Audio clip
Lee Norris
City streets paved last year using a controversial method called chip sealing now have a more conventional layer of asphalt, city officials said Monday.
"All of them have been resurfaced," said Lee Norris, deputy administrator of public works.
The city's paving department resurfaced six roads last year using chip sealing, which puts a sealant combined with gravel on the road. City officials said it was a cheaper alternative to traditional paving and makes the roads last longer.
COST OF PAVING
* $1.032 million: Estimated cost of repaving Altamont, Moccasin Bend, Mountain Creek, Norcross and Pineville roads using conventional methods
* $621,632.85: Actual cost of paving roads using ultra-thin layer
* $193,078.39: Actual cost of paving the roads using chip seal
Source: City of Chattanooga
ROAD REPAIRS
The city chip-sealed and resurfaced six roads including:
* Altamont Road
* Atlanta Drive
* Moccasin Bend Road
* Mountain Creek Road
* Norcross Road
* Pineville Road
Source: Chattanooga
But days after the roads were chip-sealed, critics charged that the roads were too bumpy and created safety hazards for two-wheeled vehicles such as motorcycles and scooters.
Mayor Ron Littlefield suspended the program and said later the practice was "disappointing and unacceptable."
Mr. Norris said Monday that the city has found another alternative paving method, laying down an ultra-thin layer of asphalt. The road can last 15 to 20 years using this method, Mr. Norris said.
"That's kind of become our standard," Mr. Norris said.
City records show the resurfacing and chip sealing on five of the six city streets -- excluding Atlanta Drive -- cost more than $800,000. Conventional repaving would have cost more than a $1 million, records show.
Using an ultra-thin layer of asphalt rather than chip sealing would have cost more than $600,000, records show.
Mr. Norris said the city tested the ultra-thin layer but had not received the test results before putting down chip-seal.
City Council Chairman Jack Benson said he was glad the roads were repaved and agreed that chip sealing was unacceptable.
"I'd like to see them (the public works department) apologize for the way it was done," he said.
Pamela Hennessee, who has lived on Norcross Road for 15 years, called the chip seal a "mess." Until the road was repaved last month, cars threw gravel into her yard and the road was bumpy, she said.
She wondered why the ultra-thin layer was not applied in the beginning.
"I think it was a ridiculous waste of money," she said. "I don't understand why they didn't do that first."
Cliff has worked for the Times Free Press for five years and covers Chattanooga city government. He previously covered Rhea County, as well as transportation and growth and development in Southeast Tennessee. A native of Maryville, Tenn., Cliff graduated in 2003 from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis on journalism. Before coming to Chattanooga, he was a crime reporter with Hernando Today, a supplement of The Tampa (Fla.) ...
It would seem that the chip paving method would have been tried elsewhere and comments made about its satisfaction. Did the public works department develop this idea on their own as an experiment? Pretty much of an expensive way at an attempt to save money. Perhaps this should be investigated and "let the chips fall where they may" as to fault.
KWV, you know that method was standard for all non major thoroughfare roads fifty years ago. During hard times you try to save money when you don't own the printing press. I can't believe the ultra-thin surface will last 15-20 years but time will tell.
Or login with:
New Account