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All road surfaces wear out with use. And if the road
surface is not treated regularly, the road can become less safe for
traffic and more costly to repair.
Work on road surfaces can cause delays for traffic. But regular
and careful maintenance work causes fewer delays than full scale
repairs - repairs that would be necessary if we didn't carry out
regular maintenance.
That's why Kent County Council regularly resurfaces the roads in
Kent.
Why do road surfaces wear out?
All types of weather - rain, snow and sunshine - affect road
surfaces. And the number of vehicles on the road, and their speed,
affect how quickly the road surface deteriorates.
How do we maintain road surfaces?
There are two ways that we can repair and maintain road
surfaces:
- Surface dressing
- Resurfacing
What is surface dressing?
Surface dressing means spraying a road with a coating of hot
bitumen and then covering it with stone chippings. The chippings
are rolled into the bitumen to form a water-resistant, protective
layer, which make it less slippery.
We do this work in the summer, when the weather is warm and dry,
as the bitumen will not stick to the road in cold or wet weather.
As soon as the bitumen has set, we sweep the road to remove any
loose chippings.
What if a loose chipping damages my car?
If you think that a loose chipping from surface dressing work
has damaged your car (caused a broken windscreen, for example), you
should contact us as soon as possible.
Companies contracted to carry out the work must have third party
insurance, and any claim received will be passed to them. All
claims of this type are investigated to decide whether the
contractor is liable, so you should supply as much information as
possible about the claim.
When do we resurface roads?
If a road is too bumpy and needs to be improved, we will
resurface it. This means removing an existing surface or applying a
new surface on top of an existing one. The new surface will even
out bumps, to give a smooth surface that helps to prevent
skidding.
A process called planing removes an existing surface. A machine
grinds off the old surface, which we take away. We do not waste
this material but re-use it in road maintenance.A paver machine
applies a new surface. This machine controls the thickness of the
surface material, and makes sure bumps and potholes are filled in
properly.
What if a road is really bad?
Sometimes we may need to completely dig up and replace a road.
This is the most expensive treatment. We keep the costs down as far
as possible by carrying out other treatments to help prevent roads
from getting so bad that they need to be replaced.
How can I help?
Speed restrictions signs are always important. On newly surfaced
roads they are there not only to protect road users and
pedestrians, but also to protect the road. Lower speeds help to
prevent new road surfaces from being damaged before they have
completely set.
Driving at lower speeds will also protect your vehicle, and help
prevent damage from loose chippings. When you are driving, you can
help by taking notice of road signs (including speed restrictions)
on newly surfaced roads. This prevents new materials from being
damaged before they have completely set.
Staying within the speed limit will also help prevent your car
from being damaged by loose chippings where there has been surface
dressing |