Photo: Orchard Street. Image: Google Streetview, June 2024.

At the Chelsea City Council meeting on August 19, 2024, City Manager Marty Colburn discussed the city’s plan to implement a slurry seal treatment on several streets to extend their longevity. Colburn emphasized that while the slurry seal is not a permanent fix, it is a cost-effective measure that can prolong the life of roads by two to seven years, depending on the current condition of the streets and weather factors.

“We estimate that these improvements can help a street typically anywhere from two to seven years,” Colburn said, noting that the effectiveness largely depends on existing road conditions.

Slurry seal is a pavement preservation method that involves spreading a mixture of asphalt emulsion, aggregate, and additives over the road surface. It seals cracks, restores the surface texture, and provides a protective layer against the elements, thus delaying the need for more extensive and costly repairs.

The city had budgeted $278,000 for the project, but Pavement Maintenance Systems LLC’s lone bid came in at $222,833.71, well below the estimated cost. While the price is very good, the downside is that work won’t begin until spring 2025.

The streets scheduled for the slurry seal treatment include Orchard Street, East Summit Street, Van Buren Street, East Street (south half), Washington Street, Elm Street, Hickory Bluff Lane, Chantilly Lane, Shiloh Drive, Savannah Lane, Taylor Lane, and Vicksburg Drive. The project is focused on two primary neighborhoods, including areas downtown and north of the railroad tracks, with a connection via Washington Street to Freer Road.

The council approved the bid unanimously, moving the project forward with the potential to add more streets later due to the favorable pricing.

“We’re talking with them to see later on whether or not we can add streets because we did get such a good price,” Colburn mentioned.

Once started, residents can expect this project to occur over several days to two weeks, depending on how the contractor schedules and manages it.