Blackpool Council
Blackpool is home to around 140,000 residents and attracts over 18 million visitors per year. Investment inn visitor attractions and conference facilities continues to increase visitor numbers and puts increasing pressure on the transport network. Blackpool Council are at the forefront of road asset management and recognise that keeping roads in good condition is essential for the local economy.
Blackpool’s highway network is the Council’s largest asset (valued at c£500m) and is vital to the functioning of the town. Under Project Amber, the Council brought together the road surface treatment supply chain to advise on the best materials and techniques to maintain roads in good or ‘green’ condition for longer.
The project was supported by the Local Council Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG) and the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA). The completed works will be referenced by LCRIG, and will be viewed and monitored by other councils and the Department for Transport.
It makes sense to spend the money on a RHINOPHALT® surface treatment when the road is in Green or light Amber condition because it preserves the condition of the road for longer, delaying the need for expensive and disruptive inlays and resurfacing.
WILL BRITAIN
HEAD OF HIGHWAYS & TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, BLACKPOOL COUNCIL
What was their challenge?
Norbreck Road is a 1.4km urban road to the north of Blackpool, surfaced with SMA which is more than 10 years old. Although some patching has been completed, the road is considered to be in ‘green’ to ‘light-amber’ condition (good).
Blackpool Council are at the forefront of road asset management and recognise that keeping roads in good condition is essential for the local economy.
The Council were looking to extend the life of the road in a cost-effective way; and the proposed solution needed to be:
- Fast & Efficient – to minimise disruption to drivers and residents; ideally capable of being applied at night, in a single pass
- Quiet – both in operation and post – application by maintaining the low noise characteristics of the existing SMA
- Cost Effective – the life extension needed to outweigh the financial cost
What solution did we provide?
RHiNOPHALT® is an asphalt preservative designed to extend the life of asphalt. RHiNOPHALT® was spray applied in September 2019 with the 13,580m2 contract completed over 2 night shifts, keeping disruption to residents and motorists to a minimum. With a road closure in place from 19:00 to 06:00, the RHiNOPHALT® application began once the road had been swept clean and the gullies masked off. In each shift, spraying was completed by a single vehicle in less than 1 hour, and was fully cured within 2 hours. Line markings were replaced, and the road was re-opened well in advance of the 06:00 deadline.
RHiNOPHALT® forms part of a planned, cost effective surface treatment strategy reducing the rate of future deterioration resulting in increased service life. RHiNOPHALT® treated surfaces are more resistant to stone loss, water ingress and the severe ageing effects of weathering and oxidation.
Will Britain, Head of Highways & Traffic Management, Blackpool Council said: “It makes sense to spend the money on a RHINOPHALT® surface treatment when the road is in Green or light Amber condition because it preserves the condition of the road for longer, delaying the need for expensive and disruptive inlays and resurfacing.”
One application of RHiNOPHALT® on older asphalt surfaces can extend pavement life by up to 5 years. RHiNOPHALT® provides an alternative road surface maintenance treatment where surface dressing isn’t the preferred option and allows for night-time working.
