More than 50 km of state gravel roads to receive paved surfaces this year; 111 km to be renovated

This year, double surface dressing is being applied to ten sections of state local roads with gravel surfaces, giving the roads a paved surface. In total, the works will cover more than 50 kilometres. Seven of the projects are being financed from the state budget, while two are funded by the European Union (EU) Recovery Fund. Over the past five years, double surface dressing has been applied to 540 km of state gravel roads.

Double surface dressing is used on regional and local gravel roads with low traffic volumes to reduce dust and prevent water from penetrating the road structure. Roads treated with a double surface dressing are less likely to lose their load-bearing capacity during the spring mud season. However, they must not be overloaded, so their condition needs to be carefully monitored and, when necessary, permitted weight limits must be restricted.

In the long term, these roads also have lower routine maintenance costs, as they do not need to be graded. If the surface is damaged, it is also easier to repair than an asphalt surface.

As part of the double surface dressing projects, horizontal road markings have been placed along the edges of the road, rather than along the centre line This approach was adopted from Estonia, where it is used on road sections with double surface dressing where the road is relatively narrow and centre-line markings tend to wear out relatively quickly. Edge markings are generally less affected by traffic and therefore last longer.

If experience shows in practice that this solution is more durable, it will be incorporated into the relevant guidelines or road construction specifications.