STAR, Idaho — Treasure Valley roads need maintenance, but sometimes those chip seal projects can cause cracked windshields. I spoke with ACHD to learn more about the process and what you can do on the road to stay safe and keep your car out of the repair shop.
See how drivers can avoid chipped windshields:
Chip seal season is in full throttle as ACHD starts making seasonal repairs to the roads.
"It's essentially like putting a shield over the road, from sunlight damage, water damage. It makes it so roads can last substantially longer," explained Tom Otte with ACHD.
ACHD says chip sealing is the easiest and most cost-efficient way to repair the roadways. Crews will lay down an adhesive oil that they will then cover with rock chips. After a few days, street sweepers will drive through, clearing any debris that did not stick, before finally sealing the rock chips. all together lasting nearly a week per work zone. But for drivers, these road repairs come as a double-edged sword.
Brent Heaton, working on a chipped windshield, nodded, "It is responsible for a lot of broken windshields."
Heaton, owner of Integrity Auto Glass and Calibration, says this time of year is when business starts booming.
"We will have 5-10 drive-up customers every day during chip seal season. Then we have the mobile scheduling and are driving all over the valley fixing rock chips, and replacing windshields," said the shop owner.
But how can people avoid having to make these calls or trips if the work zones are in their everyday commutes?
Otte answered saying, "The best way to avoid it is that if people drive 20-25 miles per hour over those areas that have been chipped, because there is a little bit of loose rock that we will sweep up when we can, but driving a bit slower keeps those rocks from being kicked up."
Heaton said that if you find yourself with a chipped windshield, act sooner, than later.
"Often, the ones that hit along the edge here are a lot more susceptible to cracking quickly. especially if you hit it in the black area, that strip gets super hot in the sun and is not gonna last very long," added the shop owner.
ACHD says chip sealing will run all summer long and end around Labor Day.
