

mixed, baby :banana:

http://www.autobahnatlas-online.de/Bildergalerie/14_OlpenerStr.Ri.Norden.jpg
http://www.autobahnatlas-online.de/Bildergalerie/A3-4-04KrKolnOst.jpg
A3, Köln, Germany

as a color, I like it when the road is so red-brownish. Unfortunately, the few sections I know with that color, are mostly old and in bad condition.

concrete is terrible. it must be built in sections so you constantly hear and feel a thump thump thump when you're driving over it. asphalt is smooth and quiet but doesn't last very long.

Here in Bulgaria nowadays we mostly use black asphalt on the highways but I really want to see red asphalt on our roads!It is used when it's snowing right?

concrete is terrible. it must be built in sections so you constantly hear and feel a thump thump thump when you're driving over it. asphalt is smooth and quiet but doesn't last very long.

OK, but only when concrete was badly made(as on many older Czechia highways)
When it's not, it will be perfect for 30 years

I really want to see red asphalt on our roads!It is used when it's snowing right?

wait a while i'll find it
EDIT: They are :redx: for some time now:(

concrete is terrible. it must be built in sections so you constantly hear and feel a thump thump thump when you're driving over it. asphalt is smooth and quiet but doesn't last very long.

I see no sections...
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/3695/resizeofdscf0288mr4.jpg

^^ Because there are many ways of making concrete surface - the one with so called continuous reinforcement do not need to be cut into sections

^^
That's right, usually Germans use technologies, which allow them to lay 400 m sections of concrete.

concrete is terrible. it must be built in sections so you constantly hear and feel a thump thump thump when you're driving over it. asphalt is smooth and quiet but doesn't last very long.
I don't hear a thump on I-275, a concrete interstate here, its smooth too but a little noisier than asphalt but even in rain its not slick. I like concrete, asphalt becomes crappier quicker.

I think that's concrete mixed in with dye or oxidized iron (rust basically). I remember a discussion in Ottawa a few years back to pave Wellington St. with the stuff to mark the Confederation route I believe it was called which would run in a loop between Ottawa and neighbouring Hull. I've seen the "pink asphalt" as you call it and it bears a greater similarity to sidewalk cement than road asphalt.

No its definitely asphalt, the MTO does not use concrete. Concrete is only used on parts of the 407, mainly the parts in york region

I really like the way that LA used to do it. Concrete in the middle and the emergency lanes were very dark. It was very aesthetically pleasing when not cracked and freshly laid.

Asphalt is better, IMO.

A lot of the highways here have been repaved with it, it's smoother and makes a lot less noise.

When I drive down I-95 to New York, which is concrete in NYS, the highway makes some loud, awful noises.

white ashpalt is the best. it looks the best IMO. why do they differ between white and black ashphalt though?

^^ It depends on the comoposition of so called special asphalt mixture - the more asphalt is there, the darker it is

as a color, I like it when the road is so red-brownish.

Rusty? Yuck. :P Come to Austria, they have them; at least A11 and partly A10.

It doesn't matter how it looks. It matters how it functions!
Amen to that! :cheers1:

EDIT
Here is some pics of my favorite setup, concrete driving surface with asphalt shoulders.

http://www.westofthei.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/tollway-bridge-1024x680.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v704/packerfan386/cdf1ca97.jpg?t=1278061796

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v704/packerfan386/2005-1104-236_Byp53N_exit94.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v704/packerfan386/59c66837.jpg

In my area, bridges and overpasses are concrete, and pavement on the ground is asphalt.

I generally like asphalt roads better, and concrete is often done badly, but US Route 29 north of Lynchburg, Virginia is about the best highway I've ever been on, and it's concrete and ever so smooth. I love it. (It seems to have been recently built, judging by the lack of trees and sparse grass on the embankments)

I am currently aware of roads paved in white, black, gray, green, brown and orange. The white road is US 29 mentioned previously, black roads include I-95 north of Fredericksburg, Virginia and anything else recently paved, the orange road is I-81 near the Rural Retreat exit in (i think) Smyth County, Virginia, the green road is I-64 near Charlottesville, Virginia. Pretty much every other paved or gravel road is gray, and dirt roads (I'm aware of quite a few of those) are usually brown.

Oh yeah I also know of a road paved in white asphalt ... somewhere ... um, a few hours northeast of Roanoke. (Please don't ask me how to get there! I just know that the centerline is darker than the pavement.) And the Blue Ridge Parkway is usually gray, but I do know of a white section a little bit south of its northern end.

Asphalt and concrete:

Brazil:
http://www.cralmeida.com.br/img/fotos/rodovias/imigrantes2_b.jpg

Asphalt:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3093/2873829725_d7fa3bd881_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2529/4334596405_d49d7bb2cb_o.jpg

Concrete:

http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv241/pranda2009/tn_DSC_0026-4.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u171/marcelocuri/DSC07871.jpg

I like concrete better :cheers:

I like 1st pic.:D where is it?

Imigrantes Freeway between Sao Paulo and Santos.