As part of Dorset Council’s road maintenance programme, nine high-use roads are being given an ‘early life intervention’ to keep them in good condition.
Road preservation is a preventative treatment which stops water ingress and surface deterioration on roads that are still in a good condition. It has previously been used on the Weymouth Relief Road in 2019.
An asphalt liquid is sprayed onto the road surface to seal micro-cracking and prevent water ingress from causing more pronounced damage – leading to potholes.
Dorset Council Highways’ contractor Velocity will be carrying out the work, which needs dry weather so may be subject to change.
Please help by adhering to parking restrictions in place during the work – there will be no on-street parking during the closure to allow the work to take place, or the following evening while road markings are put back.
Road preservation sites
A37 county boundary to Stockwood junction – 7 April (rescheduled)
road closed 7pm to 6am following morning
A37 Grimstone & Stratton – postponed due to weather
road closed 7pm to 6am following morning
A356 county boundary to South Perrott – postponed due to weather
road closed 7pm to 6am following morning
A356, Maiden Newton – 8 April (rescheduled)
road closed 7pm to 6am following morning
The Grove, Albert Road & Cornwall Road, Dorchester – 8 April
roads closed 7pm to 6am following morning
Damers Road, Maumbury Road & Weymouth Avenue, Dorchester – 9 April
road closed 7pm to 6am following morning
Portland Road, Foords Corner to Dumbarton Road – 11 & 12 April
road closed midnight to 6am following morning
access for HGVs only, local diversion in place for other vehicles
Portland Road, Dumbarton Road to Ferrybridge – 13 April
traffic lights 9pm to 6am
Portland Road, Ferrybridge to Billy Winters – 14 April
traffic lights 9pm to 6am
Portland Road, Billy Winters to Chesil Car Park – 19 April
traffic lights 9pm to 6am
Portland Road, Chesil Car Park to Hamm Roundabout – 20 April
traffic lights 9pm to 6am
Portland Road, Hamm Roundabout to Osprey Roundabout – 21 April
traffic lights 9pm to 6am
Portland Road, Osprey Roundabout to Victoria Square – 22 April
traffic lights 9pm to 6am
Early, preventative maintenance is the most cost-effective way to maintain roads.
In the lifecycle of a road, preservation is the first intervention to keep the road surface in a good condition.
Many of the roads being treated this year were resurfaced during 2011-13 and have held up well. Others were surfaced around five years ago but are showing signs of deterioration, and work needs to be carried out to seal them and prevent further water damage.
The next intervention level to keep roads in a good condition is patching of the worst damage followed with a surface dressing to seal the road from water.
Damage beyond these interventions would require resurfacing, which is much more costly.
By carrying out repairs specific to the damage evidenced in the individual road, Dorset Council can carry out maintenance on more roads, reduce emissions by using less raw material and create less waste compared to solely using resurfacing.
All scheduled roadworks can be found online.
How on earth are people living on the B3091 going to shop from 1/4/22-29/4/2022. The nearest shops are at Gillingham, Shaftesbury and Sturminster Newton, none of which appear to be accessible. Can anyone tell me what fool planned cutting off all routes from the B3091?
Hi Jeanette, although there will be no through access along the B3091 due to the bridge repairs in West Orchard, access to homes and businesses will be maintained as best as possible – with residents being asked to wait while the area is made safe for them to travel through.