Street Treatments || Streets

Street Treatments#

Purpose: To repair cracks in asphalt or concrete, preventing water intrusion and further pavement deterioration like potholes. This is a cost-effective and crucial maintenance step. Work is typically done by city/contract crews in spring/fall. Crews prioritize and seal main cracks and pavement edges, avoiding areas with extensive "alligator cracking."
Benefits: Prevents water damage to the sub-base, delays/prevents potholes, and reduces freeze-thaw damage.
Process: Includes 24-hour advance "no parking" notification, traffic control, cleaning cracks with hot air, applying hot sealant, curing, and cleanup. Deep cracks ("sinkers") may need reapplication.
Crack Filler (Mastic): Used for larger cracks (over 1-2 inches), material contains small aggregate to fill, level, and seal. The application process is similar to crack sealant.
Lifespan: Approximately 5-8 years.

Purpose: Extends pavement life by filling surface cracks/voids, sealing out moisture, and adding texture for a uniform look. Typically follows concrete repairs, asphalt patching, and crack sealing. Applied in summer.
Benefits: Extends pavement life by stopping oxidation, seals hairline cracks, improves skid resistance, restores color, and is cost-effective.
Process: May involve pre-leveling. Residents/businesses are notified 5-7 days in advance (flyer), with "no parking" signs 24 hours prior. Includes pre-sweeping, application under traffic control, and a curing period (up to 4 hours, weather dependent) where traffic is restricted. Post-application cleanup occurs within 10 days and again after 30 days to remove shed aggregate. Minor surface scaring may occur initially but usually self-heals.
Lifespan: Approximately 8-10 years.

Purpose: Maintains, protects, and prolongs street life by improving skid resistance, appearance, and providing a weatherproof membrane. Usually follows concrete/asphalt repairs and crack sealing. Applied in summer.
Benefits: Extends asphalt life, cost-effective, seals small cracks, reduces future distress, and improves safety with high friction.
Process: May include pre-leveling. Notification (5-7 days via flyer) and "no parking" signs (24 hours prior) are standard. Involves application under traffic control, a brief curing time (up to 1 hour traffic restriction), sweeping loose chips, and a final black fog coat application (requires a couple of hours to dry). Further sweeping occurs within 10 days (with reposting for no parking) and again 30 days post-application.
Lifespan: Approximately 8-10 years.

Purpose: A two-step treatment combining Chip Seal (waterproof membrane, elasticity) and Slurry Seal (smooth texture, holds chips).
Benefits: More durable than standard Slurry Seal, extends asphalt life, no milling/utility adjustments, significantly reduces cracking, good for residential streets (provides surface strength and smoothness), and resists snowplow damage.
Process: Follows the individual Chip Seal and then Slurry Seal processes (Slurry Seal applied ~3 working days after Chip Seal). Shedding of aggregate and minor scarring are normal and typically self-heals.
Lifespan: Approximately 12-14 years.

Purpose: Replacement of the pavement's top wearing course. The surface is milled to remove distress, cleaned, a liquid asphalt glue is applied, and then Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) is placed and compacted. HMA is about 95% aggregate and 5% asphalt cement (glue). In Fort Collins, HMA often contains 20%-30% recycled asphalt.
Benefits: Less expensive than full replacement, adds structural strength, can improve drainage and grade, and provides a smoother, better-traction surface.
Lifespan: Approximately 16-20 years, depending on traffic volume.