City of Regina testing new solution to reduce need for road maintenance

The City of Regina launched a new pilot program Tuesday that could reduce the cost of road maintenance by up to 60 per cent.

An asphalt emulsion solution is being sprayed on major roads in 20 areas over the next week. It seals small cracks in the pavement, blocking moisture from entering and slows erosion.

Director of roadways and transportation with the city, Norman Kyle, said this solution has been used in cities with a similar climate to Regina’s.

“It’ll typically extend the pavement life five to 10 years. So on a typical lifespan of 25 to 30 years that’s quite an increase,” he explained.

He added the best way to think of the solution is like a wrinkle cream.

“As you age you get wrinkles so you put on a moisturizer, keeps the elasticity in your skin. Pavement’s like that too, it’s flexible,” Kyle said.

The $350,000 pilot project will be monitored over the next couple of years, as it will take some time to know how well the solution works on Regina’s roads.

Mayor Michael Fougere is optimistic about its potential.

“If this treatment is successful, this would allow us to allocate more resources to roads that have greater and higher cost needs like repaving or reconstruction,” Fougere said.

Older, pot hole filled roads are not suitable candidates for this kind of treatment, as it is preventative and not reactive.