[cllew]

Anybody have any idea why Winnipeg or MB Transportation are not using precast roadway slabs to speed up installation of new routes?

I was on You-Tube and came across a link to Caltrans (California highways dept) installing precast roads and them saying that it cuts the time down by 1/3 as all they have to do is prepare the roadbed as normal and then drop in the factory made roadway, connect the sections and grout the connection access holes with quick setting grout. No waiting for concrete to cure for days on end. There was even a video showing a slab of normal concrete being cut out and a replacement section of this being installed in one 24 day.

This concept has apparently been tested in 9 US states as well as Ontario and Quebec and seems to be promising.

I am sure that Barkman or one of the other precast plants in Manitoba could license the designs and produce the slabs locally to reduce the cost if it took off.

I could see this being used on the Bishop Grandon extension or new highways like Centerport where there are no manhole or water main valve cut outs to fiddle with and no water or sewer lines underneath that may need to fixed in the future to cause a hole to be cut in the pavement.