SEPTEMBER 9, 2024:
Weather permitting, the Pierre’s newest tactic for preserving its streets will start this week.
Nick Waters, City Engineer, says moisture is consistently the biggest menace to street conditions. He says the slurry seal product is new to Pierre, but it’s being used throughout the Midwest, so he’s hopeful it will be a good preservation method for Pierre as well.
Between now and the end of the month (Sept. 2024), a specialty contractor (ASCO), will place an oil-based seal mixed with small rocks on about 50 blocks of city streets. The slurry seal improves traction control for motorists while preventing moisture from penetrating the street surface.
During the rolling operation, motorists should anticipate street closures lasting up to six hours. Businesses and those living on impacted streets will be contacted directly by the contractor. Until the closures are lifted, motorists should avoid both driving and parking on the impacted streets.
Waters says similar preservation tactics require multiple steps. He says slurry sealing is a one-step process that minimizes traffic disruptions.
The city maintains more than 80 miles of streets. During this construction season, the city is repairing, rebuilding or otherwise improving about 180 blocks of streets.
AUGUST 7, 2024:
Portable “no parking” signs are popping up around Pierre this week (Aug. 5-9, 2024) as city Street Department staff prepare selected streets for a new process to help them last longer.
Josh Bible, Construction and Operations Manager, says a slurry seal uses an oil-based seal mixed with very small rocks to improve traction control while also preventing moisture from penetrating the street’s surface. He says to prepare for it, the city must first clear debris, sweep the streets and fill any existing potholes.
Bible says it’s best if crews can clear the impacted streets from curb to curb, which is why they’re asking people to use off-street parking when there are ‘no parking’ cones in the middle of the street. He says the cones should only be up for one day on any given street. Once the “no parking” cones are removed, motorists return to using on-street parking.
Pierre plans to use the new slurry seal preservation process on about 50 blocks of street this season.
The city maintains more than 80 miles of streets.
MARCH 12, 2024:
One of the first indicators of spring is appearing in parts of Pierre– orange construction cones and “candlesticks” with “No Parking” signs.
City Construction and Operations Manger Josh Bible says crews are getting started on this year’s street preservation process.
Bible says there are approximately 100 blocks of city streets scheduled to have some sort of work done this summer.
When it come to potholes, Pierre residents can report their location by using the “Report a Concern” option on the city’s website.
FEBRUARY 28, 2024:
The Pierre City Commission has approved contract (Feb. 28, 2024) to try out a new street maintenance program in 2024.
The commission accepted a bid for a slurry seal surface treatment project.
Staff Engineer Maddie Jaeger says it’s a method that uses an oil-based seal mixed with very small rocks to improve traction while preventing moisture from penetrating a street surface.
Jaeger says this is a process that is being used in numerous communities throughout the Midwest, so Pierre wants to see if it works for the town both financially and operationally.
Jaeger says Pierre hopes to try out the slurry seal on 50 blocks of city street during this upcoming construction season. She says a slurry seal requires only one application step.
The City maintains more than 80 miles of streets and chip sealed approximately 80 blocks of street during the 2023 construction season.
JANUARY 18, 2024:
The Pierre City Commission has given the go ahead (Jan. 16, 2024) to try out a new street maintenance program in 2024.
The commission accepted a request to bid a slurry seal surface treatment project. A slurry seal is a preservation method that uses an oil-based seal mixed with very small rocks to improve traction while preventing moisture from penetrating a street surface.
Staff Engineer Maddie Jaeger says this is a process that is being used in numerous communities throughout the Midwest. She says Pierre wants to see if it works for the town both financially and operationally.
Jaeger says Pierre hopes to try out the slurry seal on 50 blocks of city street during this upcoming construction season. She says this isn’t something they can do in-house. They’ll have to see how the bids look to determine if it’s financially feasible.
Bids are due Feb. 1, 2024. If a favorable bid is received and the program works as expected, slurry seal could supplement the Pierre’s annual chip seal program. The slurry seal is a more precise and efficient process.
Jaeger says, “With a chip seal, a layer of oil is sprayed, then we spread chips over the top. After that, the team clears lose chips from the roadway and follows it with one more sealing process.”
A slurry seal only requires one application step; the seal and chips are put on the surface together.
The City maintains more than 80 miles of streets and chip sealed approximately 80 blocks of street during the 2023 construction season.
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