Enduring chip seal season worth savings

Ah, the chip seal season. Whenever chip seal time came when my father was the City Engineer of various west Texas cities, he spent part of the summer driving around in his automobile to avoid the citizens phone calls. The fact of the matter is this: asphaltic concrete is inexpensive. You can have low taxes, or you can have Portland cement concrete pavement or maybe bricks. All asphaltic pavement needs periodic seal coating. Yes, it is inconvenient. Yes, it is annoying. But it is cheap.

As to the inconvenience, Washington is way down from hotter, sunnier climates in its need for chip seal. Western Texas pavements need a chip seal every three years. I recently drove over some fresh chip seal on Martin Way and I marveled at the technique which successfully prevented loose rock and asphalt from causing damage. The city staff is to be congratulated for superior performance.