This paper was presented at the `Pavement cost and performance evaluation strategies' session. Highway 401 extends 820 km across Ontario, from Windsor in the west to the Ontario-Quebec border in the east. Its economic significance to the local, regional and national economy is well recognized within the North American transportation industry. Highway 401 within the Greater Toronto study area has a current average annual daily traffic (AADT) of between 300,000 and 440,000, of which 9-12 per cent are heavy commercial vehicles and trucks. Over the next 30 years, the design lane of the highway pavement within the study area is expected to be subject to over 200 million equivalent single axel loads (ESAL's). Therefore, through Toronto, the existing pavement condition and potential reconstruction or rehabilitation are important decision considerations within the Highway 401 Strategic Rehabilitation Program of the Ministry of Transportation, Ontario (MTO). In May 1997, the Geotechnical Engineering Section, Central Region, MTO, initiated a Comprehensive Pavement Condition Evaluation Study of the eastbound and westbound express lanes, and two small sections of the westbound collector lanes, between Kipling Avenue and Victoria Park Avenue. The study, which was completed in December 1997, concluded that the original 30 year old jointed reinforced concrete pavement (JRCP) was in a much better condition than anticipated from performance of the asphaltic concrete overlay (ACO), and worthy of rehabilitation. The first two pavement rehabilitation contracts were awarded at the beginning of the 1998 construction season. In this paper, the procedures used in the comprehensive pavement condition evaluation study are described and the study results are summarized. (A)
Abstract