Work continues to prolong the life of our roads. Later this June, the areas listed below will receive surface dressing.
Working times will be between 5am and 6pm and letters are sent to those farms, schools and businesses affected, with advice on road closures, suspension of on-street parking and any required diversions during these hours. We thank everyone in advance for their support and patience.
Surface dressing prolongs the life of roads by providing a waterproof seal, while also improving skid resistance. It is a vital part of our annual road maintenance programme, alongside patching, micro-surfacing, in-situ recycling, road preservation and resurfacing.
This year, around 400,000m² (approximately 95 miles) of road will be treated with surface dressing.
From Monday 12 June
Crossways – from Woodsford signals railway crossing to junction Dick O’ Th’ Banks Road
Nottington Lane, northern spur to borough boundary
Wakeham, Portland from the straits to joint near Cedar Road junction
From Monday 19 June
B3162, South Bowood to Furleigh Cross
B3164, Thomas Hardye country/Cockpit Hill, Broadwindsor to Bettiscombe junction
Further sites will be communicated once work has been confirmed. In the meantime, see all roadworks on our map.
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.
It might be an economic way of maintaining the surface of the road but it does not resolve the lumps and bumps which ultimately damage a vehicles suspension and cause annoyance having to circumnavigate them.
Whole exercise appears wasted.
Hi Ron, I have passed your comments on to our Highways team, best regards Claire
2Questions ,
1 . I have been communicating with Highways re the status of Woolsbridge road st Leonard’s about the poor state of the white lines for motorists to stop and give way at each junction and renewing all the cycle lane marking along the length of the roads . I keep getting told it is planned but never gets done . It is dangerous for cyclists and schoolchildren
2. I was led to believe that Woolsbridge road was to be prioritised in the last road of surface dressing , can you please let me know for when it is programmed which I hope it will be in the next few weeks
Thank you
Hi Keith, I have passed this to our Highways team for a response, thanks, Claire
Hi Keith, the Highways team tell me that Woolsbridge Road, is in our microasphalt programme for this September-October. Regards, Claire
Heather Close was down for resurfacing 15 May and although adjoining Malmesbury road was resurfaced, Heather Close was not and has now disappeared from the listing. Why?
Hi Alan, due to the type of treatment the surface at Heather Close requires, this is going to be carried out during our micro-surfacing programme that starts in September/October. We will issue communications closer to the date when the dates and times are confirmed. Thank you, Claire