Cobourg winds up crack sealing
Photo courtesy of the Town of Cobourg
By Cecilia Nasmith
The Town of Cobourg Public Works and Engineering Division advises residents that they expect to complete this year's Crack Sealing Program by Tuesday, Sept. 29.
Temporary traffic disruptions may occur as town crews and contractors apply sealant and allow it to cure. Use caution when travelling through work areas, and be on the lookout for employees working in the roadway and slow-moving vehicles.
This preventive maintenance program helps protect and extend the life of asphalt roads by sealing cracks before they develop into larger and more costly road repairs.
Over time, cracks naturally appear in roadways due to traffic, weather, temperature changes and movement within the road base. Left untreated, they allow water to enter the underlying road structure – eroding the base materials, damaging the pavement and leading to potholes.
In the winter, moisture trapped in cracks freezes and expands, then contracts when it thaws. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles widen cracks and accelerate pavement deterioration.
The crack-sealing process begins with crews cleaning the tracks to remove loose debris, dirt, vegetation and other materials that might prevent the sealant from adhering properly. Next, they inject a hot rubberized sealant into each crack to create a durable, flexible, water-tight seal.
Finally, crews apply Glenzoil to the fresh sealant. This substance is a biodegradable non-toxic liquid barrier material that prevents the sealant from sticking to vehicle tires or tracking onto nearby road surfaces, and helps protect it while it initially cures. Once this work is complete, traffic can resume safely and efficiently.
The completed seal keeps water out of the pavement structure, yet remains flexible enough to expand and contract with seasonal temperature changes and normal road movement – and also protects the underlying granular base to reduce future pavement damage.
The benefits of addressing minor cracks early include preventing water from entering and damaging the road surface, reducing potholes and pavement failures, extending the service life of asphalt roads, improving road safety and driving comfort, delaying costly rehabilitation and reconstruction, reducing long-term maintenance costs, and making the most of taxpayer investments in municipal infrastructure.
The announcement calls crack sealing “one of the most cost-effective ways to preserve asphalt roads.
“This proactive work helps maintain a safe, reliable and comfortable transportation network while making efficient use of available infrastructure funding.”
