Pavement Management Program

Background

Each year, as part of the Contra Costa County Public Works Department’s Pavement Management Program, selected roads throughout unincorporated Contra Costa County receive a surface treatment between June and October. The County Public Works Department has found that a program of preventative maintenance using surface treatments is the most cost effective way to extend the useful life of the County’s road network.

Surface treatments protect pavements from the damaging effects of water and air infiltration and sunlight exposure that can rapidly deteriorate a road. In many cases, the use of a surface treatment will eliminate the need to do expensive pavement patching and will add years to the life of the existing pavement. The County Public Works Department typically uses the following surface treatments: chip seal, double chip seal, slurry seal, cape seal, and micro-surface seal. For more information on the surface treatments, please visit the Public Works Department's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Preparation

Prior to the surface treatment application, the County Public Works Department maintenance crews will prepare the streets for the surface treatment. The preparation work can include crack sealing, the application of pavement reinforcing fabric, and the removal/replacement of broken pavement. Preparation work is typically performed in the fall and in the spring, after the winter weather.

Before the surface treatment application is applied, the Public Works Department Maintenance Division mails notification letters to residents whose roads are scheduled to be surface treated. Residents are also notified the day prior to the surface treatment and the day prior to sweeping, requesting that vehicles be parked off the road to avoid oil spray and allow the workers to treat and clean the entire pavement surface.

Precautions

• Trim your trees so branches don’t hang lower than 14.5 feet above the roadway to prevent damage to the trees and our equipment. 
• Please refer to the Minimum Clearance sheet (PDF) for our trimming specifications.
• Keep your children and pets away from the streets while we are performing these treatments. Several large pieces of equipment are involved.   
• Drive slowly; the pavement can be slippery because of the loose rock. Do not drive on the treatments until the lanes have been reopened to traffic. 
• Warn your children to be careful while riding their bicycles. It would be preferable if they refrained altogether until the loose rock is swept up. 
• Continue to park your car off the road or cover it until the initial sweeping is completed. Loose rock thrown up by speeding vehicles could damage your car’s paint. 
• Check your shoes before walking into your house. The loose rocks can be picked up and tracked onto the carpets or scratch wood floors.