During the first week of August, Walworth County Public Works and its contractor will begin a roadway improvement project involving the application of Reclamite to the following sections of County Highway X:
Rock County line to Wise Road
East Village of Darien limits to County Highway K
Creek Road to St. Lawrence Drive
Drivers can expect delays as traffic will be reduced to one lane with flaggers. The project is expected to take four to five days to complete. As always, road work is subject to weather conditions and other potential delays.
What is Reclamite and why are we using it?
Reclamite is an oil-based rejuvenation application that delays the roadway aging process by sealing the asphalt against the intrusion of air and water, slowing oxidation, and increasing the durability and elasticity in the top portion of the asphalt.
“In 2021, the Walworth County Highway Division introduced the application of Reclamite to County roadways as part of our early life-cycle roadway maintenance strategy,” says Barry Pierce, Walworth County Deputy Highway Commissioner. “Reclamite extends and improves pavement life, pushing the need for major rehabilitation out as long as possible—all at a lower cost than typical wear-course maintenance strategies.”
How is Reclamite applied to roadways?Photo caption: Reclamite is applied in a single-pass per direction followed by a light coat of sand or screenings to reduce oil transfer to vehicles.
Reclamite is diluted with water and sprayed on like most other oil-based applications. The material is applied in a single pass per direction followed by a light coat of aggregate—sand or screenings—that reduces oil transfer to vehicles.
Approximately one or two days after application, the contractor will sweep up the aggregate. Once dry, Reclamite leaves no surface coating. Although there may be visible tire tracking beyond the limits of the application location, these tracks dry and will fade over time.
What can drivers expect?
During the application process, traffic is allowed to drive on the roadway once sand/screenings are applied. Residents traveling on these roadways should adhere to posted slow signs to keep speeds at a rate necessary to reduce the possible transfer of oil and aggregate onto vehicle undercarriages and wheel wells. If drivers notice a noticeable oil transfer or aggregate material on their vehicles, it can be easily removed with any citrus cleaner available at local hardware or home improvement stores. The regional Reclamite vendor, Corrective Asphalt Materials, handles all complaint calls and is willing to walk residents through the cleaning process.
Reclamite application is a completely turnkey service provided by the vendor, including traffic control, rejuvenation oil application, roadway sweeping, and quality control. Outsourcing this maintenance operation allows county staff to engage in other pressing roadway maintenance activities.
“The benefits of Reclamite to the Walworth County roadway network are unmistakable,” states Richard Hough, the Director of Walworth County Public Works. “This lower cost, early life-cycle maintenance strategy will extend the overall life of county roadways and improve the quality of the entire network.”
Photo caption: The graph illustrates the differences in serviceability and pavement lifespan between roads treated with Reclamite, roads with microsurface or chip seal, and unmaintained roads.
View the Walworth County Public Works page.
Original source can be found here.
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