Skid resisting road surface for dangerous s-shaped bend

East Riding of Yorkshire Council is responsible for a large rural road network comprising of mainly single carriageway roads. The frequent and repeated maintenance cycle of High Friction Surfacing (HFS) was causing disruptive road closures. This was a drain on maintenance resources and often involved long diversions for road users. One particular area of failing HFS was on the A161 Goole Road near Swinefleet where the road crosses the Warping Drain as it enters the River Ouse. The ‘S’ shaped layout combined with the rise and fall as the road crosses the bridge makes this particularly hazardous for road users, requiring enhanced skid resistance. However the existing HFS was visibly failing and in need of replacement.

The Council was keen to explore alternative approaches that achieved the required skid resistance but and avoided the cycle of repeated maintenance and road closures. After discussions with Tarmac representatives, ULTIGRIP was proposed as a way of breaking this disruptive cycle. ULTIGRIP is a durable, skid resisting asphalt combining bauxite aggregate and a durable clear binder for a tough, textured finish with a comparable skid resistance to conventional High Friction Surfacing (HFS). It is BBA HAPAS certified as a Clause 942 thin surface course system. Since it is laid as a combined surface course and skid resisting surface, ULTIGRIP avoids the common delamination problems associated with HFS.

The section of road involved was scheduled for resurfacing in January 2018. ULTIGRIP is laid quickly like a conventional surface course using a standard paver. The installation process is also less weather-susceptible than for HFS. This meant that work could be completed in January within the same road closure window as the other resurfacing work. The previous HFS had to be replaced every two years, so ULTIGRIP has provided lower expected whole life costs. A seven year guarantee was provided on the product. As the road closure in this case resulted in a diversion of over 50 miles, this was a welcome reduction in expected future delays for road users. Yorkshire National Contracting supported East Riding at every stage from design, planning and installation.