What’s Involved in Asphalt Reinstatement After Utility Works?

What is an Asphalt reinstatement ?

The process of restoring road surfaces to a safe and durable condition after utility works, involving regulated steps such as traffic control, layer rebuilding, and compaction to match the original road standard.

1. Traffic Management and Site Preparation

Before any reinstatement work begins, the site must be made safe and properly assessed. Traffic control is put in place to protect workers and the public, whether it’s a quiet street or a busy road. This can involve:

Key features of an overlay:

• Barriers, cones, and clear safety signage
• Temporary traffic lights or lane closures
• Diversion routes or full road closures
• On-site qualified traffic controllersRemoval of worn asphalt using a road profiler

Once the area is secure, our team inspects the excavation. They assess the size and shape of the trench, the existing road structure, and any specifications required by council/ Department of Transport/Vicroads. The trench edges are trimmed clean, and any loose material is removed to prepare for a solid, long-lasting repair.

2. Rebuilding the Layers

The road structure is rebuilt from the bottom up.

• A sub-base (usually crushed rock aggregate) is compacted to provide stability.
• A base course  (usually consisting of 20mm sized aggregate asphalt anywhere up to 100mm thickness, is laid and compacted,leaving ample space for the final layer. There can sometimes be anywhere between 1-3 base layers depending on the
• A tack coat (bitumen emulsion) is applied to help the asphalt bond to the base layer and edges of the existing road.
• The wearing course or final layer of asphalt is installed, matching the surrounding road in:
  • Material type -can vary in aggregate size depending on governing authority of roadway.
  • Thickness – usually 40 – 50mm thick
  • Level and finish
• The asphalt is rolled and compacted using a combination of steel and multi wheel rollers to ensure a seamless finish.

3. Finishing Touches and Quality Checks

At the edges where old and new asphalt meet, joints are sealed with bitumen to prevent water ingress, which can lead to future damage like potholes.

Once complete, the site undergoes a series of final inspections. These may include level checks, compaction testing, and photo documentation to prove compliance with local standards such as the UK’s Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways (SROH).

After approval, traffic control measures are removed, the area is cleared, and the road is reopened — good as new.