THE annual programme of “loose chippings” surface dressing has started around the Island’s roads. ?410,000 is to be spent on this year’s scheme.
The Department of Infrastructure said today that surface dressing, commonly known as ‘tar and chip’, is carried out for a variety of reasons:
• To improve the texture of the road surface, which helps with water dispersal from vehicle tyres during wet weather
• To improve the skid resistance of the road surface
• To seal cracks in the existing road surface, which prevents water getting in to the road foundations, thus prolonging the life of the road
“Surface dressing is one of the most cost-effective forms of highway maintenance,” said Minister for Infrastructure Phil Gawne. “In the present economic climate this becomes an even more important factor.
“However, the system does have some drawbacks. When it is first put down, there are usually loose chippings on the road surface. This has the effect of making the road “slippery”, and this is why it is extremely important that drivers keep to the speed limit of 20mph when going over a surface-dressed road.
“There will be signs up at intervals along the roads in question, and the speed limit must be adhered to until these signs are removed.”
The Minister added, “The process is temperature-dependent, with the road surface temperature needing to be above 10 degrees centigrade throughout the day and night, which is why the surface dressing season is traditionally between May and September. However, it can vary, depending on the weather, and there’s also the added factor that surface dressing cannot be carried out when the road surface is wet.”
Ideally, main roads should be treated every seven to nine years in order to prolong their life. Approximately 14 and a half miles of highway – equating to 2.5% of the road network – will be surface dressed this summer. This year’s budget for surface dressing is ?410,000, reduced from ?430,000 last year, which equates to approximately 5% of the department’s revenue budget for highway maintenance.
The Department will need to close some roads, such as the Mountain Road, during working hours while the surface dressing is being carried out. The contractors are Colas (IOM) Ltd.
Other road closures may be necessary, and these will be advertised in the normal way in the Government Notices section of the local newspapers and on Road Watch.
