Paving - Frequently Asked Questions
Below are are some frequently asked questions about chip seal. Can't find your question listed below? publicworks@ci.olympia.wa.us. We are here to help.
Can I drive on a freshly paved road? You can drive on chip seal right after it is applied. With asphalt, you may have to wait a few hours before driving on it.
Why do I still have bumps? Chip seal will not fix bumps. Chip seal is a treatment that is designed to seal the existing surface of the street. Bumps and dips that were there before we chip sealed, will still be there after the treatment.
Does the chip seal look and feel different than asphalt? Yes. As you can see in the photo, the chip seal has larger rock pieces than asphalt. This means it is a rougher surface. Chip seal comes in both grey and black, while asphalt is typically black.
Why don't I get nice smooth asphalt on my street? We are spreading our limited resources throughout the City to keep all the pavement in good condition.
Why are we using chip seal instead of asphalt? To stretch limited City dollars and focus on pavement preservation. Chip seal costs much less than asphalt ($1.50 per square yard for chip seal, compared with $12.00 for asphalt). Chip seal works best to preserve pavement that is in good condition. We typically use asphalt on streets that are in fair to poor condition.
How do you decide whether to apply chip seal or asphalt? Every year we evaluate the condition of the pavement on Olympia streets, and decide on treatments based on conditions and available funding. We maintain a 3- to 5-year list of pavement projects.
Will every street in Olympia get a new surface? Yes, eventually every street will get a new surface. About 10 miles of streets will get new surfaces each year.
What is Olympia's goal for pavement management? To extend the life of pavement and delay the need to replace streets for as long as possible. We do this by preserving streets that are in good condition.
What is our goal for pavement improvements in Olympia? For our entire system of streets to have an average rating of 75 or above, within 20 years.
Why did we need to change what we were doing with paving? We were focusing on fixing the worst streets first, and pavement conditions in Olympia were rapidly declining. We have gone from a system that rated 75 out of 100, to a 46 out of 100 rating in less than 10 years.
How much would it cost to replace all of Olympia's streets? Over $85 million. We have more than 194 miles of City streets.