Paving freeway lanes in black and white

From ODOT-

Building new freeway lanes is a sequential process, as shown by work on Interstate 5 between the new northbound Willamette River Bridge and the Canoe Canal Bridge.



ODOT subcontractor Knife River recently finished the first layer of paving for the reconstructed lanes. The black asphalt shown below is one of two layers needed before the lanes are ready for traffic. Crews spread and graded rock to form a base for the paving earlier this month.

Workers installed a first layer of asphalt, for the northbound lanes over a new rock base.

Next, crews will install rebar on top of the asphalt before pouring the white concrete that will complete the roadway in early September. The roadway will look like the photo below.

Here, rebar is shown on top of black asphalt in preparation for pouring a white concrete road surface for the southbound bridge.

To pour the concrete driving surface, workers will use a machine that moves along a track on either side of the new lane. The machine spreads and smooths the concrete as it is poured.

After the concrete cures, the highway shoulders and roadside barriers can be completed.


These lanes and the new northbound Willamette River Bridge will open to traffic in fall 2013.