The city of Bonney Lake’s annual chip seal program began Monday and should be completed by the end of the week, with striping scheduled for the following week.

According to Public Works Director Dan Grigsby, Church Lake Road, Kelley Lake Road, Sky Island Drive and Aqua Drive, Cascade Drive and 207th Avenue on Inlet Island will receive a single chip seal while Myers Road, West Tapps Highway and 198th Avenue East are scheduled for a double seal.

Drivers should prepare for mild delays.

Public Works crews have been preparing by trimming trees, repairing potholes, sealing cracks and patching weak sections of pavement.

According to a notice sent out by the Public Works Department, chip sealing increases the pavement life, provides better traction, and improves the appearance of the street while reducing the deterioration of the asphalt in the pavement from ultraviolet rays.

The oil placed on the road to hold the chips in place aids in sealing the cracks to prevent moisture from getting under the pavement which softens the road base and breaks up the pavement when the water expands due to freezing. This is the most common cause of potholes.

Residents of the streets scheduled to be sealed will see a sign informing them the day before their road will be done. Residents are asked to have cars off the street by 7:15 a.m. on the day their streets will be sealed. If left on the street, it will be ticketed and towed.

Residents are also asked to not water grass, wash their car, or have water running into the street next to newly sealed streets the day of or for 24 hours after chip sealing is complete. This will keep the asphalt from bleeding through the gravel chips and into gutters or being picked up by tires and carried on to driveways.

Cleanup will begin the week after the chip seal is applied.

Drivers are reminded to slow down on these roads until the gravel has a chance to be swept up or moved to the side of the road by vehicle tires. This will prevent damage to vehicle windshields and paint of cars driving and parked on the street. Off-road parking is the best way to avoid these problems.

Children on bicycles and motorcyclists should be cautioned to take extra care on these streets and to avoid sharp turns.

For more information, contact the city Public Works Department at 253-447-4341.