We carry out road resurfacing in Suffolk to maintain the public highway.
This improves the long term condition of roads, and means we don't have to spend as much time on smaller repairs, such as filling in potholes.
How road resurfacing may affect you
Before works
Advance notice boards will be displayed on site showing the date(s) of proposed works.
Letters to residents will give the programmed start date, the duration of works and the start and end times when the road will be closed to through traffic:
- Before the start time of the works parked vehicles should be removed from the road
- During these dates and times vehicles will not be able to park on the road
Access during works
We have to close roads to provide enough room for repairs to be carried out safely.
Depending on the road width and nature of the site, this may involve a road closure with local diversions and/or traffic lights or "stop/go" boards.
During the roadworks, vehicles will not be able to park on the road.
Access to properties and businesses within the roadworks site will be available subject to ongoing operations.
Our staff are on site to answer questions and to help you get in or out of the roadworks site safely using the right route through our works.
However, access to your property may be temporarily unavailable for about 15 to 20 minutes (for example, if we are laying a new surface where you need to drive).
We understand that businesses need to know that customers can still visit. So, where appropriate we will display information saying "Business open as usual".
Other services are notified of planned roadworks, for example your local council for bin collections.
Access would immediately be made available to any emergency vehicle.
When can roads be safely driven on?
The road is safe to drive on following resurfacing but reduced speed restriction signs will be displayed.
For your safety and the safety of others, please:
- keep to the speed limit
- keep your distance from the vehicle in front
- avoid turning or braking sharply and do not overtake
How long will resurfaced roads last?
This will prevent the new materials being damaged before they have completely set and also help prevent your car from being damaged.
Resurfacing with hot bitumen will last for approximately 10 to 20 years dependent on the volumes of traffic using the road.
Surfacing with micro-asphalt can be expected to last between 5 and 10 years.
How we choose roads to resurface
We identify which roads to repair based on:
- regular inspections
- annual surveys using specialist equipment
- reports from councillors, parish councils and community groups
- reports from residents – you can report a defect online
How road resurfacing works
We use varying grades of aggregate (for example: sand, gravel, crushed stone) mixed with hot bitumen to replace the existing road surface to provide a smooth, waterproof surface with skid resistant properties.
Read about roadworks in Suffolk, surface dressing and pavement resurfacing to learn about other ways roads are maintained.