Official website of the
City of Vancouver, Washington

Pavement Management

2010 Slurry & Micro-surfacing Projects

Drivers can expect construction this summer on several major Vancouver streets and some neighborhood side streets starting this month, when the City of Vancouver's 2010 Pavement Management Program gets under way.

Total cost of this year's program is expected to be about $4.5 million, of which $2.5 million is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's (ARRA) federal jobs stimulus programs. The remainder is paid through previously collected local taxes, including gas and real estate excise taxes.

Major streets slated for resurfacing include portions of Columbia Way, Mill Plain Boulevard, Grand Boulevard, Stapleton Road, Andresen Road, Northeast 112th Avenue, Hearthwood Boulevard, Southeast 34th Street, Southeast 136th Avenue, Southeast Talton Avenue, Southeast 20th Street, Southeast 176th Avenue and Southeast Seventh Street.

Each year, the City of Vancouver evaluates approximately 580 miles of paved city streets and identifies areas where resurfacing could go the farthest in extending the life of the street and providing residents with better driving conditions. The resulting pavement resurfacing falls into three categories: overlay, micro-surfacing and slurry seal. All are highly weather dependent. In case of rain, overlay paving or application of micro-surfacing or slurry must be rescheduled.

Residences and businesses fronting impacted streets receive door hanger notices in advance of the work. Within construction zones, drivers should be prepared for delays, watch for traffic changes, proceed slowly, and be alert to construction workers, bicyclists, pedestrians and other motorists.

2010 Slurry Seal and Micro-Surfacing Program

The City of Vancouver has contracted with Intermountain Slurry Seal for this pavement resurfacing work, with most of the construction occurring July. Slurry seal and micro-surfacing applications are designed to protect structurally sound pavements from further distress and oxidation. Used at the right time on the right surface, these can be extremely cost-effective treatments.

Slurry seal and micro-surfacing projects alternate each year between the east and west sides of Vancouver. This summer, the focus will be on the city's eastern half. The combined slurry seal and micro-surfacing projects are estimated to cost more than $ 1 million, paid by local tax revenues already collected by the City of Vancouver. There are no additional tax assessments to property owners as a result of the work.

Micro-surfacing

This year's micro-surfacing schedule includes portions of Southeast 34th Street, Southeast 20th Street, Southeast 136th Avenue, Southeast 176th Avenue, Southeast Talton Avenue, Southeast 112th Avenue and Southeast Seventh Street.

Micro-surfacing provides more durability than a slurry seal. It is a paving system -- not the same as asphalt -- that begins as a coarse liquid application of dense-grade aggregate, asphalt emulsion, water and mineral fillers. The quick-setting emulsion allows traffic to begin using the new surface in a short time, as little as an hour depending upon conditions. As the product cures, the surface becomes smoother. The finished sealant forms a thin shell over the street's existing asphalt surface, extending the life of the underlying pavement. Micro-surfacing applications are generally applied on arterial and higher volume streets.

Slurry Seal

Slurry Seal is a coarse liquid application of fine rock, sand, asphalt and water placed on the pavement about  1/4-inch in depth. It is not the same as asphalt paving. Slurry seal requires several hours to dry and as much as several weeks to finally cure to a smooth thin shell, or seal, over the street's existing asphalt surface. The new slurry surface provides a cost-effective preventive maintenance by guarding against brittleness and cracking, extending the life of the underlying pavement.

Approximately 18.6 miles of lower volume local and residential streets are scheduled for slurry sealing this year.

PROJECTS:
2010 Slurry Seal Projects

• Project Map
• Project Street List

2010 Micro-surfacing Projects

• Project Map
• SE 34th St from SE 192nd Av to SE Payne Rd
• SE 20th St from SE 169th Av to SE 192nd Ave
• SE 136th Av from SE McGillivray Bv to SE 14th (end at concrete section)
• SE 176th Av from SE 34th St to SE 20th St
• SE Talton Av from SE Cascade Park Dr to SE Mcgillivray Bv
• NE 112th Av from SE Chkalov Dr to NE 26th St
• SE 7th St from SE Chkalov Dr to SE 136th Av

MORE DETAILS:
Slurry Seal is a mixture of fine rock, asphalt, and water placed on the pavement about ¼-inch thick to protect the surface from sun and rain. Slurry seal applications are generally applied on lower volume local and residential streets.

Micro-surfacing is stronger and provides more durability than a slurry seal. A micro-surface is composed of dense-graded aggregate, polymer modified asphalt emulsion, water, mineral fillers and other additives. The quick setting micro-surface emulsion allows traffic to begin using the new surface in about an hour. Micro-surfacing applications are generally applied on arterial and higher volume circulator streets. Used at the right time on the right pavement, it is extremely cost-effective. Click here to learn more details about micro-surfacing.

The benefits of micro-surfacing include:

• Reduced user delays
• Corrections to minor defects and ruts
• Surface improvements
• Greater durability than slurry seal for high traffic areas
• Increased skid resistance
• Cost-effective, long-lasting pavement preservation

CONTACT INFO:
For summer construction questions, please call:
Construction Services
520 SE 155th Avenue
Vancouver, WA
Phone: 360-487-7750
Fax: 360-885-4781