Roadway Improvements Shift into High Gear: More Construction Ahead
Road repairs and construction projects have been in full swing since mid-May, with several large projects nearing completion. August marks an increase in city-wide street improvement work which includes blade leveling work on back lane maintenance and microsurfacing are reaching peak activity this week.
“August is traditionally the month this all shifts into high gear,” says Rob Frank, Engineering Manager of Asset Preservation. “Microsurfacing is one procedure we use for roads that are in need of minor repairs. It’s much faster than other processes,” Frank says. “It has minimum impact on the community, and we can cover a large area very quickly.”
Locations receiving a micro surface treatment require a significant amount of preparation work such as any underlying road repairs and sidewalk panel replacement work which allow the final surfacing program to move quickly throughout the City.
“Similar to sealing your deck, microsurfacing adds a thin protective layer of asphalt blended with finely crushed stone to the road surface,” he says. “This provides an extra layer of wear, seals underlying asphalt and extends the life of the roadway.”
When first applied, the microsurfacing has a rough and grainy texture and is brownish in colour. However, within a short period of time, as vehicles drive on the road, it quickly wears smooth and the colour fades to blend in with the existing roadway.
“Microsurfacing projects give the roadways a noticeable improvement that also extends their service life,” says Frank. “You’ll see the final surface start and finish, sometimes in the same day. Larger projects may take a little longer, but microsurfacing gives maximum results in a minimum amount of time.”
This year the City’s completing 87 lane-kilometres of microsurfacing which is a 24 per cent increase over last year.
“That’s significant. Things are going more quickly in part because of the new orange and black ‘No Parking’ sandwich boards we’re using. They stand out and help everyone identify the dates for upcoming work zones which can also help the work progress quicker.”
The City is projecting 230 lane kilometres of roadway will be rehabilitated in 2016, ranging from high traffic roads to residential streets. That’s roughly the same distance as from City Hall to Moose Jaw.
The City is also grading Saskatoon’s network of more than 400 kilometres of gravel back lanes to improve drainage, and provide better access for residents and service vehicles. Grading occurs by neighbourhood, followed by reconstruction in specific lanes that qualify.
Other construction work in the city that has been going on since mid-April includes water and sewer main work, new road construction and reconfiguration and major road repairs.
For road rehabilitation progress maps and more information on city-wide road rehabilitation work, please visit saskatoon.ca/betterroads. The Projected 2016-2018 Roadway Preservation Plan PDF is available by clicking this link.