In 2012, the City reestablished an 8 year cycle on the Seal Coat program on residential streets.
 To accomplish this, the city is split into 8 areas (see map below).

Seal coating preserves the condition of the pavement by sealing the surface and small cracks within the existing asphalt pavement. When this type of preventative maintenance is used, a typical pavement may last 40 years before it needs to be reconstructed.  Arterial streets (main roads) are not a part of this program.  Because of the heavier loads and higher traffic volume, arterial streets receive a mill and overlay as a preservation method (see mill and overlay).

The seal coating program is included as a part of your Right of Way Assessment.

The street surface is first swept clean of all loose pavement and dust.
 
The surface of the asphalt is then completely covered with a layer of liquid asphalt using a tank truck called a distributor. Then a layer of gravel is layed over the liquid asphalt with a machine called a chip spreader.The city uses torpedo gravel (egg shaped) or crushed granite gravel chips.  The gravel is worked into the asphalt with a rubber tire roller.
 
Traffic may be put back on the street within several minutes of  placing and compacting the gravel. Traffic also helps to work the gravel into the soft asphalt. The next day the streets are swept to pick up any loose gravel and recovered and screened for use in the following days' work.

See the process in action in this fun and informative video!