KAANAPALI – The county Department of Public Works’ Highways Division commenced a sealcoating project in the Kaanapali Hillside subdivision on Tuesday.

Part of the county’s pavement preservation program, the project is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2014.

Work will begin at 7 a.m. each day and is expected to conclude by 2 p.m.

Two applications of sealcoat will be applied in each area with a drying time of 4-6 hours. During that time, traffic will be restricted to one lane, and access to driveways will not be available.

Residents are asked to remove all vehicles along the roadway and to shut off all irrigation systems during work hours in each area.

The project will begin on Hakui Loop and work down through the subdivision.

Flyers have been circulated to alert residents to the work and to understand the sealcoat process.

The County of Maui is the first county in Hawaii to use sealcoating as a pavement surface treatment.

According to the county, this type of maintenance is designed to extend the life of county roads, saving money for taxpayers and providing safe, drivable roads for the public.

Sealcoats generally consist of a mixture of emulsified asphalt, water, mineral fillers and other materials that are applied directly to the surface of an asphalt pavement.

The sealcoating serves to protect the top layer of asphalt from oxidation and wear caused by exposure to the sun, air, water and chemicals such as oil and gasoline.

The Department of Public Works is responsible for the pavement management system for the County of Maui.

Since 2008, the department has been using iWorQ Pavements as its pavement management system, which monitors inventory, data collection, inspections, data management, and updates. iWorQ Pavements also tracks historical data, pavement treatments and condition histories.

Any questions regarding the sealcoating project may be directed to the Public Works’ Lahaina District Office at 661-0501.