FY2027 Microsurfacing Project

The next scheduled microsurfacing project is planned for 2027 in Bemiston Place (Old Town), Hanley Place & Maryland Terrace,  Skinker Heights, Hi-Pointe, DeMun Park, Northmor Park, Wydown Forest, Davis Place

Summary

Microsurfacing is a thin wearing surface that protects the existing pavement, extends its service life, and improves its overall appearance. The City’s Pavement Maintenance Program results in each street receiving a microsurfacing treatment approximately every 7 years, along with other routine maintenance treatments that are part of the program (crack sealing, mill and overlay, etc.).

The residential work will be performed M-F, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The urban arterial streets will be surfaced outside of peak traffic hours to minimize disruptions. To facilitate the residential work, please observe the temporary "No Parking" signs posted by the contractor, and do not attempt to drive over recently applied microsurfacing until the street has been reopened. In the event of a delay due to the weather, the no parking signs will be updated with a new date for the work.  This may not always be the next business day.

This work is highly dependent on the weather conditions. Adverse weather conditions (rain, temperatures below 60 degrees, etc.) have a detrimental effect on microsurfacing, and the scheduled dates may change accordingly to ensure a good final product.   

Description: Pavement areas which have been identified as having subgrade condition issues are sawcut and removed, and the subgrade under the pavement is repaired before microsurfacing is applied. Some short-term lane closures (48-72 hours typically) will be required as part of this effort. The patches are filled with concrete and asphalt, which is then overlaid with the microsurfacing treatment to achieve a consistent and aesthetically pleasing appearance. 

Microsurfacing applies one or two thin layers (depending on traffic volumes) of a special asphaltic concrete material comprised of asphalt emulsion, sand, and reinforcing fibers. The material is placed with a specialized paving machine fed from tanker trucks.  The work is a relatively fast-moving operation, and the material will cure and harden within a few hours of placement, reaching a point where it can be reopened to traffic by the end of each working day.

Please note that this material is surface applied and not rolled once placed.  There may be variations in the material surface that will smooth out with time and traffic.

After microsurfacing is completed, pavement markings will be reapplied.

Purpose: The purpose of microsurfacing is to proactively maintain and extend the life of the existing pavements as cost effectively as possible.  The cost for a microsurfacing is approximately 80% lower than a mill and overlay.

Existing pavement surface preparation: Prior to microsurfacing, the pavement should be free of debris and other materials which may negatively affect the quality of the final product.  The pavement will be broomed and power swept to remove any such material.  Water is applied just ahead of the microsurfacing operation to improve the adhesion of the new surface to the existing pavement.

Life extension: Microsurfacing treatment is intended to be a wearing surface that protects the underlying pavement until it is scheduled for milling and overlay, which occurs on an approximately 21-year rotating schedule.

During construction, portions of affected streets will be closed with localized parking restrictions implemented. Construction is being phased in a manner that will allow on-street parking on neighboring streets. “No Parking” signs will be posted along your street 1-2 days prior to paving, with the road closures being implemented on the scheduled day. Please disable your lawn sprinklers and have your vehicles moved by 7 AM the morning your street is scheduled to be paved.  

There will be a coordinated effort with Republic Services to minimize disruptions to trash and recycling services during paving operations.  Please have your containers ready to go at 7AM on your regularly scheduled pick-up day.

Contact

Tom O'Mara
(314) 290-8548
tomara@claytonmo.gov

Microsurfacing FAQ's

What is Microsurfacing?
Microsurfacing is a thin surface wearing treatment that involves laying a mixture of dense‐graded aggregate, asphalt emulsion, water, polymer additive, and mineral fillers on existing pavement surfaces to correct or prevent certain deficiencies. As part of the City's Pavement Management Program, we use Microsurfacing primarily to extend pavement life by sealing any cracks in the pavement surface. This also improves surface friction and corrects rutting.

How long will my street be closed?
There may be parking restrictions and road closures the entire day the work is scheduled (please check the specific schedule for details). Once placed, microsurfacing requires at least 1‐2 hours to set or harden before the road can be opened to traffic.  Weather conditions and/or turning movements (non-turning traffic has less of an impact) can extend this curing time up to 4 hours or more.

What should the residents do to prepare for their streets to be microsurfaced?
Residents will be notified 24‐48 hours in advance. On the day the street is scheduled for microsurfacing, the residents will be required to remove all personal items from the roadway (vehicles, trash cans, basketball nets, etc.). Residents will need to park their car on an adjacent street that will be scheduled in advance. All sprinkler systems will be required to be turned off that day.

How soon till I can walk on the street?
Pedestrians should keep off the street until the roadway has had the required cure time to set and harden. A good indication is after you see the material turn from its applied color of brown, to its cured rich black color. Be aware that “wet” microsurfacing is “tacky” and is difficult to remove from clothing and fur. The final product provides a finished surface that is black in color and looks similar to that of an asphalt surface.

Why does the street seem rough?
A piece of burlap is dragged behind the paver during the application process to give the microsurfacing its desired texture. During this process the burlap pulls a small amount of the aggregate to the surface of the material, which gives it an initial coarse appearance. Over the next few weeks traffic will do its job of rolling down that aggregate and smoothing the surface. Be aware that the texture is not exactly that of new asphalt. When complete, your roads will be protected with a strong, less expensive, wearing coarse with improved skid resistance, to provide a safer driving environment.

A resident turned out of their driveway and it left a mark.
When microsurfacing is first placed, the surface is tender and can be marked up by sudden turning movements. Do not worry, these imperfections on the pavement are temporary as seasonal weather and traffic will smooth out these imperfections over time.

Is the microsurfacing hot?
One of the many benefits to microsurfacing is that NO it is not hot! Because of the improved polymer modified binders used in the product, heat is not needed to produce this special mix. Therefore microsurfacing is an environmentally friendly process that cuts down carbon emissions and allows for reduced energy consumption!