Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Shane Rattenbury, today announced the ACT Government has commenced trialling a cost-effective new road resurfacing technique for locations where road noise is a problem. It has also been used in recent months in car parks.
“Earlier this month Roads ACT used microsurfacing – or slurry seal – on Bowen Drive in Barton. Slurry has been used for the last few years to resurface shared paths in Canberra as it provides a smooth surface,” Mr Rattenbury said “The slurry technique has also been used at car parks in Charnwood, Hawker and Kaleen, as its smoothness means it is shopping-trolley friendly.” Rattenbury added.
Mr Rattenury explained that resealing roads with bitumen and crushed stone is used at a majority of sites as it ensures more of Canberra’s roads can be improved each year. This is because it costs between five and seven times less than asphalt resurfacing (about $11 per square metre for bitumen and crushed stone compared to between about $50 to $80 for asphalt resurfacing).
“The ACT Government is committed to maintaining our road network. Resealing is designed to protect and extend the life of a road, while also improving its safety. As roads deteriorate with age and traffic use, small cracks appear in the surface which can allow water to penetrate and potholes to form. The annual resealing program aims to cover up to 5% of Canberra’s 6300 kilometres of surfaced roads.” Mr Rattenbury commented.