Asphalt Shortage Halts Roadwork in Washington County

A shortage of liquid asphalt has reduced planned chipsealing projects on roads in Pierce County, Wash., according to a report in the Tacoma Daily News (Tacoma, Wash.).

The product became unavailable because of a sudden halt in manufacturing at the Tesoro refinery in Anacortes, Wash. According to the report, Tesoro was the primary supplier for Albina Asphalt Products, which served as the sole supplier for Pierce County.

Available alternatives to liquid asphalt include recycled asphalt and sealer made from recycled tires. While these products cannot be directly substituted for chipsealing, road maintenance crews will be able to used recycled products for other road repair projects, including surface sealing, crack filling and patching, according to the report.