Road surface dressing programme
Cumbria has the fourth largest highway network in England, maintaining some 7,900km of highway. The overall structural condition of the network is generally sound, and with the prudent use of preventative techniques to protect the running surface such as surface dressing, the service life of the network can be extended dramatically at up to one tenth the cost of resurfacing.
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Surface dressing is the most cost effective preventative road surface treatment available to significantly extend a road's life. It costs less than a tenth of full resurfacing and means that more money is available to invest in resurfacing where it is most needed.
By spraying the road surface with bitumen, then pressing new stone chippings into the bitumen binder, the road surface is sealed, thereby preventing the road surface from deteriorating and averting the development of potholes. It will also refresh the skid resistance of the road surface by the introduction of fresh aggregate. It is a well established process that is used to solve both of these issues.
To ensure a uniform coating of the surface, more chippings are deliberately applied to the surface than are actually required to complete the dressing process. The road is then opened to traffic, with 20mph speed warning signs in place which allows slow moving traffic to further embed the chippings. The road is swept at regular intervals to remove any excess chippings.
- First sweep: the day after works completed
- Second sweep: 7 days after works completed
- Third sweep (if required): within 30 days of works being completed
We want to get as much done as efficiently and safely as possible. Our Contractor will notify local residents of the days they are working and ask that all parked vehicles are taken off the roads and paths. This means we get the best results and can really make a difference to the highway network.
Surface dressing is more environmentally viable as it uses considerably less raw materials and energy than re-surfacing, with around 10percent of the aggregate being used and 1percent of the energy consumed in supplying the materials to working temperature. There is also less waste material generated with surface dressing. Once laid, surface dressing is swept at regular intervals with all surplus chippings taken to a central compound for re-cycling. Before the start of each surface dressing season these are graded and then washed using specialist plant ready to be used in the following seasons programme. In 2019 approximately 10,000 tonnes of the chippings used will have been reprocessed in this way.
The process is weather dependent as new chippings will not embed into the road properly if the road is too cold, and the binder will not hold the chippings down if it is too hot. It will not work if the road is wet, or if there is heavy rain shortly after the work is carried out.
Consequently, we must be constantly aware of the weather forecast, and stop work if there is likely to be heavy rain in the next 24 hours. This could mean that the crew cannot work on the day they have notified. Please accept our apologies if this is the case.
Access to properties and frontages will be maintained during these works when it is safe to do so. If help is needed getting in or out of properties, please ask the operatives or traffic management team on site for assistance.
The new surface can be driven on almost immediately following the application of the chippings, provided speeds remain below the reduced speed limit. Reduced speed restriction signs will be displayed where work is being carried out to warn motorists about the chippings. There may be some loose chippings on the surface after the works which could affect driving conditions and an advisory 20mph speed limit will remain in place until the loose chippings have been compacted into the new surface by the flow of traffic.
For your safety, the safety of others, and to prevent damage to vehicles, please keep to the speed limit, keep your distance from the vehicle in front, avoid turning or braking sharply and don't overtake.
We understand that the chippings do pose an issue for those on bikes or motorcyclists. However, this method of treatment does mean we can address longer stretches of road and make the best use of the funding available to us. This treatment does take time to settle and we will put up advance warning signs at sites so people can make their own decisions about the route to take on their journeys.
Our contractors will only be carrying out work for Cumbria County Council. They will never offer to do any private work, such as resurfacing driveways.
If you're approached by anyone offering to surface your driveway, and claiming that they are working for Cumbria County Council, please report rogue traders on telephone number 03454 04 05 06.