chapter 340
Blacktoppin
4/11/2014
made in china
Christie models latest fashions from China. Daughter's boyfriend in Asian sports car has worked on a lot of black topping operations and currently is working for Fortune 500 company China Construction America in NYC. As he negotiates down my 39 year old driveway he noted a little defect on the surface that could be cut out. Yeah, like Chris Christie he has to shut down NYC commuter traffic enraging drivers often. On the other hand NYSDOT has given an award to CCA for its Tappan Zee work. Chicago based Black Toppin blues album captures the mood and won several awards in 2013.
Got him to snag some cellies from his Staten Island Expressway I-278 project. This diamond coated concrete saw cuts thru blacktop with no problem.
CCA made this nice looking retaining wall as a traffic noise barrier for the neighbors.
It was during my highway construction phase when I was dating my wife. Took this pic in 1968 while working on this I-90 & I-787 four level Albany interchange before entering the Army. We built it to last (?) out of steel and concrete.
Last week while driving under I snapped another follow-up photo. The stress and the elements have caused decay requiring today's reconstruction phase for this heavily travelled corridor linking Buffalo and Boston. Don't be concerned if you are driving across and look down with no piers holding you up. The scaffolding will probably hold you.
To keep traffic flowing they build this support structure then build a new column inside for cross beams, steel girders, then precast concrete decks. At 55 mph with a digital camera one can do an inspection and still see a lot of detail.
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