BAKERSFIELD, CA - You might have noticed the streets in Bakersfield looking a little slick this summer. Every five years the city of Bakersfield takes a preventative measure to save our streets by coating them with a protective layer.
"It seals," said Mike Connor a City Of Bakersfield Street Superintendent. "It's kinda like what Thompson's Water Seal would do for a wood fence or something like that. It does that for asphalt."
The oil is made up of tree resin and asphalt and usually takes about 20 minutes to seal once it is sprayed. Then you can walk or drive on it.
Connor said it is not harmful to the environment and it's not harmful to the taxpayer either. This year's City of Bakersfield budget for spraying the roads is $800,000 compared to $8 million budgeted to repave roads in need.
Mike Connor would like to see the city move to a four year spray cycle instead of the current five to six year plan.
"I would say we would probably get about another 10, 15 years of life out of the street if we could get this on a good program," Connor said.
Bakersfield wants to remind you when you see a green tag hanging from your front door to remove your car from the street when it's scheduled to be sprayed. In some instances they can re-spray but not all the time.
"It seals," said Mike Connor a City Of Bakersfield Street Superintendent. "It's kinda like what Thompson's Water Seal would do for a wood fence or something like that. It does that for asphalt."
The oil is made up of tree resin and asphalt and usually takes about 20 minutes to seal once it is sprayed. Then you can walk or drive on it.
Connor said it is not harmful to the environment and it's not harmful to the taxpayer either. This year's City of Bakersfield budget for spraying the roads is $800,000 compared to $8 million budgeted to repave roads in need.
Mike Connor would like to see the city move to a four year spray cycle instead of the current five to six year plan.
"I would say we would probably get about another 10, 15 years of life out of the street if we could get this on a good program," Connor said.
Bakersfield wants to remind you when you see a green tag hanging from your front door to remove your car from the street when it's scheduled to be sprayed. In some instances they can re-spray but not all the time.