STREET MAINTENANCE
The major emphasis of the Street Division is preventative pavement maintenance.
The city has been divided into six maintenance areas. Preventive maintenance work is completed in one area each season, thus requiring six years to complete the entire street network. Working within budgetary constraints, managers evaluate pavement condition for each street segment within the area and determine the best maintenance alternative to extend pavement life.
Pothole Repair
To report a pothole, call us (284-6070), e-mail us streets@newtonkansas.com, or click here to fill out a Street Maintenance Request form. The information you provide should include your name and daytime phone number and the exact location of the pothole.
The Street Division will respond to all pothole requests and take appropriate action within two working days. Extenuating circumstances such as storm cleanup may take precedence over this policy.
Crack Sealing
Most pavements over 3 years old will be crack sealed.
Slurry Sealing
Asphalt pavements over 20 years of age will be considered for a slurry seal. More than 100,000 square yards of pavement are slurry sealed each year.
What is slurry seal?
Slurry seal is a mixture of aggregate (small rock), asphalt emulsion, cement, and water. The asphalt emulsion serves as a binder, holding the crushed aggregate together and adhering the new slurry surface to the old surface which it is being applied over. The city uses truck-mounted application equipment, which carries a quantity of unmixed materials that are blended together in a flow pugmill. Mixing and spreading are accomplished in one continuous operation, with the applied surface being ready for traffic within a few hours.
Preparation:
A street that has been selected for slurry seal must first be prepared. The process begins with a herbicide application early in the year to prevent vegetation growth in the pavement. Next, any pavement distortions such as potholes, bumps or depressions are corrected. All cracks wider than 1/4" are filled with a sealant. Curb and gutter in poor condition is replaced. Finally, trees and vegetation are pruned for machine clearance.
How is slurry seal applied?
The process begins with notification to residents at least one day in advance of the street closing. Crews will attempt to personally contact each resident in order to provide an explanation of the activity and answer any questions. Each resident will receive a door hanger that explains the process and advises which day the work will be done.
The street is closed to all traffic at 7:00 am. A thorough street cleaning follows to insure a good bond. Next slurry seal is applied to the road surface using truck mounted application equipment. Approximately 5 hours is required after application to cure the slurry seal. The street is then re-opened by 5:00 pm.
Benefits:
The Street Division has been using this product since 1985.Slurry seal has been very effective in extending pavement life. Its most notable features are:
- It seals out moisture over the entire pavement.
- It stops the oxidation process on the original pavement.
- It fills minor voids and depressions.
- It provides a non-skid surface.
- Its comparatively low cost makes it an effective alternative in street maintenance today.
You can call us at 284-6070 to find out if your street is scheduled for slurry seal this year.
Pavements that have deteriorated to a point that slurry seal would be of little benefit will be considered for major renovation by outside contractors. The Street Division cooperates with Engineering in making this decision.
