Slurry Sealing
More than 100 miles of footways will be given a re-fresh this summer, as part of the County Council’s £450,000 annual slurry sealing programme. See the slurry sealing schedule below.
There are five teams who work throughout the county from April to October and between them manage to cover an area of 275,000 square metres (which is about the same size as 43 international-sized football pitches!)
What is slurry sealing?
Slurry sealing is a restoration technique which is well established in the UK. It is a low cost preventative maintenance treatment and should not be confused with resurfacing, where the existing Tarmac surface is replaced.
The slurry mixture is a blend of bitumen emulsion, fine aggregate, cement and water, which will considerably extend the life of the underlying macadam.
The protective layer of slurry mixture is spread out over the pavement, levelled and then brushed it to give the pavement a textured finish. It then sets to provide a new layer over the existing surface.
The slurry sealing process is weather dependent. Slurry cannot be mixed and applied during wet weather. Wet and humid conditions also slow the drying process of the slurry. In average summer conditions, drying takes less than two hours.
Once the slurry has dried, any masking tape will be removed. This part of the process may take place much later in the day, or in some cases, the following day.
Sustainability
The process can extend the life of the average pavement by up to 10 years and costs just a tenth of the price of resurfacing.
Slurry sealing schedule
The schedule for 2011 is available as a PDF document.
Please note, slurry sealing is largely weather dependent and dates listed may be subject to alteration.
Action you need to take when slurry sealing is taking place:
- Ensure any cars parked on the footway and driveways are moved by 9.00am
- Avoid walking or driving over the footway until the slurry has fully dried
- Take special care to keep children and pets away from treated areas
Warning:
- The slurry remains wet for 2-4 hours after application (depending on weather conditions) during which time, the footway will remain closed to pedestrians with restrictions on vehicular access
- Walking or driving on the slurry before it has set, may result in permanent marking on your driveway and internal floors or carpets
Other Information
Slurry sealing is done by Leicestershire Highways Operations.
If you need to gain access to your property at any time during the slurry sealing process, please ask a member of staff on site for assistance.
Every effort will be made to minimise disruption.
If you need more information or clarification on any of the points above, please call 0116 305 0001.
Page Last Updated: 28 September 2011
