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Summer heats up

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Janesville heatwave

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I swore the air felt hotter inside the car as we rolled passed the strip of freshly sprayed asphalt on County D.

Ben Coopman told me I was imagining it.

Regardless, he wouldn't turn on the air conditioning.

"You've gotta suffer along," Coopman said.

Coopman, the director of the Rock County Public Works Department, invited the Gazette for a ride Tuesday afternoon as he ran fresh ice water to workers seal coating County D south of Janesville.

Watching it happen is like watching a sweaty parade.

First, one worker sticks reflective markers onto the old asphalt along the centerline.

Next, a driver sprays 180-degree asphalt out of a tanker. Rock County crews go through about six tanker loads in a nine-hour workday, Coopman said.

Next comes the chipper truck, which pours gravel onto the fresh asphalt. Hooked to the back of the chipper, driving backwards, is a dump truck full of gravel to keep the chipper full.

Crews this week also will work on County E and County H between Hanover Road and Highway 213.

Record high?

It was hot, but Tuesday's unofficial high of 95 fell short of Janesville's record of 98 set in 1930 and 1932, according to Gazette weather records.

Root Beer Float Tuesday

Parks Director Tom Presny brings the makings for root beer floats when the heat is on.

"Today, it's Root Beer Float Tuesday," foreman Brian Brieske said after his shift.

Brieske headed a crew that started at 4 a.m.

Workers poured a new rubber surface for the Rock Aqua Jays stage in Traxler Park, and it's just too hot to do that in the heat of the afternoon, he said.

"We came in at 4, and as soon as the sun came up, we started putting the rubber surface down. It didn't get hot until the very end."

Pavement problems

Roads across the area cracked under the pressure from Tuesday's high temperatures.

The Wisconsin State Patrol responded to numerous blowouts on state highways, including one on Interstate 39/90 near Madison around 1:30 p.m. The crack was repaired by 5 p.m.

The Janesville Police Department responded to two calls when roads buckled because of the heat, said Lt. Keith Lawver. The first was at Milton Avenue and Refset Drive and the second was on Racine Street at Interstate 39/90.

Some pools open

Residents who wanted to cool off in a pool could do so at the Rockport Park facility, where the pool, diving pool and wading pool were open. Palmer Park and Riverside wading pools remained closed for repairs.

City staff hope to open Palmer by Saturday.

Hospitals

Emergency room officials at Mercy Hospital reported no heat-related cases as of Tuesday afternoon.

Summer school

Most Janesville public school buildings have some air conditioning, but it's not enough to cool all the approximately 3,000 students and teachers in summer school.

Summer school started at Wilson and Jackson schools last week. The six other summer school sites began Monday.

Teachers keep kids on ground floors and north sides of the buildings as much as possible, said summer school coordinator Steve Huth, "but there is no way to overcome 95-degree heat in facilities that are not air conditioned."

The high school classes all are at Marshall Middle School, which is completely air conditioned, Huth said.

Many other students are not lucky enough to be in air-conditioned classrooms.

Summer school is generally 8 a.m. to noon, but the Wilson School program runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Air conditioners needed

The Voluntary Action Center issued a plea for air conditioners Friday but hadn't received any as of Tuesday.

"We've had zero donated, no money," said Lynette Newton, executive director of the Beloit center.

On Monday and by noon Tuesday, the center had received 13 requests for air conditioners.

Air conditioning for those 60 and older with certain medical conditions can be "a matter of life and death in some cases," Newton said.

To donate a window unit or money to buy air conditioners, call (608) 365-1278.

Energy usage

Alliant Energy reported a spike in electrical usage but not a record.

Alliant expected Tuesday's electrical usage to peak at 2,477 megawatts. Its capacity is 2,819 megawatts.

"That's a pretty strong load, but we certainly are prepared for it and able to handle it. We're not expected to be near our peak usage today, and usage hasn't been near a record," Schultz said.