Recently there has been some repaving of West Seattle roads. I am fortunate to live on Beach Drive, however it seems that Seattle Department of Transportation has been repaving various side roads coming off of Beach Drive (where I leave/enter my residence), using a method called "chip-sealant."

This was developed for and should be used on dirt roads (only!), as the Seattle Department of Transportation website explains. See http://www.seattle.gov/news/detai

l.asp?ID=5320&Dept=19

In brief, chip sealing is cost effective and fast; crews can resurface up to several miles of roadway in a day's time. The city has been chip sealing streets since 1967, converting dirt and gravel non-arterial streets to chip seal in order to cut down on dust and other pollution and improve air quality. Chip seal surfaces are typically renewed every 10 years.

The West Seattle grid was last chip sealed in 1994; Beacon Hill was chip sealed in 1995. However, these streets in West Seattle that they are chip-sealing were previously asphalt, so this gooey oil-tar-rock mess is just sitting on top of the street! (and will be draining toxic substances directly into yards and the Puget Sound at the first rain).

Here is what else chip-sealant is doing for us. On our hill, people are skidding on this surface. It gets in tires and shoes, is getting tracked into (my) carpets. It is dinging the cars parked on and around these streets. (from the rocks eventually flying free from the tires). The kids can no longer roller blade or skateboard on our street. It is noisy!

I feel I live on a country gravel road. I had a party after this was done to the street near me, and one of my guests turned her ankle (she was wearing heels, and thought she was going to a party in the city!)

This can't be helping our property values, and there are some pricey homes on these streets. I'm sure the other residents on these streets are thinking this is a preliminary step to an asphalt repaving. I did too, until I read about the chip sealant article and realized this is how the road is going to remain?!

This is outrageous! Obviously no one researched whether this would work on asphalt roads. Someone investigate this, please.

Patricia A. Callaway Beach Drive