Supervisor proposes chip-seal pilot for smaller county roads to extend pavement life

Supervisor Carnell proposed a pilot project to place chip seal on selected lower-speed county roads and asked staff to develop pricing and implementation options that could be expanded if successful.

Carnell said chip sealing is widely used in other states and can be a lower-cost way to seal cracks and keep water out of pavement, prolonging road life. He suggested roads such as Meadow Drive, Sugar Pine Drive, Silver Drive and Irishtown Road as candidates and cited cost estimates discussed at the meeting that suggested material-only costs can be much lower than conventional blacktop.

Nut graf: The board heard that chip seal is not equivalent to full asphalt overlay but can extend pavement life, often at a fraction of the cost; supervisors directed staff to obtain solid pricing, equipment lists and a capital-improvement priority list and to report back quickly with a pilot proposal.

Details and concerns: Supervisors and staff discussed equipment needs (spray pots, spreader boxes, rollers), liability for loose chips and windshield damage, potential mitigation strategies (sweeping, signage, additional oil coats on higher-speed roads), and where existing county equipment could be used. Public Works staff had previously cautioned about buying equipment for a small pilot while large rebuild projects remain unfunded.

Direction to staff: The board asked staff to get firm cost estimates for a pilot, identify roads and required capital items, and gather examples of how other rural counties have implemented similar programs. A local contractor offered to volunteer to train county crews in chip-seal operations.

Ending: Board members said they would prefer a rapid staff follow-up with a prioritized list of candidate roads, realistic cost estimates and proposals about how a pilot could be funded and scaled if successful.