Slurry Seal
Updated: May, 2025
What’s happening now?
We will soon be paving some neighborhood streets with a thin layer of asphalt , called a slurry seal, to make it last longer.
During our work, streets will be closed, all parking will be removed, and access to businesses might be temporarily affected.
Our Slurry Seal repaving project will focus on streets in northeast and south Seattle in July and August. You can see maps of where we will be working below.
We may need to change the dates that we will be working.
The slurry seal process takes about eight hours. During this time, you cannot drive on the street while the seal dries.
We will put No Parking signs along the street before we begin work.
Click this link to download the full map.
Click this link to download the full map.
What to Expect:
On the day we begin work in your neighborhood:
- You won’t be able to drive, park, or walk on the new street surface for up to eight hours. If your car is parked on the street when we start work, your car will be towed. You'll notice our teams getting ready to work and talking with each other before 7 AM.
- You'll also notice large trucks and machines coming, going, and being used. There’ll also be noise, dust, and probably vibrations.
- You should plan to use an alternate way around your neighborhood.
Here’s what you will need to know about the work:
- If you live on a street with no sidewalks, the slurry seal only goes to the edge of the street.
- Pedestrians and pets should keep off the slurry seal material until the street is reopened for traffic. The uncured material is difficult to remove from clothing, shoes or paws.
- If you are conducting private construction that may impact the road, please complete that ahead of our project.
- If your street is scheduled for work on your garbage or recycling pick up day, we will coordinate an early pick up.
Questions?
Questions about garbage and recycling, or if your garbage was not picked up and it should have been:DOT_SlurrySeal@seattle.gov or (206) 775-8742.
Learn about the Slurry Sealing Process
A slurry seal is a thin layer of asphalt mixture spread over a street to protect it and make it last longer. It fills small cracks and smooths the surface, kind of like putting a fresh coat of paint on a wall to seal and protect it. It's used on streets that are still in pretty good shape to prevent bigger damage later.
As shown in this short video, as the slurry seal equipment moves along the street, the mixture is fed into a spreader box. The material is spread across the full width of a traffic lane and then smoothed out. The equipment also feathers the edges for a smooth transition. All this happens in one step.
After the seal coat cures (hardens), the street can be reopened and used normally. However, there may be parking restrictions and road closures for the entire day the work is scheduled.
Our street looks fine. Why resurface it?
Flexible pavements (typically asphalt) need resealing to protect them from damage from water (rain) and sun. If left untreated, the surface becomes brittle and may crack. Resealing prevents costly repairs. Regular preventive maintenance is the most cost-effective way to maintain streets.
Preparing the street: fixing potholes, cracks, etc.
It is essential that structural damage is repaired prior to the slurry seal process. SDOT crews will begin to patch damaged areas of the selected roads well in advance of the slurry seal operation. In addition, low hanging branches and overgrowth may need to be trimmed to allow for the slurry seal equipment to access the roads. On the day of slurry sealing, crews will sweep the street before applying the slurry seal material.
Access to Translation
If you would like more information in your language about the paving work we’re doing in your neighborhood, please call us at (206) 775-8742. When you call, tell us your preferred language in English. Translation and interpretation services are available for free.