We’ve wrapped up work on this year’s extensive microsurfacing program! Microsurfacing is a protective seal coat that extends the life of pavement – and we’ve covered more lane miles than ever!
In July and August, 63 lane miles of streets were microsurfaced in 10 Seattle neighborhoods – that’s a 33% increase in lane miles from last year. That means more than 6,500 homes and businesses now have a rejuvenated road surface in front of their property. When the program started in 2013, just 12 lane miles were microsurfaced, in 2014 the number grew to 27 lane miles, and in 2015 the project covered 43 lane miles.
Cost-effective street maintenance
Microsurfacing is a cost-effective method to renew the road surface. Much like painting a house, crews apply a thin, tough layer of asphalt emulsion, blended with finely crushed stone for traction, to the road surface. The treatment seals minor cracks and deformities, using a special coating that extends the life of the pavement by 7 to 10 years. The finished surface looks similar to regular asphalt. Once the asphalt is fully cured, crews restripe roads, crosswalks and other features.
For more information about microsurfacing, including a video of how it’s done, click right here.
Thank you to all the neighbors for your patience and understanding during this work! We hope you enjoy the newly microsurfaced streets.