Warmer weather has ushered in pavement improvement season, which extends from spring to November. Through its largest paving program in recent years, the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Culpeper District plans to resurface more than 300 miles along state-maintained routes in its nine counties.
A total of $30 million will be spent on fresh pavement in central Virginia to provide smoother riding surfaces for residents and motorists and preserve the commonwealth’s transportation infrastructure. These paving improvements will reduce roadway deterioration, including cracking, rutting, rough pavement and friction loss.
This season, Interstate 64 ramps along routes 29, 250 and 637 in Albemarle County as well as nearly 130 miles of primary and secondary highway throughout VDOT’s Culpeper District will be repaved with plant mix asphalt. Repaving along portions of routes 15 and 33 are nearing completion and the following work is slated to begin in the coming months:
- Almost 4 miles of Route 20 in Albemarle County
- Portions of routes at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville
- More than 3 miles on Route 17 and nearly 1.5 miles on Route 28 in Fauquier County
- Segments of Route 15 from Fluvanna County to Fauquier County
- The entire length of Route 33 Business (Spotswood Trail) in Greene County
- Portions of Route 22, 250 and 522 in Louisa County
- More than 6 miles of Route 211 and almost 2 miles along Route 522 in Rappahannock County
VDOT will spend $5.3 million this season on preventive maintenance of paved roads in the Culpeper District. More than 60 miles of primary highway will receive latex-modified emulsion treatment, similar to microsurfacing. Motorists may notice an increase in noise as they travel across the skid-resistant surface, which is created by adding sand to the treatment material. With wear over time, the noise will dissipate. This durable sealant is applied to slow roadway deterioration and fill in minor cracking.
Another 178 miles of secondary highway will be surface-treated to extend the pavement’s service life. This tar-and-chip treatment, which is often applied on low-volume residential streets, involves the application of liquid asphalt and small stones that are embedded into the pavement. A final coating of sand prevents the liquid asphalt from being picked up by tires during the one- to three-week curing period.
Motorists are urged to drive attentively and reduce speed when approaching work zones. Put down your phone, obey traffic controls and be prepared to brake for slow-moving equipment entering or exiting the highway.
A list of roads scheduled for paving statewide can be viewed at www.virginiaroads.org. Culpeper District-specific information is at www.virginiadot.org/projects/culpeper/paving2016.asp.
For more information about VDOT’s paving program or to ask questions about resurfacing in your neighborhood, call the VDOT Customer Service Center at 1-800-FOR-ROAD or email [email protected].
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Chris Graham
