Strathcona County maintains a safe and reliable transportation network using a variety of maintenance techniques to help maintain the quality of our roads. Some of these techniques include microsurfacing, crack sealing, blade and pothole patching.

It is more cost-effective to maintain roads in good condition, than it is to reconstruct a road in poor condition. Different maintenance techniques are used to extend the lifespan of the road.

Microsurfacing

Microsurfacing is a cost-effective treatment that extends the life of existing asphalt by applying a thin coating of a mixture of emulsified asphalt and aggregate seal to the road surface. The material seals the roadway from water, improves traction, reduces future cracking, and helps prevents potholes.

What to expect

• Information signs will be placed a minimum of week before the work starts.
• Roadways will only be affected for a few days, with daytime closures occurring between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
• Road surfaces may appear rough and uneven compared to typical asphalt roads but will smooth out with time, traffic, and warm temperatures.
• Avoid making u-turns or dry steering on newly microsurfaced roads for 7 to 10 days to allow the material to properly cure.

Crack sealing

Crack sealing is another treatment that helps maintain the road by filling minor, surface cracks with a rubberized sealant. The sealant expands and contracts filling in the cracks to prevent water from getting into the road and causing more damage. 

Blade patching

Blade patching is used to repair localized issues on a road such as large potholes or cracks. Asphalt is applied over the existing surface to smooth out the road surface.

Pothole patching 

Once the snow has melted, the County continuously monitors and identifies potholes that require repair.  

To help prioritize the work, potholes are fixed in the following order: 

1. High-speed, high-traffic roads 
2. Collector roads (bus routes) 
3. Residential streets 

Pothole repairs in early spring are a temporary fix. Permanent solutions will not work until the weather is consistently warmer and the roads have dried out—typically beginning in May.  

Highways are maintained by the province 

The province of Alberta is responsible for repairing potholes and other road issues on provincial highways within Strathcona County. Examples include Highway 16 (Yellowhead Trail), Highway 21, Highway 14, Highway 824 and Highway 630 (Wye Road east of Highway 21). Service on these roads is carried out by government contractors.

Annual maintenance and rehabilitation programs 

When a road requires more than just surface repairs, the County prioritizes and schedules the work as part of an annual program: 

This includes: 

• Rural Road Rehabilitation program – Roads within rural subdivisions and Class II grid roads 
• Gravel Road Rehabilitation program – Dust-controlled and loose gravel roads 
• Residential Road Rehabilitation program – Roads and sidewalks within Sherwood Park 
• Arterial Road Rehabilitation program – Asphalt and concrete improvements on major roads within Sherwood Park 

Further information: