"Andy" > wrote in message ...
> George > wrote:
>
>> On 6/25/2010 3:41 PM, l, not -l wrote:
>>> On 25-Jun-2010, Kate > wrote:
>>>
>>>> Sound like something on the menu at your local
>>>> pub?
>>>>
>>>> That's what comes to my mind every time I see these
>>>> signs along the roads here in the Pittsburgh countryside.
>>>> Maybe pita chips and seasoned olive oil?
>>>>
>>>> No, it's a weird local (as far as I know) phenomenon
>>>> where in the summer many of the back roads sport these
>>>> signs. It means the county (or whoever is in charge of
>>>> these roads) is going to put gravel chips and oil on the
>>>> roads. I guess it's supposed to do something to keep
>>>> them in good repair, but I've always found it odd.
>>>
>>> The process is called sealcoating and is used to extend the life of
>>> asphalt pavement. The idea is to fill cracks and voids with a
>>> tar-like substance and small gravel. In climates subject to
>>> freezing, one of the major destroyers of pavement is ice. Water
>>> fills cracks in the asphalt paving, then expands as it freezes make
>>> the crack bigger and pushing up the surrounding pavement; freeze/thaw
>>> cycles breakdown the paving until potholes form and traffic hitting
>>> the hole edges does even more damage.
>>>
>>> Sealcoating fills the cracks with aslphalt and gravel, reducing or
>>> eliminating the damage of freeze/thaw cycles. If it is being done
>>> in places not subject to freeze/thaw, I have no idea why they would
>>> do it.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> They seem to have abandoned that method in my state. Now they seal the
>> cracks only. They have a large trailer mounted tank filled with the
>> sealant and there is a hose and wand that the operator uses. I suspect
>> this uses a lot less material and you aren't dinging windshields and
>> blasting the paint off cars.
>
>
> Some trucks that I've seen around here have a hydraulic arm "pile
> driver." Once the pot hole is filled to overflowing, they center the pile
> driver over it and hammer it down flat to the road surface level.
>
> I pity the "bottom of the totem pole" employee who gets to clean that off
> at the end of the day!!!
>
> Andy
>

All it takes is a bucket of kerosene or diesel and a stiff wire brush.