Chip Sealing begins in Idaho Falls

IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO (KIFI) - The Idaho Falls Department of Public Works is performing chip sealing on city roads.

Chip sealing provides great improvements to roadways and has great results for the road's future use. Best of all, it saves money and is cost effective.

It's a fact that all streets decay. Weather and traffic provide cracks and make the road weaker over time. With chip sealing, the road life is extended by six years at a tenth of the cost of an overlay.

The process of chip sealing starts with laying down hot asphalt. The chips are then laid out and applied. Larger chips are placed on busier roads to carry the weight of more vehicles, while smaller chips are placed on neighborhood roads for a smoother drive. A fog oil is applied last to remove dust, and the road must be vacant for 30 minutes before any vehicles can drive on it.

Roads that need a chip seal are identified in advance and scheduled for maintenance. Chip sealing is ongoing in most residential areas east of Holmes Avenue, north of John Adams Parkway, west of Woodruff Avenue, and south of Elva and Kearney Streets. To find out precise chip sealing locations, click here.

The city is asking those who live on streets being chip sealed to refrain from parking on their streets until the job is done.