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Public Works explains why road segments received different seal treatments; scrub seal planned later this fall
Summary
Public Works Director Brennan McHale described chip seal, scrub seal and fog seal differences, equipment timing constraints and why adjacent road segments may receive different treatments; he said scrub seal with sand surfacing is planned for adjoining miles later this fall.
Ellis County Public Works Director Brennan McHale explained why neighboring stretches of county road can receive different pavement treatments and why timing and available equipment affect which treatment is used.
McHale described chip seal as applying an emulsion with 0.5‑inch chips, and contrasted it with scrub seal, which uses a higher‑grade emulsion and requires brooms borrowed from the supplier. "Scrub seal oil is where you have your oil distributor drop out of a different grade of oil... It's got a higher flow to it, and you use brooms behind the distributor to drag it to help fill in cracks better, and then you drop sand on it," McHale said. He added that both chip and scrub seals cost a similar amount but differ in timing and available equipment.
He explained the county also uses fog seals (a fine coat of oil) for short‑term aggregate lock‑in and that layering sand surfacing on top of a sand seal is avoided because it removes traction modifiers and can make the surface too slick. "With this sand servicing, you do not put another sand servicing on top of it because it will remove all of the traction modifiers... It'll make it too slick for the public," McHale said. The director said the one‑mile section that drew a complaint had a sand seal and will receive scrub seal with sand surfacing on adjoining miles later this fall.
Commissioners thanked McHale for the explanation; no formal action was taken other than the public clarification.
