78 miles of road has been surface dressed as a part of a £3.15 million programme aimed at prolonging the life of the highways network in Westmorland and Furness.
In collaboration with Kiely Bros’, our contracted surface dressing specialists, the council’s highways team has completed nearly all of the surface dressing improvement programme which started in April.
The teams have carried out 62 projects and surfaced around 78 miles of road which is equivalent to around 525,000 square metres or 74 football pitches.
Around 3,000 tonnes of chippings have been collected from the surface dressing projects and returned to a central stockpile, which will be recycled and re-used again in next year’s programme.
The process of surface dressing significantly extends the life of the road by sealing the surface and delaying the development of potholes. In addition, it helps to waterproof the structural layers of the road and increases resistance to freezing and thawing.
Almost all the surface dressing works have been completed on schedule, with two exceptions in South Lakeland that will be completed in July at the following locations:
- A684 Slacks Lane to Sedbergh
- A683 Sedbergh to Straight Bridge
Replacement of road markings continues, and we expect them to be completed by mid-July.
Cabinet Member for Highways and Assets, Cllr Peter Thornton said: “I’m delighted this essential package of road maintenance works worth £3.15 million is nearly complete. So far, 62 sections of Westmorland and Furness road have been treated, making journeys much smoother for drivers and extending the life of the road.
“I’d like to thank the local communities and drivers for their patience and understanding whilst we completed these works. I’d also like to thank our contractor, Kiely Bros, and our highways officers for their hard work in often challenging conditions.”
Kiely Bros innovative treatment, Kiely Lock, has also been used in conjunction with standard surface dressing works on six priority roads. The treatment ‘locks’ in any loose chippings and ultimately reduces the number of potholes developing on the road.
Keith Brett, Contracts Director for Kiely Bros said: “We are delighted to have almost completed our Surface Dressing program for our client, Westmorland and Furness Council for the 2023 season.
“We have carried out our Kiely Lock treatment across six sites which is a fantastic investment from the council, ensuring that their roads are maintained for many years to come.
“It has been a pleasure to work alongside the local authority to deliver this program and we thank all involved for their cooperation and assistance throughout.”