Seeing those black lines in the road? It’s microsurfacing

PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — If you’re seeing some mysterious black lines or circles on Pasco County roads — they are there for a reason.

What You Need To Know

Pasco County is now using a process called microsurfacing to repair roads

It’s a quicker and cheaper process than full repaving

To see if your street is on the list, visit the Pasco County website

It’s part of a process called microsurfacing, which Pasco County is now using to repair roads.

“Our strategy in the past is we would mill and pave and then we’d wait 20 to 25 years and then come back and start the process,” said Ainsley Caldwell, a project manager with Pasco County Public Works.

But now his crew can repair roads faster through a process called microsurfacing.

“Typically it’s a road that was paved 8 to 10 years ago. And the cracks are beginning to show up,” Caldwell said.

It starts with crews applying an asphalt sealer into cracks in the roads. That’s those black lines drivers will see.

Then about 30 days later, crews return to put a new thin layer of asphalt on the road.

“We have an average of about half an inch thickness. This is why it’s called microsurfacing. It’s not your typical mill and pave, which is usually an inch or inch and a half thick,” Caldwell said.

Last, the road would be smoothed out, making the road look brand new.

“We bring in a roller in and smooth everything. It will almost look like it’s paved but it’s not paved,” Caldwell said.

It all adds up to a quicker and cheaper process than full repaving.

Caldwell says it can also extend the life of a road five to 10 years.

To see if your street is on the list, visit the Pasco County website.