City Communicates OnFocus –
“This is an annual maintenance effort this year,” said Public Works Director Dan Knoeck. “Through the budget process we were able to add some more dollars into the program in the last several years. We were funded at about $150,000 and this year we have $200,000, which is badly needed because we have had a pretty aggressive asphalt paving program over the years and we haven’t kept up with with the sealcoating maintenance treatment.”
“In past years most of our sealcoating was done with boiler slag, the black material,” said Knoeck. “Last year I mentioned boiler slag is becoming more scarce so this year we didn’t even bid it because it was difficult to get, and the price was higher than the traditional chip, and so what you’ll see this year is a stone chip 1⁄4 inch fractured stone.”
“In addition to the chip stone, we’re also going to do what’s called a fog seal which is a spray that goes on over the top of the chip,” he added.
“Fog seal is an asphalt liquid that’s put on after the chips are down, usually the third day after we put the chips down,” said Dean Schiller, Street Superintendent. “They will come in and sweep the road for any loose chips around the road then they’ll put this fog seal, it will help retain up to 30% of some of those loose chips that always come off the road.”
“Another benefit for doing a fog seal is the chip seal we’re using right now is more of a reddish color,” said Schiller. “This fog seal will make it dark black and it’ll help with the contrast when you put down pavement markings.”
The vote to approve the bid passed 5-0.
