The city’s public works department plans to do maintenance on three main roadways around south-central Missoula from Monday, July 29 though the beginning of August, which will likely create some traffic delays.
Crews are expected to complete a chip seal on sections of Higgins Avenue, Brooks Street and Mount Avenue. The project is meant to seal the street surface to limit erosion, and the city is advising people to be careful about driving over the rocks.
“All street users, including motorcyclists and bicyclists, should go slowly while the rock chips settle to avoid sliding and to prevent hitting others with rock chips,” a release from the city said. “The streets will have a rough surface for about a year to the rock chips and some loose rock may remain but will be swept up when the streets are clean.”
There will be no official road closure as the work gets done, but travel lanes will be shifted to allow for equipment to operate. There could be some short traffic delays and temporary detours.
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The chip seal project is meant to preserve the road for a longer amount of time. The release said the city has been running the chip seal program since 1987.
“The liquid asphalt (oil) and chip application process seals the pavement surface from weather deterioration and extends its life the same way as painting a house protects it,” the release said. “Sealing streets delays reconstruction, reduces the number of potholes, saves money, and reduces disruption for Missoula’s residents.”
Most of the rock chips will stay on the road for the next two to three weeks before city cleaning trucks sweep the road.
The specific work area will operate on Brooks Street from Higgins to Mount, Mount Street from Brooks to Higgins and Higgins Street from Brooks to South Avenue. A block of Hill Street will also be worked on.
Weather permitting, the project should be done on Aug. 2.
Griffen Smith is the local government reporter for the Missoulian.
