As anyone who lives in the Upper Midwest knows, roads and road repairs are a way of life. There's no getting around it, especially in a climate that sees such wide temperature variances and growing volumes of heavy traffic.
Everyone from highway engineers to frustrated motorists has fantasized about a machine that would move steadily down a road, gobbling up bad pavement in front and leaving a trail of perfect pavement in the rear. No more construction backups. No more breathlessly expensive rebuilds. No more pockmarked, rutted roads waiting to break axles and bend wheels.
While this report discusses Minnesota's use of the shoulder reclaimer, Vermont road crews are also using the tractor-mounted reclaimer described. Bob Niles of The Vermont Local Roads Program said local crews have found the reclaimer effective. Vermont counties are talking about buying a reclaimer together and sharing its use.