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Commission authorizes double chip‑seal on Squaw Peak Road under Forest Service agreement
Summary
Utah County approved a supplemental agreement with the U.S. Forest Service to complete a double chip‑seal on Squaw Peak Road; Public Works explained the two‑day application, lower cost compared with hot‑mix asphalt and appropriateness for steep, winding terrain.
Richard Nelson, Utah County Public Works director, briefed the commission on a supplemental agreement with the U.S. Forest Service to perform a double chip‑seal on Squaw Peak Road. Nelson said the work was completed the previous week and described the process: apply a chip seal one day, allow it to cure overnight and apply a second chip seal the next day.
Nelson said chip sealing is an inexpensive maintenance method — about 15% of the cost of full hot‑mix asphalt in similar locations — that provides a durable wear surface and is particularly suitable for steep, winding roads where heavy equipment for hot‑mix asphalt would be harder to deploy. He cautioned that chip seal does not fix all underlying pavement defects and cracks will eventually propagate from the base through any surface treatment if there are existing failures.
Commissioners asked about resilience in freeze‑thaw conditions and Nelson explained that underlying cracks will eventually show through surface treatments; staff characterized the method as an appropriate and cost‑effective tool for selected segments and the commission unanimously adopted item 31 by voice vote (3–0).
