Weather permitting, the City of Pierre will begin its 2022 chip seal operation on Wednesday, Aug. 10.
Throughout the operation, the city will chip seal more than 100 blocks of city street. “No parking” signs will be placed in construction areas prior to road work. Because chip sealing is a rolling operation, traffic disruptions will be minimal. However, flaggers will be at impacted intersections to guide motorists through work zones.
“The process does include use of oil and loose rocks that can stick to cars, shoes, and pets. Until the chip seal has dried, motorists should consider alternate routes and pedestrians should avoid the treated surface,” said Jeff Runyan, City Construction and Operations Manager.
Chip sealing is a preservation tactic used to mitigate weather-related damage and extend the life of street surfaces. It also enhances skid resistance to improve driving safety.
The chip sealing operation is expected to take about three weeks. Once the chip sealing work is done, the City will fog seal those same streets. That work is expected to wrap up by the end of September.
The city maintains more than 80 miles of streets.