Wednesday, June 23, 2010

City of WL crack-sealing operations on-going

See below for a press release of crack-sealing of roads in the City of Williams Lake:

The City of Williams Lakes asphalt management plan utilizes two forms of crack sealing to prolong the life of City streets and roads. Hot Tar Emulsion is used to treat cracks in the asphalt road surface up to 5mm in width. The cracks are blown out with compressed air to remove dirt and debris and the cracks are then filled with tar heated to a temperature of 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Velocity Patching is used on City streets where there are cracks greater than 5 mm. Cracks are blown out with compressed air to remove dirt and debris and then a cold spray patch emulsion is mixed with a ¼” fractured aggregate is blown into the cracks producing a solid binder. A layer of fractured aggregate is then put down over the crack which stays on the road surface for up to three days, allowing the traffic to compact the material deep into the cracks. After the three-day compaction period the City’s street sweeper picks up any excess material. The City has been utilizing Velocity Patching for the last eight years.

“Velocity Patching and Hot Tar Emulsion are both similar in that they prevent water from entering into cracks in the asphalt, causing premature failure of the road surface.” states Kevin Goldfuss, Director of Municipal Services.”

According to Councillor Sue Zacharias who holds the Public Works Portfolio, “The City uses these different methods of crack sealing because they are a proven method of preventative maintenance. The Municipal Services Streets Division has been crack sealing City streets since 1990 and by doing so have been able to prevent costly overlays.”

The City asks for the public’s patience during the crack sealing process and that traffic proceeds slowly as loose rock poses a hazard to vehicles and pedestrians

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