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AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austinites could see plenty of activity on their neighborhood roads this summer, as the city’s Transportation and Public Works Department gears up for a series of local roadway improvements.

A slew of city roads will undergo preventive street maintenance to “improve the roadway surface and lifespan of roads,” per a Public Works Street Maintenance Map.

Depending on the weather, improvements are expected to be done between May and October, a TPW spokesperson confirmed in an email. However, a spokesperson added wet weather has delayed the program’s start by a few weeks, adding residents will receive both 30-day and three-day notices prior to the start of work in their neighborhood.

What kind of roadway improvements are planned?

Austin’s TPW Department relies on five primary treatment types as part of its preventive maintenance:

• Sealcoat: A thin layer of asphalt and water mixture is placed on pavement, with a thin layer of small gravel then added on top. This is designed to seal in the existing street surface and increase skid resistance. The improvements must be completed during warm and dry weather.
• Overlay: This incorporates grinding up existing asphalt and other base material, removing it and adding new pavement. The overlay mixture includes a single layer of asphaltic concrete “used to level, waterproof, and restore the original street shape and ride.” The method is designed to create a smoother driving surface.
• Slurry seal: This mixture is a combination of asphalt, water, fine aggregate and mineral filler then is added to “existing pavement surface defects” to prepare for other treatments. This is often used in cul-de-sacs.
• Crack seal: Crack seal involves using a sealant or other asphalt-sealing product to close up any cracks and prevent moisture from entering the openings.
• Fog seal: This mix includes diluted asphalt which treats surface voids and helps close up small cracks in the sealant.

To find out whether your road is slated for upgrades, TPW’s interactive map allows residents to search by address for any planned improvements.