Pavement problems are causing a serious setback on the Caltrans Fix-50 project.
"Whether it's in the daytime or nighttime, they're always doing construction, it's like never ending, it's a nightmare"
Caltrans said it has found cracks and broken-off pieces of concrete along the newly paved lanes of westbound Highway 50 in downtown sacramento.
Beginning Friday night, Caltrans plans a three-day closure of three westbound lanes to make the repairs.
"Quality inspectors noticed there was some cracking, chippings here, chippings there so it was not something usual for a new paved road," said Sergio Ochoa Sanchez, Caltrans spokesperson.
The damage has been spotted in the two right-hand lanes currently in use between 10th Street and the Interstate 5 interchange.
"You would be able to notice some chunks, some cracks on the road which should not be there," Sanchez said.
What's causing the Fix-50 concrete to crumble?
Caltrans engineers said the new segment was laid down in August 2023, but it was poured too thick and was not properly vibrated during placement.
Extensive testing shows it does not meet state specifications.
Repairs won't be easy. A 280-foot section of the roadway will have to be torn out and replaced. That's the length of three basketball courts.
Caltrans said the contractor will have to pay for the repairs, and it won't impact the project's $511 million total cost. They also say these type of defects are rare.
"This is the first time that it's happened on this particular project," Sanchez said.
The additional freeway delays being due to a construction blunder is frustrating for many drivers.
"Sometimes, I think a lot of these people don't understand what an inconvenience it's doing to us," said driver William Baker.
Caltrans said that there's no immediate danger of the freeway lanes collapsing due to the concrete defects, and they say it's not expected to impact the project's timeline.
The segment of Highway 50 between I-5 and Watt Avenue is still on schedule to be completed by the end of the year.
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