It’s summer time in Bonney Lake, which can only mean one thing: it’s time again for chip sealing the roadways.

This year, the city will be chip sealing about five center-line miles of roads in both directions, covering approximately 60,500 square yards of asphalt.

According to Transportation Supervisor Steve Willadson, city roads are on a seven-year rotation for work and the chip sealing is “much cheaper” than an overlay of new asphalt.

Crews from Doolittle Construction will put down a layer of oil, followed by a a layer of 3/8 inch “chip rock” to create a “wearing surface” on the road.

“It seals out all the old crack, the worn surface, with a shot of oil,” Willadson said. “Basically it’s like re-roofing your house.”

This year’s work focuses on Inlet Island and around the lake, including work on Olympic Drive, South Vista Drive, North Vista Drive, West Tapps Drive East, Church Lake Road, part of Bonney Lake Boulevard and a few streets in the Cedar View neighborhood.

Willadson said signs would be posted a week ahead of time informing residents of plans and then re-posted the day before work begins as a reminder.

The order of work has not yet been determined, but Willadson asked drivers to be patient and go slow on the freshly oiled roads.

“The pain will be over soon,” he said.