‘Chip Sealing’ on Rochester Streets Not Fun on Bike

Outside of a gusty headwind when I'm on my way back home, there aren't too many other things that are less fun when you're on a bike than encountering a 'chip sealing' project on the street on which you're trying to ride.

According to the city of Rochester website, a 'chip sealing' is project is currently being undertaken on several city streets-- a couple of which just happen to be on one of the routes I ride in northwest Rochester on my way to and from the Cascade Lake Trail.

So what exactly does 'chip sealing' entail? The city website describes it like this: "During both the fogging and chip sealing processes there will be hot emulsion placed on the street surface.  Please give the crews ample room while they are doing this work; and do not drive through these areas until the work is complete. Traffic lanes will be restricted during the chip seal and fog seal processes.  Traffic can drive on the chip sealed areas once the chips are placed and rolled."

Which, as far as I can tell, means this: Some sort of hot tar or oil is sprayed on the street being worked on, and then a bunch of gravel is spread on the top of the tar or oil. I think.

The long term result is a longer-lasting street surface. But the short term result is a pain in the hinder, especially if you're on a bike. Because of the gravel that is spread all over, what was once a paved street now temporarily becomes a gravel road. And, as traffic drives over the gravel, the excess stones tend to become pushed to the side-- right in the path of where one rides their bike.

Back when I lived in Wisconsin, one of the streets on which I used to ride my bike was a rural county highway that had the chip sealing process applied to it. Let me tell you, all that extra gravel did not make for a fun ride-- especially since the speed limit on the road in front of my house was 45 miles an hour, with little or no shoulders to ride on, either. And as if negotiating all that extra gravel while on your bike wasn't enough, one also has to deal with the stones that are kicked up by passing cars and trucks, too. Fun!

I appreciate the city's on-going maintenance of our streets, and realize that the seal coating process is one of those necessary evils one has to put up with to extend the life of our area roads. But it sure isn't much fun while it's happening-- especially if you're on two wheels.

Have you encountered any streets that are being chip-sealed?