This year there will be around one million square meters of road resurfacing across the ACT road network to extend the life span of our local roads and also improve safety. Minister for Roads, Chris Steel, today announced the start of the ACT Government’s annual resurfacing program, which will start this year in Tuggeranong suburbs on municipal streets.
“The 2018-19 $16 million resurfacing program will see approximately 230 lane kilometers, or approximately 1,000,000 square metres of roads resurfaced, across the ACT road network. This is about the same size as 140 football fields. The majority of this work will be the road resealing, which comprises 900,000 square meters,” Minister Steel said.
Minister Steel explained that one exciting innovation this year is the trial of Plastiphalt. This material, composed of recycled glass and soft plastics, will be trialled on existing sections of Horse Park Drive and Gundaroo Drive during this year’s resurfacing program. For every tonne of Plastiphalt placed, the equivalent of 800 plastic bags, 252 glass bottles and 18 used printer toner cartridges will not find their way to landfills. 300 kilograms of recycled asphalt is also used for every tonne of Plastiphalt.
“The resealing program is an important part of the maintenance of Canberra’s roads as it covers small cracks and imperfections which could cause potholes and overall deterioration. It protects and extends the life of our roads and improves road safety.” Minister Steel commented “A number of major roads will be resealed as part of the program including sections of Hindmarsh Drive, the Monaro Highway, Mugga Lane, Canberra Avenue, Lady Denman Drive, Woodcock Drive, Gungahlin Drive, Kuringa Drive, Majura Road, Parkes Way, Coulter Drive, Ellenborough Street, Ginninderra Drive, the Kings Highway and Tidbinbilla Road. While resealing works will occur in many ACT suburbs, more extensive works will take place in Garran, Kambah, Phillip, Red Hill, Campbell, Charnwood, Higgins, Holt, Latham, Macgregor, Melba, Page, Scullin and Turner.”

The Minister pointed out that along with the resealing works a further 100,000 square meters of other resurfacing works including asphalt overlays and microsurfacing, will be conducted on Coulter Drive, Woodcock Drive, Ellenborough Street, Treloar Crescent, Katherine Avenue, Dominion Circuit, the Caswell Drive off ramp, Hindmarsh Drive, Gungahlin Drive, College Street, Drakeford Drive, Horse Park Drive, Ashley Drive, the Federal Highway and Majura Avenue.
“The works will be carried out during off-peak times and at night to minimise the impact on road users, however, motorists are asked to be patient when traveling through work sites or, if possible, use alternative routes. The program is expected to be completed by April 2019.” Minister Steel said.
The Minister also explained that signage will be erected well in advance of road resurfacing. Affected residents and businesses will also be advised by letterbox drop at least two days before the start of resealing works on their street. During the stages of resurfacing there may be some loose gravel which will be swept up within a short period of time. Drivers are reminded to drive carefully over resurfaced roads.