Published : 17/03/2023

Small Town, Big Asphalt Repairs

asphalt repair

RockAsphalt© headed up to Henrietta, Texas to watch our friends at the Public Works Department make a big asphalt repair on a chilly February morning. If small Texas towns are gems, then Henrietta is a diamond. It’s historic, quaint, and there’s also a certain ruggedness as well. Located in Clay County and situated about 30 miles southeast of Wichita Falls, this tiny town of around 3000 people has all the Texas fixings along its stretch of asphalt roads. There’s a Dairy Queen, a classic courthouse smackdab in the center of town, and some temperamental weather to boot.

In the matter of a couple of days, we experienced heavy rains, clear blue skies, and some pretty substantial snow flurries (for Texas at least). We were also surprised at the amount of traffic that passed down West Omega Street as we attempted to get a clear picture of the chamber of commerce which is located in a bright green train car. Commuters driving between Fort Worth and Wichita Falls are bound to drive through Henrietta. With such heavy traffic and rough weather that reminds us of the movie “Twister,” Henrietta’s asphalt roads take quite the beating. It’s safe to say the Public Works Department needs some asphalt material that really performs. That’s where we come in.

Before Making Any Asphalt Repairs

We needed to fuel up. It was even colder than the day before with temperatures hovering around the 30’s, so everyone warmed up with a few cups of coffee and some bacon, egg, and cheese tacos.

Before we knew it, we were ready to go. Mason and Rufino loaded up the closest RockAsphalt© cubic yard supersack to the garage doors, Delbert hauled it over to the flatbed utility truck, and the crew dumped out some fresh asphalt material for the day’s work. We left the Public Works warehouse and made our way to the utility cut.

Road Maintenance Ready

Small towns have small road crews, but the repairs they need to make sure aren’t. With a limited crew, vicious freeze-thaw cycles, and heavy traffic, Henrietta knows how to use RockAsphalt© to the fullest. After a quick drive to the utility cut, Mason sectioned off the street, the flatbed was positioned above the damaged pavement, and the crew began shoveling material at 9:47 AM. RockAsphalt© is a clean, dry-to-the-touch asphalt, but Rufino proved it by stepping down on the material along the edges of the repair to make sure it was compacted well.

While the street manager, Delbert, hopped into the roller and made quick work of compacting the asphalt repair, we had a chance to get Rufino’s thoughts on why Henrietta chooses RockAsphalt© over cold patch. “We couldn’t use a cold patch on a day like this. It clumps up and gets too hard to work with,” stated Rufino. “It makes a big difference,” Mason acknowledged. After a few more passes of the roller, the utility cut was done. It was only 10:07 AM.

Unexpected End to a Pothole Repair

Since the crew still had a ton of bulk asphalt left from the tote, we decided to go make some quick pothole repairs a couple streets down. Before the crew could finish repairing a pothole in a neighborhood intersection, a trash truck needed to pass. We just let him finish the job.

Henrietta is your quintessential small Texas town, but it’s not because of the Dairy Queen, the historic town square, or the high school football field. It’s because the people that live there are kind and hard-working. RockAsphalt© would like to thank the Public Works Department of Henrietta for inviting us to watch their road maintenance process. We’re proud to know we do what little we can to help keep Henrietta’s roads safe and secure. We can’t wait to come back and visit.

If you’re responsible for protecting your town’s pavement and you’re looking for a more permanent asphalt solution that works year-round, we invite you to contact us. We want to see your town too.

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