BOISE, Idaho — It's a sign of the summertime - ACHD crews are now out in full force for the chip seal season.
This year, crews will be moving through an area that spans from Highway 55 to Blacks Creek Road, and from the Boise River north to the Ada County line. That area includes Boise's North End, Garden City and Northeast Boise.
An interactive map displaying progress and where crews are operating will be updated daily on ACHD's website.
The chip seal process is conducted in several steps. First, signs are placed in areas 24-48 hours before crews in to alert residents of parking restrictions.
A parade of trucks then moves in. A sweeper clears the road surface before a truck lays down a layer of hot, liquid asphalt on the road. A chip spreader then lays down a layer of crushed rock called chips onto the road, pummeled into place by rubber tire rollers.
The parade of trucks is gone within minutes, but the chip seal stays. Cars are crucial for the process by helping set the chips in place before they are sealed and painted.
The chip seal can be driven on immediately, but drivers are asked to use caution, not make any sudden stops or starts, and follow posted speed limits and flaggers.
ACHD said the chip seal process is a type of preventative maintenance that prolongs the life of a road by seven years while preventing cracks, acting as a moisture barrier, and being cheaper than other road repair options.
ACHD's crews will chip away at the work until September.
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