"Micro-Surfacing systems are treatments that provide pavement sealing and pavement texturing. It is a thin surface treatment not appropriate to resolve pavement structural deficiencies. Micro-Surfacing may be used to correct the profile of a roadway and to provide adequate frictional properties to a polished pavement that may be structurally sound. These systems are well suited as a preventive maintenance treatment to extend the life of sound pavements."
Back in the mid '90s, NYSDOT applied it to two roads the same summer. Both were primary arterials. One was a new roadway, where somehow dolomite aggregate got into the top course. Microsurfacing was used to prevent polishing problems without having to mill up the brand new road. It has lasted at least 10 years.
The other was used on an older composite pavement. It started delaminating at the reflection cracks within a year.
I imagine there have been materials advances since then, but the lesson I took away from it is microsurfacing adn other surface treatments will keep a good road good, but won't fix a bad road.
"...students of traffic are beginning to realize the false economy of mechanically controlled traffic, and hand work by trained officers will again prevail." - Wm. Phelps Eno, ca. 1928
"I'm searching for the questions, so my answers will make sense." - Stephen Brust
