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Roads staff explain trade-offs between 'clean' and 'dirty' chip-seal; clean chips cost an estimated $18.19/ton
Summary
Public-works staff described road chip-seal methods, saying clean crushed chips cost about $18.19/ton and last longer between re-chipping cycles, while dirty chips are cheaper but may cause dust and resident complaints.
Roads staff briefed the board on chip-seal approaches and long-term trade-offs. They said 'clean' crushed chips have higher up-front cost (about $18.19 per ton) but better longevity and less maintenance in the long run, while 'dirty' chips are cheaper but can create dust and give the impression that roads revert to gravel.
"The cost to crush clean chips is high teens, $18.19 dollars a ton... clean chips, you're expected to maybe rechip every 7 years," a roads speaker said, arguing that for some higher-traffic roads the long-term benefits justify the higher price. Commissioners discussed using clean chips on larger roads and dirty chips on smaller residential routes where cost and dust trade-offs are acceptable.
