High friction surface treatment coming to Pierce County roads

Pierce County will install a surface treatment at six roadway locations starting Aug. 5.
The treatment – called a high friction surface treatment – will be applied at the following locations:
• 122nd Street East/Military Road East – two curves near bottom of hill
• McCutcheon Road East – curve south of 108th Street East
• Orting-Kapowsin Highway East – curve north of 210th Street East
• East Bay Drive Northwest – 21st Street Northwest to Wollochet Drive Northwest
• Military Road East – vicinity of 38th Avenue East
• Orville Road East – curve west of 168th Avenue Court East

A map showing the locations is available at http://www.piercecountywa.gov/crp5879.

About the treatment
The six locations were selected to receive the treatment based on various factors including curve alignment, travel speed, and the rate of documented crashes.

The treatment’s combination of highly-durable aggregate materials and high-strength epoxy resin increases the skid resistance of the roadway surface and helps motorists maintain better control when negotiating curves in both wet and dry conditions.
The treatment has been shown nationally to be effective at increasing safety and reducing accidents on roadway curves with a history of crashes where motorists drive off the road.

In 2017, the treatment was used for the first time in unincorporated Pierce County at five locations.

About the work
The work will take approximately three weeks. It will be completed on weekdays, and will be timed to avoid peak traffic at each location. The roads will remain open, although short-term lane restrictions will be needed. Motorists should watch for electronic signs notifying them of these restrictions.

Centerline rumble strips will be installed at the 122nd Street East/Military Road East, East Bay Drive Northwest, and Military Road East locations in September. These strips alert motorists that they have started to cross the centerline.

Pierce County received a $763,000 federal Safety Program grant for this work. MJ Hughes Construction is the contractor.

More information about high friction surface treatments is available at http://www.safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/pavement_friction/high_friction.