The City of Carlsbad will be resurfacing parts of some major roadways and neighborhood streets starting this spring as part of the city’s annual program to keep the streets free of cracks and potholes.
Work crews are applying a thin coat of asphalt treatment that seals road surfaces in a process called “slurry sealing” or “fog sealing,” which protects the pavement and helps it last longer.
The City of Carlsbad Public Works Department evaluates the city’s streets every year using pavement management software and residents’ feedback to identify which streets need a fresh surface. Streets are selected based on their age and pavement condition.
Areas included in this year’s work include:
El Camino Real between Palomar Airport Road and College Boulevard
Cannon Road between El Camino Real and Faraday Avenue
College Boulevard between Sunny Creek Road and Palomar Airport Road
Alicante Road between Gateway Road and Paseo Candelero
See a map of the affected streets.
How it works
Slurry sealing involves removing traffic striping and pavement markings, sealing cracks in the pavement surface, and then applying a thin layer of asphalt emulsion, small rocks and sand. It’s a cost-effective way to protect and improve the look of the pavement and extend its life by five to seven years.
Fog seal is similar to slurry seal but doesn’t contain the aggregates. Depending on the existing conditions, fog seal can extend the life of the pavement by two to four years.
The slurry seal and fog seal work will include 213 street segments throughout the city. By the time it’s finished, crews will have applied enough slurry seal to cover about 22 miles of average roadways.
Streets that need more than a coat of slurry seal are scheduled for “pavement overlay.” This involves grinding the surface to remove cracks and other defects, then applying a layer of asphalt concrete to the surface. The city will begin its pavement overlay project later this year.
Temporary impacts
Businesses and residents near the affected streets will be informed before work begins, and the contractor will put up signs and take other steps to control traffic where the work is being done.
The city will work to minimize any inconvenience to businesses and residents while the work is progressing.
The $1.65 million contract for the slurry seal project was awarded to American Asphalt South. City of Carlsbad construction managers will supervise the work.
Pavement management is funded through the city’s Capital Improvement Program budget, and the money comes from state gas tax revenue, local TransNet funds and fees paid by local trash haulers.
