What is Chip Sealing and more road work fun!

There is nothing like a freshly paved road.  Me and my car both enjoy the soothing, smooth drive!

Chip Sealing – mid process

That was of course before they started using the Chip Sealing process versus applying a thick, smooth asphalt overlay.  I suppose the one advantage to Chip Sealing is that you can drive on it right away.  It is also a fraction of the cost.  The disadvantage is that your car and all the other cars on the road must finish up the work by embedding the chips or rocks into the sticky black asphalt emulsion.  This process takes two weeks of vibrating down the road as sticky rocks kick up all around.

So that will be fun.  Sort of like living on a old country road for a little while.  After that, the street sweeper is due to come through to remove the extra, loose rocks.

Check out the video I took of the process…

Then about two hours later they repeated the process and finish it up by compacting the surface with a steam roller.

You know Chip Sealing reminds me of…  glitter and glue!

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Have you been noticing road work lately?  How about reading some books on the subject and following it up with a little glitter and glue action or truck play at the beach.  Don’t have a steamroller?  Try a rolling pin!

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Roadwork! by Sally Sutton, illustrated by Brian Lovelock

Amazon description… There are many big machines and busy people involved in building a road, and this riveting picture book follows them every step of the way. From clearing a pathway (SCREEK!) to rolling the tar (SQUELCH!) to sweeping up at the end (SWISH!), ROADWORK is sure to draw young onlookers with its rambunctious rhymes and noisy fun.

New Road! by Gail Gibbons

Amazon description… This excellent and much needed factual book describes how roads are constructed, focusing on the people who plan and construct the road and the equipment used. Simple illustrations in bright basic colors are visually appealing. The final pages consist of a brief history of roads from Roman times to the present day. Bright, colorful, and fascinating.” —SLJ.

Road Work Ahead by Anastasia Suen, illustrated by Jannie Ho

Amazon description… When a family sets out on a trip to Grandma’s, their journey proves to be more like a visit to a construction site. Sidewalks are being poured, streetlights repaired, roads resurfaced. The noise of jackhammers, whistles, and horns fills the air. Boys and girls alike will love seeing the big machines at work. Anastasia Suen’s simple text and Jannie Ho’s bright, up-beat pictures make this one road trip to remember.

Road Builders by B.G. Hennessy

Now being re-issued in hardcover, “Road Builders, is the perfect book for any child who can’t get enough of trucks or construction. With Caldecott Medal-winner Simms Taback’s bright and engaging illustrations and a fun and straightforward text by B. G. Hennessy, this picture book will satisfy even the most curious little minds (Amazon description).

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This post is linked up with my favorite family science related site, Science Sparks!  Check out Fun Sparks for lots of great science related ideas!

Wait until you see the reverse engineering going on over at Mama Smiles‘ Learning Laboratory!  This post is linked up there also!

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