Should Manhole Covers be Tarmacked Over?

[Barclaybasher]

Pot holes are bad enough but sunken manhole covers can do as much damage

It is not often that access is needed

Surely now we have the means to plot and locate them when necessary

So why not tarmac over them?

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

At one time they would lift the manhole to the same height as the new road surface. Now they resurface the road to get rid of potholes but replace them with built in new ones.

 

[Speve]

Don’t think that would work very well as if the cover is a little loose the tarmac would crack and eventually end up as an even worse pothole.

 

[ymfb]

The asphalt would be too thin and unable to cope with thermal expansion and contraction from the temperature range.

 

[Podney]

They would all get lost when “the computer says no”

 

[Barclaybasher]

Don’t think that would work very well as if the cover is a little loose the tarmac would crack and eventually end up as an even worse pothole.

The asphalt would be too thin and unable to cope with thermal expansion and contraction from the temperature range.

Could someone not come up with a material that would stick?

The different material would help locate the manholes as well

Around here some of the manholes are so deep anyway.............

 

[mike mcglynn]

The roadlaying team covered the one outside our house about two years ago .

 

[Garfields]

No no no no and no
Covered / buried manholes are a total PITA
Its Sunday and I cant be bothered to go into detail but
Next time you have a burst pipe and cant get the water off because someone has tarred over or buried the valve cover decided if it was a good idea

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[andy63]

Hmm that question prompted a few memories of turning up at fires and needig a hydrant... like fairly urgently... only to find it wasnt there any more...... or rather was but had been tarmacked over..
Perhaps if they go to the bother of resurfacing they should also make sure they do the job properly
Andy

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
Silly me i was thinking,it would not be to hard to make manholes of different heights/thicknesses,you know,keep a little box of them in the cab.....Sorted.
Whatever happened to the "Prep" gangs,that went along and raised the ..PERSON HOLES!!! prior to the "Barber Green" coming along and giving it a coat ? I blame Global warming!!
Tea Bag..Gizza Job!

 

[WESTY66]

Something could be done with them to make them less slippery when wet, (not necessarily tarmac) anyone who thinks otherwise has never lost the front wheel of a motorcycle on one

 

[Badknee]

@tonyandcarol is the man, he’s responsible for some of the worst roads in Lincolnshire. He says it’s because of underinvestment I think it’s more likely to be because he was driving the tarmac laying machine

 

[gus-lopez]

Can't say I've seen any not raised before resurfacing?

 

[Badknee]

Can't say I've seen any not raised before resurfacing?

When I was in the job we used to put new kerbs in and raise the ironwork standing it on slate and cement.
Now the surface is plained off. The kerbs and ironwork then doesn’t need to be lifted.

 

[tonyandcarol]

@Badknee I was a terrible paver driver I hated it I was a screw man. All the jobs I am involved with get the iron work lifted if they are 2 low gully grates should allways be a bit lower than the road surface.

 

[BusyBuilder]

Try riding over them on a motorbike, lots are on bends as they are usually sited at junctions (of the pipe services etc) of roads or on bends.

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[Badknee]

@Badknee I was a terrible paver driver I hated it I was a screw man. All the jobs I am involved with get the iron work lifted if they are 2 low gully grates should allways be a bit lower than the road surface.

See I drove it, water running away from grids were nowt to do with me

 

[Barclaybasher]

Hmm that question prompted a few memories of turning up at fires and needig a hydrant... like fairly urgently... only to find it wasnt there any more...... or rather was but had been tarmacked over..
Perhaps if they go to the bother of resurfacing they should also make sure they do the job properly
Andy

Appreciate what you say Andy

Hydrants would be the exception, the rest are rarely used, you'd still know where they were though ..

They are spraying the roads with tar and stones round here, so the potholes will get filled but the manholes will be deeper............

I think those in charge of roads should survey the roads on cycles or scooters...........they might appreciate better how bad the roads really are

 

[ymfb]

Try riding over them on a motorbike, lots are on bends as they are usually sited at junctions (of the pipe services etc) of roads or on bends.

Quite agree, it’s uncanny how often the services run on the exact line you want for best position for safety and observation. Whoever decides where to run pipes and cables should learn about motorcycle riding and SSV.

Safety
Stability
View

 

[Hollyberry]

Something could be done with them to make them less slippery when wet, (not necessarily tarmac) anyone who thinks otherwise has never lost the front wheel of a motorcycle on one

Or their feet--- slightly different but the large metal cover over a pubs cellar access. Wet in the rain, me carrying 2 bags of shopping, feet went, next thing I know flat on my back, sore head. Ill later that day,diagnosed with mild concussion.
Realise consequences can be far worse on a motorbike though

 

[robnchris]

Everything is now done to a budget and the lowest quote hence why the roads are a disgrace, spraying bitumen and chucking stones on it is a total waste of time and money.

Truth is none of the repair work is a good job, next time you come to the Chester food festival walk over the Grosvenor Bridge and see what a dreadful job they have made of laying the pavement slabs, cheap quick job just a waste of money.

 

[SpeedyDux]

On our Ring Road there's one badly sunken cover near the middle of lane 1 that I always drive round if possible. I need to check the mirrors first because I need a bit of lane 2. A truck coming past - just slow down, grit teeth and prepare for the inevitable thump from the suspension.

After 45 years of driving I had my first broken front coil spring. You now see bits of coil spring lying in the gutter. It's becoming a third world road system. The state of some roads is appalling. Sunken covers, potholes, ruts, subsidence, stretches where the wearing layer is missing. Instead of priority for road maintenance, tons of money is spent on new cycle paths, Metro Bus routes, and more traffic lights.
End of rant.

 

[TerryL]

I used to work on an extremely busy high street in a Newcastle suburb which was forever being "repaired", new systems put in etc. etc. Finally the city council had enough and stated that the whole high street was going to be properly resurfaced and all the utility companies were warned to get their acts together because once done the council would not issue any permits to dig up the road for at least 6 months, subject to a heavy fine.
.
For several weeks beforehand there was fevered activity and on the designated date a diversion was put in and the street closed. Amazingly it was all completed on time and on Monday the road was re-opened - it was beautiful to see!

Arrived at to the office - no heating. Gas engineer turned up to find no supply - they'd only gone and disconnected our gas supply!

Two hours later the road was partly closed while it was dug up to re-connect us.

 

[Ridgeway]

I've noticed in China in the last few years that most if not all services are placed under the footpath which is in fact a metal grid, the entire path. So in any place you can access it, repair what you need or even add/remove service pipes etc, all without disturbing the road or cutting any tarmac, makes sense to me.

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[John Mee]

On my recent bike jolly to Harz in Germany, all of the manholes were flush with the road surface and all were covered with a non slip layer. The roads were a joy to ride on.

 

[Puddleduck]

I think those in charge of roads should survey the roads on cycles or scooters...........they might appreciate better how bad the roads really are

Ideally when there are heavy trucks coming the other way so there is no chance to dodge the holes on narrow roads.

 

[tonyandcarol]

Everything is now done to a budget and the lowest quote hence why the roads are a disgrace, spraying bitumen and chucking stones on it is a total waste of time and money.

Truth is none of the repair work is a good job, next time you come to the Chester food festival walk over the Grosvenor Bridge and see what a dreadful job they have made of laying the pavement slabs, cheap quick job just a waste of money.

I agree with you on every thing is is done to a tight budget. but I have to disagree with you on that surface dressing is not a waste of money and extends the life of road surfaces and is very good value for money.

 

[Ridgeway]

Just an a similar point. I normally ride my push bike around Europe, predominantly CH, DE and FR. The last 2wks i've been back in the UK and had a few rides, totalled around 150miles. The condition of many of the surfaces was terrible although it did seem to vary region to region. Around Preston, Lancaster area on the whole it was "OK" and around Macclesfield and Buxton it was shocking. On the return route yesterday we drove around the M25, it was like a permanent rumble strip, 3hrs later we were on the silky smooth "Autoroute des Anglais" (A26) but lets not forget that costs some serious €€€ each time you use it vs the too low road tax in the UK, the answer is that there simply isn't enough being charged to use the roads and therefore being spent on them.

 

[TerryL]

the answer is that there simply isn't enough being charged to use the roads and therefore being spent on them.

Well I'll agree there's not enough being spent on the roads but do you honestly believe the road fund licence proceeds ALL get used on roads? The real problem is that there is just too much traffic on this small overcrowded island. The governments answer is, of course, try to price us off the road but politically they can only go so far and the attraction of more money for the "general" coffers is too much. Plus you're not ever going to change the mindset that a car is essential and the normal way of life, nor for that matter persuade the motor manufacturers to produce less.

 

[robnchris]

I agree with you on every thing is is done to a tight budget. but I have to disagree with you on that surface dressing is not a waste of money and extends the life of road surfaces and is very good value for money.

You are of course entitled to your opinion but from what I have seen over the years surface dressing is little more than that, the spray bitumen on the road surface dropping a covering of granite chips which within a few hours depending on the following traffic load are all loose and driven into the gutter, those that haven't gone through someones wind-screen of course.
Over the next few days the contractors come along and sweep up all the loose gravel, well they do in Cheshire and the road surface is now almost as bald as it was before they started.

Waste of time and money, even more so during this hot summer period.