Oil and Chip Road Repairs Save Money, Township Says

Lower Saucon Township officials use dollars and cents figures to defend the use of the oil-and-chip method of road repair (which is also known as reverse seal-coating) in a statement posted on the township website.

Some Saucon Valley residents have complained recently about the use of the oil-and chip method on both state and local roads, such as Majestic Overlook Drive in the township.

"The seal coat process, which can be annoying to the driving public for approximately one week every ten years, extends the useful life of our township roadways and allows us to stretch our municipal dollars in the most cost effective manner," the statement said.

"Another benefit is that by applying less material we are not changing the height of the roadway as much as would placing blacktop by itself," the township also indicated.

According to Lower Saucon Township, the Public Works Department road sweeper is deployed to remove excess loose stones on roads that have been reverse seal-coated at the conclusion of the process.