file photo by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, paving Schedule for the week of Aug 7-11. Once the street is paved, plan on staying off the road until 6pm.
Milling and paving are essential processes in road construction and maintenance. They involve removing the old surface of a road (milling) and then laying a new surface (paving) to create a smooth and durable roadway. Here’s an overview of both processes:
- Milling: Milling, also known as cold planning or profiling, is the process of removing a portion of the existing road surface to prepare it for a new overlay. This is typically done using a machine called a milling machine or cold planer. The milling machine has a rotating drum with teeth that grind and remove the asphalt or concrete surface to a desired depth. This process serves several purposes:
- Smoothness: Milling removes irregularities, bumps, and ruts, creating a smoother surface for the new overlay.
- Profile Correction: It helps correct the road’s cross-sectional profile, ensuring proper drainage and water runoff.
- Bonding Surface: The milled surface provides a better bonding surface for the new pavement layer.
- Paving: Paving involves placing a new layer of asphalt or concrete on the milled surface to create a new road surface. The paving process typically includes the following steps:
- Preparation: The milled surface is cleaned of debris and any loose material. If needed, a tack coat (a thin layer of asphalt) may be applied to improve adhesion between the old and new surfaces.
- Asphalt Placement: Hot-mix asphalt (HMA) is commonly used for road paving. The asphalt mixture is transported to the site and spread using pavers. It’s then compacted using rollers to achieve the desired density and smoothness.
- Concrete Placement: For concrete paving, the new concrete mixture is poured onto the prepared surface and spread to the required thickness. It’s then leveled, screeded, and finished to achieve a smooth surface.
- Finishing: After placement, the surface may undergo additional processes like texturing or grooving, depending on the road’s requirements.
- Curing: Both asphalt and concrete surfaces need time to cure and gain strength. Curing may involve protecting the surface from traffic for a certain period.
