San Rafael, CA – The Marin County Department of Public Works (DPW) will begin a road sealant project during the first week of June, conducting preventative maintenance on 8.2 miles of pavement on roads in unincorporated areas of Marin County.
The deteriorated pavement on Willis Avenue in in unincorporated Mill Valley is among those sections being rehabilitated this summer. The project will address roads in the neighborhoods of Loma Verde, Los Ranchitos, Greenbrae, Sleepy Hollow, Strawberry, Almonte, Harbor Point, Tamalpais Valley, and Ignacio. Impacted residents of the targeted sections of roadway have been notified directly. The work is expected to be completed by early July.
The estimated $600,000 project, covered by the County’s Road and Bridge Rehabilitation fund, will address pavement showing signs of aging, such as weathering and cracking. The proactive maintenance and preservation of pavement extends the useful life of a street and can delay by several years when a street needs to be repaved. This approach calls for keeping good roads in good condition, rather than allowing them to fully deteriorate through their lifecycle.
Pavement preservation treatments include chip seals, slurry seals, micro seals, bonded wearing courses, asphalt overlays, and crack seals, among others. Relative to major rehabilitation or reconstruction, these treatments can be applied to a road segment quickly and for a fraction of the cost, making them an inherently sustainable activity. The work process often utilizes low cost, low environmental impact treatments to prolong the life of the pavement. By delaying major rehabilitation activities, energy and virgin materials are conserved, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions over time.
A key to successful pavement preservation is choosing the right treatment for the right road, at the right time. The roads for this year’s sealant project were selected as the right candidates based on a range of criteria.
Construction will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. The work will require temporary periods of single-lane access, during which the traffic flow will be controlled by flaggers. When necessary, short-duration residential road closures will be in place with detours as needed. Every effort is being made to provide advanced notice and minimize disturbances to the residents in proximity of the work sites.
Improving roadway conditions across unincorporated areas of Marin has been an ongoing commitment of the County for years and is one of the top priorities for the Board of Supervisors. Which roads get addressed during any given paving season is based on an evolving list that is prioritized by a variety of complex factors. Some of the categories taken into consideration are the particular year’s funding allotment, permit availability, scheduling requirements, coordination with other projects and/or agencies, and each roadway’s pavement condition score. Each year, DPW aims to improve a balance of local, arterial and collector roads.