Quartzsite public works outlines switch to microseal and six-year pavement plan

Public works director Emmett Brinker Hall presented Quartzsite's pavement preservation plan, recommending a switch from slurry seal to microseal, extending the preservation cycle from five to six years and prioritizing segments and parking lots for work starting in October 2026.

Hall said microseal provides a longer service life (commonly seven to 10 years), cures more quickly than slurry seal (roughly 30 minutes to an hour versus two to six hours), and can enable the town to stretch its budgeted pavement-preservation funds (about $450,000 in the FY26-27 budget) farther when oil prices stabilize. He also provided maps showing which sections of town pavement are the town's responsibility and which are maintained by the Arizona Department of Transportation or La Paz County, noting transitions at key arteries such as East and West Keelan Street and the area near Q Mountain.

Council members asked questions about specific roads, including Plumosa Road and Main Street, and about funding sources; staff said the preservation program is funded largely through highway-user revenue (HEURF), i.e., gas-tax allocations, and noted some capital projects (Main Street and Plumosa) will be moved into future capital-improvement budgets. Hall said a recent county/ADOT microseal project cost about $8.96 million and that town projects vary annually depending on prices.

Council discussed logistics of microseal application, public notification and minimizing the time residents are impacted during curing. Hall said the town will post maps and timelines on the website so residents can see when their roads are scheduled. The presentation concluded with council acceptance of the plan direction and staff answered clarifying technical and funding questions.

Next steps: staff will post the street-by-street schedule on the town website, coordinate required signage and public notifications, and include Plumosa Road and Main Street capital improvements in upcoming budgets as noted.