Laserfiche WebLink
KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br /> <br />PUBLIC WORKS – BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br /> <br /> <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: April 27, 2025 <br /> <br />TOPIC: Road Preservation – Chip Seal <br /> <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Information only <br /> <br /> <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Josh Fredrickson <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Informational briefing – no action required by the Board <br /> <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br /> Chip seal is a cost-effective preventative maintenance used on County roads <br /> Preparation work to ensure reliability includes crack seal and pre-leveling <br /> Annual program for chip seal begins in July, with preparation work in the spring <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Kittitas County owns and maintains nearly 500 miles of paved roadway. Preventative <br />maintenance is key to road preservation and effective use available resources. Chip seal is <br />a method to provide road preservation. Chip seal is typically applied to pavements in <br />good condition having significant remaining service life. Preventative maintenance is a <br />strategy of extending the service life by applying cost-effective treatments to the surface <br />of structurally sound pavements. The method of preventative maintenance used includes <br />crack sealing and chip sealing. <br /> <br />DISCUSSION: <br />Applying a chip seal onto a road surface involves spraying the pavement surface with <br />emulsified asphalt and then covered with aggregate and rolled. Chip seals are used <br />primarily to seal the surface of a pavement with non-load associated cracks and to <br />improve surface friction. On low volume roadways a chip seal may be used as a wearing <br />course. <br /> <br />Kittitas County Public Works targets a seven-year rotation for chip seal of County <br />roadways. This timeline may vary due to the condition and use of the roads. The annual <br />chip seal program begins with preparation work in the spring, with placement of chip seal <br />typically starting in July. Public Works has supported our City partners in the County to <br />provide chip seal of City roads at their request and cost. In order to ensure a product