City Manager's Desk: Roadwork in RSM

By Jennifer Cervantez
City Manager of Rancho Santa Margarita

As residents drive around town, one can't help but notice all of the street work that is being constructed. It is undoubtedly an inconvenience, but a temporary one that results in better, safer streets.

Our staff and contractors work especially hard at scheduling repairs to minimize impacts to traffic, which sometimes means night or evening work during non-peak hours.

Every year, the Public Works Department develops a Capital Improvement Program to plan out the construction activities. Typical projects that are included are annual residential slurry seal and pavement overlay projects. These projects are aimed at increasing pavement life and improving appearance and ride quality of the City’s roadway network. 

In addition, Rancho Santa Margarita is proactive in making improvements to our traffic systems, including the installation of countdown pedestrian signals, speed feedback signs, and battery back-up systems to ensure that our signals operate even during a power outage.

As the Fiscal Year 2013-14 Capital Improvement Program is being developed, residents can expect more of these types of projects to be included.

Residential Slurry Seal Project (see maps)
As part of the City of Rancho Santa Margarita’s ongoing program to maintain its streets, the City will be conducting its residential slurry seal project. Beginning this month, residents living near Melinda Road and the 241 Toll Road as well as an area northeast of Antonio Parkway and Avenida De Las Banderas will be notified of the individual streets that will be affected. This process requires that the street be closed for one day starting at 8 a.m. and continuing until the Contractor removes the traffic control devices later the same day.  This project is scheduled to be completed by July 1, 2013.  

Below are activities you should be aware of to decrease the inconvenience of the construction and ensure that the slurry seal is properly applied to the street:

1. If you plan on leaving your home after 8 a.m. on the day your street will be sealed, please park your car on an adjacent street in your neighborhood that is not signed as a “no parking” zone. 

2. Do not drive, walk, play, skate or allow pets on the sealed street until the barricades are removed by the Contractor. 

3. Do not wash your car or turn on any sprinklers within 48 hours of the slurry application to avoid getting water on the slurry. 

4. When walking to and from your car, remember to not walk on the newly sealed street or you will have black residue on the bottom of your shoes. The residue will stain some surfaces that you track it on will be very difficult to remove. 

5. If you have a moving company scheduled to come to your house within the next two weeks, please call and inform the Contractor of the date.

6. On the day that your street is sealed mail delivery may be delayed until the next day. 

7. Until the slurry seal cures by experiencing at least three months of hot weather, it is very tender and susceptible to power-steering “scuffing” marks. The effects of weather will eventually blend in the scuffing marks with the unmarked slurry.  Two methods to reduce the number of scuffing marks are as follows:

• Avoid turning the wheels of the vehicle unless it is moving forward or backwards during the curing period. 
• Drive at a low speed when turning into a cul-de-sac.
  

The intent of the slurry sealing of streets is for the City of RSM to continue to have some of the finest streets in the county. A successful street maintenance program depends on your cooperation by removing parked vehicles from the affected streets. 

Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. For more information about the project please contact the Public Works Department at (949) 635-1800 extension 6507.