From Seattle Department of Transportation

Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) crews will reseal approximately 36 lane miles of residential streets this summer on selected streets in the Crown Hill/Greenwood neighborhood (area bounded on the north by NW 110th Street, on the south by NW85th Street, on the west by 15th Avenue NW, and on the east by Greenwood Avenue N) with a process called chip sealing. The crews are beginning today, August 7, and weather permitting, will complete the work by August 30, not including final sweeping. The work requires warm, dry conditions.

Renewing the chip-seal surface preserves the condition of the streets, creating a highly skid-resistant surface that prevents water from penetrating the roadway subsurface, thereby limiting damage such as potholes. Approximately 25 percent of Seattle’s residential streets have chip-sealed surfaces. Preparation began this spring when crews repaired cracks and other roadway damage in the streets scheduled for resurfacing.

Chip sealing is cost effective and fast; crews can resurface up to several miles of roadway in a day's time. SDOT has been chip sealing streets since 1967, converting dirt and gravel non-arterial streets to chip seal in order to cut down on dust and other pollution and improve air quality. Chip-seal surfaces are typically renewed approximately every ten years. Streets in the Crown Hill/Greenwood neighborhood were last chip sealed in 1996.

Notices of upcoming work in the form of door hangers have been distributed to area residents and businesses. “No Parking” signs will be placed on streets in advance. Residents should park out of the area to be resurfaced to prevent the chance of any chip-seal residue getting on their vehicles, and to help SDOT do the work as quickly as possible. Because the chip-seal process involves the application of a fast-drying emulsion into which chipped rocks are compacted, the new surface can be driven on almost immediately. Motorists are asked to limit their speed to ten miles per hour for the first few days following the resurfacing to allow for the rocks to set. Mechanical street sweepers will remove the loose rock within several days following the chip-seal operation. (Sweeping might be postponed during extremely hot weather.)

Typical work hours will be 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, with traffic restrictions in effect during this time. Some inconvenience can be expected; however, SDOT will make every effort to minimize disruptions. More information is available about this work on SDOT’s website at www.seattle.gov/transportation/chipseal.htm Also, for more information or to provide comments, the public may contact Susan Almachar of SDOT at 206-396-3556.

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