The city will see two major road projects launching this winter.

Each year, the city undertakes paving projects, utility replacement projects, preventative maintenance projects, curb, and sidewalk projects, etc. While there has been considerable progress since 2018, there are still multiple roads in town that deserve attention but have not been addressed. A road not being worked on does not mean the city has determined it is not important; rather, they must prioritize and plan around other projects or problems that arise. Limitations on budget and bandwidth to manage and inspect these various projects restrict the amount of work that can be done each year, and with over 130 miles of road in Kaysville, this makes the process slower than everyone would like to see.

Crews are close to completing this year’s asphalt preventative maintenance project. Like vehicle maintenance, preventative maintenance is performed on roads to help keep newer pavements in better shape and to prevent more rapid deterioration that would require significantly more expensive repairs, such as repaving. This recent project involved a scrub/chip seal, with application areas including 200 N. (from I-15 to Angel St.), portions of Hess Farms, and parts of the neighborhood west of Fairfield and north of Crestwood.

A scrub seal consists of multiple phases: 1) cleaning the road and filling large cracks; 2) spraying an adhesive oil onto the roadway and forcing that oil into smaller cracks with scrubbing brushes; 3) laying a layer of small aggregate onto the oil; 4) compacting the gravel with rollers and vehicle traffic; 5) sweeping away loose aggregate; 6) spraying a final fog coat on top of the gravel; and 7) reapplying road paint. The application of this type of preventative maintenance is admittedly more impactful than other options (the process takes one-two weeks compared to three-five days for others). In the first year after application, the road surface is notably coarser than before, but the long-term results are why it is used by many cities in Davis County. 

Chip seals are about one-eighth the cost of repaving a road, and Kaysville has seen them last anywhere from 10 to 15 years, with the chip seal weathering rather than the more expensive pavement below. For example, the rate to chip seal 200 North this year was $3.04 per square yard, while the cost to repave west 200 North was $38.25 per square yard. Experience with other preventative maintenance applications has shown them to last anywhere from three to six years, depending on the type, and they are similar in cost.

This winter, two large road projects will also begin. The city started working in 2022 on the design and coordination for 200 North between Main Street and Fruit Heights to replace underground water and sewer lines, fire hydrants, and water services, as well as to install missing curb and sidewalk, finishing with a repave of 200 North. This multi-year project will soon start at Main Street and make its way east. Depending on weather and underground conditions, this project could take two years to complete.

Another project starting this winter is the installation of a traffic signal at Mutton Hollow and Main Street. This will involve a significant amount of new curb installation and widening the southbound lanes of Main Street to two lanes. In the future, another project will be undertaken to install a traffic signal at Mutton Hollow Road and Fairfield Road.

These and other projects are impactful and can be frustrating at times. City leaders appreciate the patience of the community as they continue to look for ways to preserve and protect infrastructure while trying to stretch these funds as far as possible. λ