Roads Surface Dressing and Strengthening Programme Well Underway

Date: 19-07-2021

A “Watch Out For Chips” appeal has gone out to drivers as a €21.9 million roads surface dressing and strengthening programme in Mayo progresses.

Work is ongoing to Mayo County Councils 2021 roads programme. Machinery yard and municipal districts crews will be treating around 430 km of regional and local roads as part of this 2021 programme. The finished surface on practically all of this work will be surface dressing which consists of applying a layer of chips to a sprayed layer of bitumen emulsion.

Please view drone footage which was filmed on Westport Road near Islandeady in Co. Mayo

The message from Mayo County Council to motorists is “drive slowly over newly surfaced dressed roads”.

Mr Paul Dolan Head of roads with Mayo County Council said: “Between now and August, drivers are likely to come across locations that have recently been surface dressed or which are being worked on"

“For the technique to work properly, the chippings need to be pressed into a thin layer of hot bitumen on the road surface by a roller and also by normal traffic movements and this is where a driver can help by driving slowly where the surface has recently been laid".

“Low speeds and careful driving in the days after surface dressing has been undertaken will add to the quality of the finished surface. Driving at a slow speed will also help protect vehicle bodywork and tyres from damage or from picking up bitumen and chippings"