Chip Sealing & Crack Sealing
June 29, 2026 Update
Chip sealing construction activity will begin on the West side starting June 29th. Activity will begin on the East side starting July 6th. Please drive slowly and use caution when driving on recently chip sealed streets.
The construction contractor, Fahrner Asphalt Sealers LLC, is required to post temporary parking restrictions in advance of starting construction activity. They will specify on the No Parking signs the days parking will be removed from the street; expect the chip sealing work to occur during this period.
It will take 2 to 6 hours to apply the chip seal material to an individual street, and the schedule can be delayed when rain is forecasted. The Contractor will first sweep the street prior to applying the chip seal. The asphalt emulsion will then be applied and immediately following the emulsion the chips are laid. The Contractor will then roll the street with a rubber-tired roller to seat the chips into the emulsion. The final step is to sweep up the loose aggregate that didn't adhere to the emulsion, which will typically occur within 24 hours after the chips are applied. Loose aggregate and dust will be present, and residents are asked to use caution during this period. Please close your windows and doors to avoid any dust entering your residence. A second sweeping of the street by the Contractor will occur approximately one to two weeks after the initial sweeping.
The street will be open during the chip sealing project. Access to driveways will be maintained except for a short period of time, approximately 10
minutes, when the operation passes in front of the driveway. Access to bus stops may be impacted; however, no two consecutive bus stops will be impacted at one time. Please work with your bus operator if you need special assistance loading and unloading. The construction contractor will also have staff on hand to assist riders, communicate instructions, and control traffic. Please also use alternate routes for all bicycle traffic during the chip sealing and use caution driving your bikes on the new chip seal material for a few weeks.
Please use extra care when you are in the vicinity of the construction. Parents are advised and requested to keep their children away from the
construction activity and equipment.
Note: Some residents, who do not live on a street being chip sealed, may have received mailer notices about forthcoming construction work. This was intentional as primary access routes into the area will be chip sealed and there may be travel impacts. Please plan accordingly.
Any resident with questions or concerns about the project may contact Brendan Pittman of City Engineering at 267-1997, or by email, bpittman@cityofmadison.com
View past project updates »Project Details
Project Information
Crack Sealing
Chip Sealing
The Chip Sealing Program is designed to improve the quality of your street and delay the need for resurfacing or total reconstruction. Chip sealing is a cost-effective preventative maintenance method used to extend the useful life of Madison's streets. It is intended for application on streets that are still in good condition, structurally sound and in need of little repair. The street is first sealed with an application of a binder in the form of an emulsion
(asphalt and water). Then an application of aggregate or chips immediately follows.
Estimated Schedule
Chip Sealing: June 15, 2026- Aug. 1, 2026
Crack Sealing: August 2026-Oct. 15, 2026
Chip Sealing Criteria
The City of Madison Engineering Division rates streets every two years. Streets with a pavement rating of 6 or greater on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being a new street) are ideal for chip sealing. They may have been recently constructed, resurfaced or reconstructed, crack sealed or patched. The goal of chip sealing is to help a street achieve a 30-year surface life, or longer, before a resurfacing project or full reconstruction project becomes necessary.
Chip Sealing Benefits
Chip sealing is a more sustainable, lower emission form of pavement maintenance. Fewer raw materials are required and less energy is consumed than traditional asphalt maintenance projects.
Chip sealing waterproofs the pavement, seals cracks and slows oxidation of asphalt, which extends the life of the street.
The aggregate chips provide a new wearing surface, which protects the underlying pavement. The new surface also increases surface texture and friction which helps improve vehicle stopping distances.
Chip sealing is a cost-effective method of extending pavement life. Performing early, routine chip seals keep the pavement in good condition. This ultimately saves taxpayers potentially millions of dollars over the life of the street when compared against more involved pavement maintenance measures:
- Chip seal = $3 per square yard
- Thin Overlays = $15-20 per square yard
- Resurfacing = $40-$100 per square yard
- Reconstruction = $190-$500 per square yard
Project Updates
June 29, 2026 Update
Chip sealing construction activity will begin on the West side starting June 29th. Activity will begin on the East side starting July 6th. Please drive slowly and use caution when driving on recently chip sealed streets.
The construction contractor, Fahrner Asphalt Sealers LLC, is required to post temporary parking restrictions in advance of starting construction activity. They will specify on the No Parking signs the days parking will be removed from the street; expect the chip sealing work to occur during this period.
It will take 2 to 6 hours to apply the chip seal material to an individual street, and the schedule can be delayed when rain is forecasted. The Contractor will first sweep the street prior to applying the chip seal. The asphalt emulsion will then be applied and immediately following the emulsion the chips are laid. The Contractor will then roll the street with a rubber-tired roller to seat the chips into the emulsion. The final step is to sweep up the loose aggregate that didn't adhere to the emulsion, which will typically occur within 24 hours after the chips are applied. Loose aggregate and dust will be present, and residents are asked to use caution during this period. Please close your windows and doors to avoid any dust entering your residence. A second sweeping of the street by the Contractor will occur approximately one to two weeks after the initial sweeping.
The street will be open during the chip sealing project. Access to driveways will be maintained except for a short period of time, approximately 10
minutes, when the operation passes in front of the driveway. Access to bus stops may be impacted; however, no two consecutive bus stops will be impacted at one time. Please work with your bus operator if you need special assistance loading and unloading. The construction contractor will also have staff on hand to assist riders, communicate instructions, and control traffic. Please also use alternate routes for all bicycle traffic during the chip sealing and use caution driving your bikes on the new chip seal material for a few weeks.
Please use extra care when you are in the vicinity of the construction. Parents are advised and requested to keep their children away from the
construction activity and equipment.
Note: Some residents, who do not live on a street being chip sealed, may have received mailer notices about forthcoming construction work. This was intentional as primary access routes into the area will be chip sealed and there may be travel impacts. Please plan accordingly.
Any resident with questions or concerns about the project may contact Brendan Pittman of City Engineering at 267-1997, or by email, bpittman@cityofmadison.com
May 4, 2026 Update
New maps are available for the 2026 Crack Sealing and Chip Sealing Projects.
Project phase and anticipated schedule have been updated.
Program contact information has been updated.
May 13, 2025 Update
New maps are available for 2025 Crack Sealing and Chip Sealing.
Project Overview
City Engineering is responsive to public concerns about loose aggregate and dust associated with chip sealing. Steps to improve overall conditions during the project include:
- Placing signs to warn of loose aggregate.
- Providing inlet protection to reduce chance of aggregate washing into the storm sewer.
- Conducting multiple street sweepings with contractor and City crews.
March 26, 2024 Update
New maps are available for 2024 Crack Sealing and Chip Sealing.
Project Overview
City Engineering is responsive to public concerns about loose aggregate and dust associated with chip sealing. Steps to improve overall conditions during the project include:
Placing signs to warn of loose aggregate
Providing inlet protection to reduce chance of aggregate washing into the storm sewer
Conducting multiple street sweepings with contractor and City crews