A 2-mile stretch of the Alameda Bypass in Klamath Falls and portions of Highway 39 will receive the treatment this spring. Maintenance crews place tack oil and hot mix asphalt in the groove. A screed located on a front-end loader is used to spread the asphalt evenly.
Hydraulic valves adjust the width of the screed to coincide with the width and depth of the rut.
A roller then matches the filled in groove with the rest of the road surface. Ruts caused by studded tires are a safety concern and cost the agency 11 million dollars a year to repair. Instead of repairing the whole surface we just take care of the traffic rut. The screed, designed and built by Frank Kuonen a retired ODOT mechanic, performs more effectively when ruts are over a half-inch deep.