Fog sealing projects begin Monday in Pocatello

The following is a news release from the city of Pocatello.

The City of Pocatello Street Operations Department will begin fog sealing roads around the Gate City starting Monday, August 6.

Fog sealing involves spraying an asphalt emulsion onto an existing street surface. The emulsion protects the pavement from weathering by sealing small cracks that have developed and prevents water from making its way into the roadway. For the 2018 road maintenance season, the department is planning to fog seal about 14 miles of streets around Pocatello.

“Asphalt is a mix of gravel and oil. What a fog seal does is it puts oil back into the road surface and rejuvenates it, slowing the rate it degrades,” said Tom Kirkman, Deputy Public Works Director.

While work is underway, there will be no parking allowed on the street from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and vehicles parked on the street will be towed to the nearest side street. Flaggers and pilot cars will be onsite to direct traffic in the construction area but motorists should expect delays or use alternate routes when possible.

Officials thank the public for their understanding and apologize for any inconvenience the work may cause. Due to unforeseen circumstances or inclement weather, the work schedule may be extended.

A full list of streets tentatively scheduled to be fog sealed can be found at pocatello.us/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/584.