Road repairs and surface treatment

Carriageway surface treatments are the most effective method, both financially and environmentally, to extend the life of a carriageway by improving skid resistance and sealing the road surface, which helps to stop the ingress of water and consequently preventing the formation of potholes.

This could be compared with a similar methodology householders use when painting or treating wooden garden fences. The paint or treatment not only provides a new finish and improved aesthetic, it also protects the wood from rotting from water ingress and reduces the need to replace the fence on a regular basis.

There are two carriageway surface treatment processes that are generally used in North East Lincolnshire:

Surface dressing

Surface dressing is a method of sealing cracks in the carriageway and renewing the skid resistance to worn roads which are still structurally sound. The treatment does not eradicate irregularities in the existing road surface. Patching work is undertaken prior to the commencement of surface dressing to repair any significant depressions in the carriageway surface.

The new dressing will always “mirror” the undulations of the existing road surface. The new surfacing is normally left for 2 to 3 days before it is swept. This is because the bitumen binder that is used in the process, needs time to set and stiffen before a mechanical sweeper is applied to it. Otherwise, the newly laid surface treatment would be damaged.

If necessary, the contractor’s sweeper will undertake further visits to site to remove any excess chippings.

Surface treatment processes are only used where the existing road surface has been worn over a period of several years. Usually there are minor surface cracks, which would allow water to enter and damage the integrity of the road construction and/or a loss of texture which would reduce the skidding resistance of the road surface.

Surface dressing seals the cracks, thus protecting the underlying construction and restores the surface texture and skidding resistance of the road. The ideal time to surface dress is when the road may appear in good condition which ensures a sound surface to accept the dressing, and when road surface temperatures are higher, between May and September, to ensure the chippings are retained.

On average Surface dressing gives an extra 10 years of life to a road at an average cost of £5 per square metre.

Below is a table comparing all factors of road resurfacing options

	Average service life with low traffic	Average service life with medium to high traffic	cost	KgCO₂e/m²
Surface Dressing	12 years	10 years	£5/m2	0.715
Micro-Asphalt	8 years	10 years	£9/m2	0.806
Resurfacing (40mm depth)	12 years	12 years	£25/m2	6.292
Reconstruction	20+ years	20+ years	£75/m2	24.308

Micro-asphalt

The micro-asphalt process is a cold applied treatment using specialist plant and equipment to mix and lay the material (quality graded aggregates, bitumen binder, filler and additives) in two-layers.

The first application regulates the existing surface, filling depressions and rutting, and a surface coat is then applied. Additional material may be required in the regulating course to ensure the overall minimum design thickness is obtained.

The amount of regulating material used will depend on the condition of the existing road surface. Typically, the finished micro-asphalt surface appears a lot darker than surface dressing and does not have excess loose chippings as surface dressing does.

Micro-asphalt seals and protects the underlying construction of a road, however it is more costly than surface dressing. It is only used where the existing surface is not suitable for surface dressing, such as locations where there are extensive patching requirements, rutting, or locations with failed repairs or extensive utilities work.

Alternatively, micro asphalt may be used where surface dressing has been assessed as unsuitable for the site, such as some narrow streets and cul-de-sac’s in urban areas.

The ideal time to apply micro-asphalt is when the road may appear in good condition which ensures a sound surface to accept the treatment, and when weather conditions are generally dryer, between April and October.

What to expect when a surface treatment is to be applied to your road

When a road is going to be resurfaced, we send a letter with details of the process and advice to all properties on that street.

The work will in most circumstances be carried out under a road closure and a typical day will follow the below sequence.

close the road to vehicles using – pedestrian access is unaffected.
mask ironworks (drains, manhole covers and so on) with heavy duty duct tape and sweep the road to remove debris.
Once swept the contractors use specialist machinery to lay the materials directly onto the existing road surface. No excavation is required.
If micro-asphalt is being applied lay a second coat of material will be applied on top of the first, either on the same day as the base coat or the following day.
Once applied the crew will remove the duct tape masking from ironworks. With Micro-asphalt these may be left covered for a longer period until the material hardens enough to allow the ironworks to be raised.
Signs will be installed advising of a temporary advisory speed limit. This is for short period until the new aggregate is embedded fully, and all loose aggregate is swept.
The road is reopened. Usually the same day.

If surface treatment works are going to happen on your street you can help by:

removing parked vehicles by the time requested
complying with all traffic control systems (for example speed restrictions)
driving slowly over newly completed areas of work
take particular care and avoid walking on areas of freshly treated surface whilst it is still “wet”

To help reduce the amount of disruption road surfacing can have for residents and businesses we try to:

avoid works at peak times on main roads, on main roads within two days of a major event and/or adjacent to schools or shops at peak periods
give you at least 24 hours written notice of works in a residential street
put up signs at the entrance and exit of all streets to be treated, to advise of the date of works
use appropriate materials on all sites to minimise loss of chippings
sweep all other roads within 48 hours of opening to traffic
reinstate all important road markings (for example junction markings) within 48 hours
reinstate all other road markings within fourteen days of the road being swept
sweep all roads again approximately one week after the work is completed

When a road is going to be resurfaced, we send a letter with details of the process and advice to all properties on that street.

The letter will contain a QR code with a link to the appropriate programme (Below). The work is dependent on suitable weather conditions. Therefore, delays to the programme do happen, you can keep up to date with any programme changes via the section below.

Ongoing and upcoming surface treatment programmes

Micro-asphalt programme updates

View the latest programme (PDF, 234KB)

FAQs

Yes, pedestrian access will be maintained. There may be periods when vehicles cannot access the road during these periods, we politely request that you find a suitable parking space on a nearby street. Once the road is reopened you will be able to park on your street.

Once the road is reopened you will be able to drive and park on your street. It is recommended that drivers do not undertake ‘dry steer’ turning manoeuvres, which is when a driver turns the steering wheel while the vehicle is stationary, which can cause tire scrubbing on the newly laid surface.

We use both options in North East Lincolnshire. Surface treatments are used as preventative maintenance tool and may be chosen for a particular site following a site review that concludes it is suitable and the treatment will extend the overall life cycle of the road, whilst minimising disruption as resurfacing can often require more road closures to complete the work.

Yes, studies conclude that through selection of surface treatments authorities can extend the life cycle of a road and reduce the carbon impact of surfacing works through reduced CO2 emissions.

This is normal. Micro-asphalt is unusual in that it takes some time to cure and bed-in. It’s appearance changes as this occurs. When first laid, it will look very dark, feel soft underfoot and have a rough texture.

During bedding-in, the tone of the surface lightens, the material hardens and becomes smooth. In the end, it will look like a typical road. The bedding-in process takes around one to three months. This can vary depending on weather conditions and the amount of traffic using the road. The more traffic, the faster the road will bed-in.

For surface dressing, excess stone is intentionally applied to allow the aggregate to embed into the existing surface during trafficking. All surface dressing sites are swept three times over a four- six week period to ensure all loose material is collected and recycled.

Micro-asphalt sites will experience some stone lose as the material cures and solidifies.

We will sweep the road at least once shortly after laying the new surface and will carry out further sweeps as necessary.

We usually reinstate road markings between two weeks to one month after laying a surface treatment, this allows all loose material to be swept prior to the road markings being applied. We will aim to replace all safety-related markings such as give way lines first.

Apply for road surface treatment

Complete the Roads, footpaths and cycleways form.

Contact details

Telephone: 01472 326290