FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 12, 2015   Media Contact: Andrew Barth, Boulder County Transportation, Communications, 303-441-1032

 CORRECTION – ROAD LOCATION CHANGES: Annual chip sealing of county roads starts June 15

Avoid construction zones, if possible

Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County’s Transportation Maintenance Division will begin annual chip seal work on approximately 17-miles of county roadways on Monday, June 15. The work will take place from approximately 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and is expected to last two weeks, weather permitting.

Chip sealing work consists of applying asphalt to a road surface followed by a layer of one-quarter inch chips that essentially create a new layer on top of the road. A week after the chips are applied, crews return to the area to apply a sealant designed to help the chips adhere to the road. This work is followed by roadway striping operations.

To aid in cycling safety, Boulder County uses a smaller chip size than is typically applied on other non-county maintained roads around the area. The smaller chip creates a smoother surface and reduces wear and tear on bicycles.

Boulder County Transportation encourages motorists and cyclists to avoid unnecessary travel on the following roads on days that the chip application and sealing operations are taking place as there may be travel delays (sealing operations will take place one week after chip application):

• Oxford Road from SH 287 to East County Line Road(1.89 miles)– Monday, June 15 chip application
• North 119^thStreet from Oxford Road to Longmont city limits (2.89 miles) – Monday, June 15 chip application
• NEW– North 115^th Street from Oxford Road to Niwot Road (1 mile) – Tuesday, June 16 chip application
• NEW– Niwot Road from North 115^th Street to East County Line Road (1.53 miles) – Wednesday, June 17 chip applications
• Sunshine Canyon Drive from Boulder city limits to CR 83 (5.34 miles) – Thursday, June 18 and Monday, June 22 chip application
• Riverside Drive from SH 72 to SH 7(4.4 miles) – Wednesday, June 18 & Monday, June 22 chip application (postponed due to other construction activities taking place in area)
• CR 103 (Raymond) from Riverside Drive to SH 7(1.2 miles) – Tuesday, June 23 chip application (postponed due to other construction activities taking place in area)
• Ridge Road from SH 72 to Cold Springs Road (2.79 miles) – Wednesday, June 24 chip application
• Hurricane Hill from Ridge Road to SH 119/Boulder Canyon Drive(0.71 miles) – Wednesday, June 24 chip application
• CR 84 from SH 7 to SH 7 (0.91 miles) – Thursday, June 25 chip application

Chip sealing operations are part of the county’s primary network roadway rehabilitation plan. The process is intended to extend the lifespan of the roadway and postpone larger reconstruction efforts that would require more expensive work and longer travel restrictions. Primary network county roads are typically chip sealed every six to eight years.

While Boulder County Transportation Maintenance strives to complete all projects on-time, work is weather dependent and there may be delays due to rain or other unfavorable working conditions.

For more information on the work, contact Andrew Barth, Transportation Department communications specialist, at abarth@nullbouldercounty.org or call 303-441-1032.

–BoulderCounty.org/Transportation –