It is now summertime and that means it is time for parking lot resurfacing and repairs.

Over the winter months, a lot of cracks and holes developed in parking lots around the Minneapolis area and throughout Minnesota. This means that those cracks and holes need to be filled and the parking lots resurfaced.

With the news regarding the ban on coal tar surface coatings due to mounting evidence that they are raising cancer and infertility rates, as well as inhibiting childhood development, alternatives are needed.

In New Ulm, Minnesota, the school board gave the authorization to move forward with the renovation of the school parking lots at Washington School. This is a project that is estimated to cost around $660,000, which will be paid through a 15 year tax abatement process.

While the lot has been sealed and overlaid several times since it was laid down 40 years ago, the school board decided that maintaining the parking lot as it is would not be a wise investment. Instead, they opted to move forward into the future with new everything, which includes the latest parking lot coatings.

The project involves the installation of a new curb and gutters, crack filling, and seal coating. All of these renovations will help ensure the parking lot is functional and lasts for many more years.