Surface Dressing After Easter

With Surface Dressing scheduled after Easter, we can expect disruption on the B1508 (Colchester Road) between Wormingford and Braiswick.   Due to the recent cold weather, though, this has now been postponed as work crews have been diverted elsewhere.  It is now probable that the work will be undertaken around 25th-28th April and will take place overnight.

Check the roadworks map on the village website nearer the time to track this project and check out any others that might be coming up.

What is Surface Dressing?

Essex Highways say:

Firstly we patch any potholes or other defects and make the surface level. Then crews spray the existing road surface with a coating of hot bitumen and cover it with stone chippings. We then roll the chippings into the bitumen to form a water-resistant protective layer; this makes the road less slippery and extends its life.

As soon as the bitumen has set, we sweep the road to remove loose chippings.  The nature of the treatment means there will be some loose chippings on the road surface until it beds down. 20mph speed limit temporary warning signs will be visible to alert drivers, as vehicles using the new surface help to embed the loose chippings. After about a week we return to the road and sweep up any chippings that have not been pressed into the bitumen; they will then add appropriate road markings.