WATERFORD, Mich. (WXYZ) — A relatively new high friction surface treatment meant to reduce slide-off crashes is now being done in Oakland County.
This year, work is being done in Holly on Grange Hall Road east of Joann Road, and also in Waterford on Elizabeth Lake Road from North Pine Grove to Hickory Lane, and Cooley Lake Road between Fleet Street and Lake Vista Street and South Pinegrove to Lamothe
Along the shores of Crescent Lake in Waterford, traffic was down to one lane as cars waited their turn to pass through the construction.
“Hopefully it will be done soon,” one driver said.
But this project is quick and pretty simple. It’s a relatively new concept in metro Detroit, leading to rougher but safer roads.
“First what we do is we prep the surface, we do that by using a shot blaster,” said Gavin O’Neil, a Foreman with Fahrner Asphalt.
The Wisconsin-based company has been doing this work throughout the Midwest, most recently here in Oakland County.
“It’s bauxite,” O’Neil said of the surface. “It’s an aggregate, it gives it a traction surface.”
After cleaning the roads, crews spray an epoxy on the pavement before adding bauxite. The rocky-like material then sticks. It’s a relatively minor difference but it makes a big difference behind the wheel.
“It's kind of like putting sandpaper on the road,” said Craig Bryson with the Oakland County Road Commission. “It’s adding friction to the road surface.”
Bryson says the work is a direct response to traffic data that showed some of these sharp turns around lakes are prone to slide-off crashes, especially when it’s wet or icy.
“When we see one of those locations where we see multiple run off the roads, we go out and investigate and see if this would be a good opportunity for this type of treatment,” Bryson said.
The Federal Highway Administration has encouraged this treatment, estimating the high friction surface reduces wet pavement crashes by 83% and total crashes by 57%. In recent years, the demand for this treatment has grown.
“With all the bids we get out every year, they want us to come back,” ONeil said. “We get more and more jobs and we get more and more competitors every year.”
Since first adding this in 2016, Bryson says there hasn’t been a single run-off crash at any treated location in Oakland County. Those who drive these roads every day hope it’s worth the wait.
“It should help,” said one driver. “Whatever helps not cause injuries or anything like that, it’s gotta help.”
