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.
The work is carried out under a road closure, with on-street parking suspended to allow the work to take place.
Week starting Monday 23 May
Stour Provost to Todber
A30 West Stour
A30 Henstridge to Milborne Port
A30 Crackmore
A3066 Mosterton and Broadwindsor
Week starting 30 May excluding bank holidays
Back Lane, Chetnole
C93, Chetnole
Ryme Road, Yetminster
Birch Lane, Yetminster
Church Street, Yetminster
Gordon’s Lane, Lillington
Lenthay Road, Sherborne (2021 remedial)
Blackberry Lane, Sherborne
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.
