Pavement Treatment - Surface Treatment
Paving and Resurfacing
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is responsible for maintaining more than 125,000 lane miles of roadway in Virginia.
• 1,118 lane miles* of interstate
• 8,111 lane miles of primary roads, which are numbered 599 and below.
• 48,305 lane miles of secondary roads. Secondary routes are numbered 600 and above, which includes subdivision streets.
*One mile of every travel lane on a roadway equals one lane mile.
Virginia’s current highway network is the result of more than 100 years of investment in infrastructure that provides for the economic activities and the mobility of people and goods throughout the commonwealth.
Preserving this investment is a core function of VDOT.
Choosing a Treatment Method
Each summer, VDOT must decide which roads will be resurfaced during the upcoming year. The roads being resurfaced this year were decided upon the previous year. Contracts are awarded to private companies in the late fall and winter for the following year.
With a limited amount of funding, roads in need of treatment must be prioritized. The appropriate treatment must be selected in order to stretch the funding we have to address the maximum amount of roads possible.
To help accomplish this task, VDOT rates pavement conditions every year throughout the state. These conditions are analyzed to determine the best type of treatment to extend the life of each pavement.
Treatments are chosen based on a variety of factors, including the current pavement condition, the ride quality, and the volume of traffic a road carries.
While a road may not look deficient to the casual observer, samples of the roadway under testing can reveal distresses that are concerning to VDOT.
Surface Treatment
Crews will be applying surface treatment. Asphalt will be sprayed directly onto the road, immediately followed by an application of small stones which are rolled and compressed into the road so they are 50-70 percent embedded in the pavement. This application is designed to extend the life of the pavement.
One of the final steps of the surface treatment process is a “blot” coat. During this step, sand is applied to prevent any liquid asphalt from being picked up by vehicle tires, which could spray the asphalt onto a vehicle’s body. This sand blot coat typically stays in place for 1-3 weeks. This allows the resurfacing materials to fully cure.
In some cases, when traffic and rain do not displace the residual sand during the curing time period, VDOT will schedule additional roadway sweeping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When can I expect work to begin on my street?
Exact work dates are generally not available until 10 days prior to work beginning as contractors set schedules based on personnel and equipment availability. Giving contractors this flexibility allows Virginia to secure this work at a competitive price.
Contractors will distribute a notice to each resident in a neighborhood approximately 30 days prior to work starting as a general notification that your street has been identified for treatment. "No Parking" signs with precise date information will be posted a minimum of 3 business days in advance of work starting.
Q: What will take place during this project? What will residents see, hear and observe?
Residents can expect to see work vehicles in their neighborhood and potentially on your street during the project. We encourage motorists to remain alert to temporary traffic patterns.
The brief removal of vehicles from the street may be required when work is underway, as well as obstructions such as basketball hoops or garbage cans.
Contractors are required to post "no parking" signs a minimum of 3 business days in advance along roads where on-street parking will be prohibited during paving work.
Q: What are the work hours of this project?
Work hours are generally limited to weekdays between dawn and dusk.
Q: How does VDOT decide which roads receive treatment, and what treatment to apply?
VDOT tests the pavement condition on all interstates and primary roads each year, to see where the condition falls on a scale of 1 to 100 on our Critical Condition Index. Any score below 60 falls into the “poor” category, with below 50 “very poor.”
These scores help us determine which sections of interstate and primary roads are in greatest need of maintenance and repair. The scores look for problems caused by vehicle load, weather and the environment.
Pavement can appear to be in good condition as you drive down the road, but under testing, will reveal distresses that are concerning to VDOT, and will result in a poor score.
For secondary roads, which includes subdivision streets, local VDOT maintenance staff perform “road rides” each spring and summer and methodically travel routes that fall under its jurisdiction. Roads in need of repair are inventoried and reviewed.
As funds become available each year, maintenance staff make a list of secondary roads that are most in need of repair during the upcoming year.
Based on the road’s condition, the maintenance staff recommends a treatment that is appropriate for the deterioration.
Q: My road is not on the list of roads to be treated this year. How can I request that it receive treatment next year?
If you believe your road is in need of repair or treatment, you can contact VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center at 1-800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623) to let us know about your maintenance concerns.
Q: I would prefer my neighborhood receive a different treatment. Can my neighborhood ask to receive something other than what we are scheduled to receive?
All treatments provide a new travel surface for users that reduces deterioration such as cracking, rutting, rough pavement and friction loss.
All of the new surfaces will be less likely to deteriorate, and prolongs the life of the pavement in your neighborhood.
Q: How does VDOT oversee the contractors carrying out the work?
VDOT has inspectors on site to ensure work is carried out appropriately, and according to state specifications.
If you have a concern, please call VDOT’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623) or send an e-mail to customerservice@VDOT.Virginia.Gov. We will be happy to discuss your individual concerns and questions.