Recycling approach to fixing potholes being trialled in Essex
Method designed to provide greener and quicker solution to fixing highways defects.
A new method of filling in potholes and cracks in roads that promises to be greener and quicker is being trialled by Essex Highways in Colchester and Tendring.
Currently, potholes and cracks are repaired by cutting out the surrounding road surface before fresh hot asphalt is poured into the defect and compacted to fix it. This could include removing any previously applied material to make the defect safe.
Roadmender Asphalt, based in Sheffield, has developed a technique that no longer requires roads to be dug up. This potentially improves productivity by increasing the number of defects that can be fixed. It also reduces the need to dig roads where utility pipes and cables are located.
Councillor Lee Scott, Cabinet Member for Highways Maintenance and Sustainable Transport, said: “Essex Highways has a great track record of trialling and adopting innovative technologies and materials in order to improve how the roads of Essex are repaired, creating a transport network that is safer, greener and healthier, and ensuring value for money for the county’s residents.
“So far, the Roadmender trial has a lot of positive attributes that officers at Essex Highways will carefully consider. The biggest test will be how the material holds up under winter conditions before we can commit to rolling it out across the county.”
The asphalt, which is made up of recycled materials including old lorry tyres, can also be prepared on site as needed. The product has virtually no waste and significantly reduces CO2 compared to more traditional methods of pothole repair.
Once any deeper holes have been filled and compacted, it is poured over the surface as a molten liquid that forms a waterproof patch over the area as well as filling minor defects, preventing further cracks or holes from developing. It cools within minutes, which reduces the amount of time a road is closed compared to a more traditional repair.
Essex Highways crews are currently out across the county delivering repairs using a number of techniques. From whole road resurfacing to patching smaller areas, different methods are applied depending on the repair required and the type of road it is on. Roadmender Asphalt’s technique, if the trial is a success, could be adopted to repair more defects, more quickly, more safely and with less waste and new material - reducing carbon.
While not all trials are adopted, those that promise longevity and a safer, greener and healthier approach to road maintenance will help Essex Highways deliver road repairs that last longer and serve a road network that is fit for the future.
Essex Highways crews will assess the test sites in spring and summer next year. This will help them understand how the material has held up over the winter period, before deciding whether to adopt this new method and use across the county.