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Coventry suspends chip-seal program after residents report loose rock, oil on cars
Summary
After residents reported dust, loose stone and an over-application of oil on several roads, Coventry administration suspended its 2024 chip‑seal program, said the town will cover vehicle-cleaning costs for affected residents and plans to resume work with tighter oversight in spring.
Residents told the Coventry Town Council on Monday that the town’s chip-seal road project left streets covered in loose stone and oil and deposited dust and debris on adjacent lawns and vehicles.
“I sent the DPW rep a picture showing some of the trace with my foot through some of the thick stone and never got a response,” said Robert Heavey of Weaver Hill Road, detailing cracked surfaces, loose rock an inch deep and a blower that spread debris into yards. Amanda Talbot of Karts Trail said contractors left part of her road unsealed and applied oil so thick that it coated residents’ cars.
Town Manager reported the town has suspended the chip-seal program for the year citing low temperatures and contractor performance problems. Public Works Director Kevin McGee told the council the contractor double-applied oil on Cars Trail, preventing proper drying; the contractor has admitted the error and the town is pursuing corrective work and invoice adjustments.
McGee defended chip seal as a pavement-preservation tool that can extend roadway life for five to seven years when applied and followed by a fog (top) seal, but acknowledged that chip seal does not produce a flattened, asphalt-like surface and that Cars Trail was mishandled. He said crews performed pothole patching and sweeping on the affected roads and that some completed streets (Casey Lane, Chaplin, Pig Hill Road) have received positive feedback.
The town said it has reached out to affected residents, arranged cleaning for damaged vehicles at the town’s expense, and will not finish the chip-seal work this season. The program is expected to restart late next spring with additional oversight of the contractor and a review of invoices to consider back-charges for remedial costs.
Council members pressed for a road-by-road evaluation to determine which streets are appropriate for chip seal and which require stronger treatments, and requested photo documentation and a contractor plan for Cars Trail before any further work.
The council did not vote on policy changes at the meeting but authorized follow-up meetings with the contractor and administration to determine remediation steps and billing adjustments.
