New recommendations for statewide chip sealing practices mean reducing costs without compromising quality.

“We want to drive down the cost to maintain our roads, but keep the quality our customers deserve and expect,” says Jim Carney, state maintenance engineer. “Our goal is to ensure that chip seals are being completed in the most efficient and effective manner statewide.”

Chip sealing is a preventive maintenance treatment to keep roads in as good a condition as possible with the least amount of cost. It is one of the most cost-effective pavement treatments we use. A single layer of liquid asphalt binder is applied to an asphalt road and then covered with aggregate, which is then rolled so it is embedded into the binder. This helps to seal the fine cracks in the pavement’s surface and prevent water intrusion and subsequent damage. Chip seals also prevent deterioration of the asphalt surface from the effects of aging and oxidation due to water and sun.

Last year, a team comprised of district and Central Office employees worked together to review the existing chip sealing processes and develop quality assurance practices. The team reviewed equipment, materials, labor, and the best methods of application in order to establish an accurate cost tracking measure.

Chip seals are generally measured by their cost per square yard, however, the team wanted to establish a plan to ensure the continued quality assurance of the chip seals that are being completed on Missouri roads. This will be handled in several ways, including having a representative in each district as well as members of the statewide team performing quality assurance reviews on random projects. 

“We’re always looking for ways to get our jobs done better, faster and cheaper, and our results with the chip sealing best practices are encouraging to know we’re on the right track,” Carney says.