Work is underway to repair rural and residential roads as part Dorset Council’s annual programme of surface dressing.
Surface dressing prolongs the life of roads by providing a waterproof seal, while also improving skid resistance. It forms a vital part of Dorset Highways’ annual road maintenance programme, alongside patching, micro-surfacing, in-situ recycling, road preservation and resurfacing.
This year, around 446,000m² of road will be restored with surface dressing as part of £16m of highway maintenance activity in the council area.
The work is carried out under a road closure, with on-street parking suspended to allow the work to take place.
This week (starting 13 June)
Kitford Lane, Ibberton
Marsh Lane, Ibberton
Stibles Lane, Ibberton
Belchalwell Street, Okeford Fizpaine
Calf Close Lane, Sturminster Newton
D31923 – From Copse Hill To Angers Lane, Broad Oak
White Lane Close, Sturminster Newton
Pentridge Lane, Bagber
Week starting 20 June
Gorcombe Farm Road, Charlton Marshall
Clapcotts Farm Lane, Spetisbury
South Farm Road, Spetisbury
D40708 – A31 Marsh Bridge to Dairy House, Mapperton
Church Lane, Anderson
Whitefield Road, Morden
Dullar Lane, Lytchett Matravers
Loop Farm Road, Lytchett Matravers
Between Eddy Green Lane and Peaton
Between Bartons Lane / Middle Road and Eddy Green Lane
Middle Road, Lytchett Matravers
Dillons Gardens, Lytchett Matravers
Dacombe Drive, Lytchett Minster
This rolling programme of surface dressing work started on 25 April and will last around three months.
What is surface dressing?
It is a quick process, with bitumen binder sprayed onto the road to seal it against water damage and stone chippings spread onto this to restore grip, with these compacted down with a roller.
Drivers can travel on the road as soon as the work is finished, with slow moving vehicles helping to further embed the stone chippings.
A sweeper travels along the road within 48 hours to clear any immediate surplus stone, with line markings reinstated shortly afterwards.
Surface dressing relies on the evaporation of water from the bitumen binder (glue) for it to set, so can only be carried out in dry weather.
As the work is highly weather dependent, residents are being asked to look out for yellow advance warning signs in their area which will provide the most accurate information.
Working times will be between the hours of 5am and 6pm. Work cannot take place at night due to the necessary evaporation process and will not be carried out over the weekend or on Bank Holidays.
The pathways in Wiltshire close Sp8 4lz are in a dangerous state, maybe you should address this as elderly and disabled people use these walkways. I reported the fact over 3yrs ago.
Sir / Madam,
It is all very well dressing the top surface to prolong the effectiveness of the road but, what about the pot holes that are covered by this process making them almost impossible to see especially at night. Are the roads inspected and repaired before the dressing is put down?
Hi John, our engineers assess the damage of the road and select the treatment appropriate to the damage evidenced.
For surface dressing, patches of structural damage (surface dressing reseals the road from water and improves skid resistance but does not fill holes) will be ‘patched’ during the year before the surface dressing treatment is scheduled.
You can read more about our maintenance approach here: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/roads-highways-maintenance/maintenance/road-maintenance