What is chip sealing and why it’s effective?

County road agencies use a process called “chip sealing” to make your roads stronger! Chip sealing combines layers of asphalt with layers of fine aggregate. Aggregate is a material formed of loosely compacted stone. Once this combination is on the roadway, large rubber-tired rollers go back-and-forth on it to compact it and embed the materials.

This new chip seal needs two days of dry, hot weather to cure while also having traffic go over it at reduced speeds to assist with packing.

The cost is $15,000 to $30,000 per mile, and the seal lasts five to eight years, depending on the surface of the road.

What are the benefits of chip sealing? Safety, moisture barriers, and deterioration prevention. Chip sealing provides a surface that increases the skid resistance of vehicles. Chip seal helps prevent potholes from forming, as it prevents moisture from getting underneath the pavement. Due to aging and the elements, deterioration of roads is very common, but with the use of chip sealing, it can be reduced significantly.

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