Route was briefly closed for application of chip seal intended to extend life of the road 

By Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news

Tuesday morning East Main Street was blocked off from Lithia Way to North Mountain Avenue for repairs that will “add years to the road,” city of Ashland Communications Officer Dorinda Cottle said in a text message. 

Jackson County managed the repair process and the road was only closed for a short period of time Tuesday, she said. Every five years or so a “chip seal” repair of this kind is done which adds a layer of rock to the surface of the road. Impacted residents were notified ahead of time, she said. 

Tolman Creek Road was also treated, as mentioned in a news release issued late Tuesday. Not mentioned but also treated was Ashland Street west of South Mountain Drive.

The routine maintenance, the city said in the release, extends the road’s life by five to seven years. The process involves applying a liquid tack layer followed by a layer of rock, which creates a new wear surface. After a few weeks, a final “fog seal” is applied.

Scheduling uncertainties due to unpredictability of County Roads Department resources and the need for specific weather conditions can make prior notifications difficult, the city said in its release, which added that residents along East Main Street were notified Saturday about the work.

Email Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne at [email protected].

July 24: Additional information added after city issued a news release.