The District Municipality of Muskoka has started looking for a contractor to apply a special protective coating to busy roads in and around Bracebridge, Ontario. This project is part of a larger plan to make local driving surfaces last longer and avoid the high costs of completely rebuilding roads.
The process, known as micro-surfacing, involves spreading a thin layer of specialized asphalt and stone over the existing road to seal it from the weather and traffic wear. Officials expect this treatment to extend the life of busy roads by about seven years, though residents should expect short-term daytime lane closures while crews are on-site.
Companies interested in the work have until 12:00 noon on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, to submit their bids for the project. The contract covers all the necessary preparation and the application of the material to ensure the new surface stays smooth and durable for years to come.
This maintenance work is funded through a regional budget that set aside 81 million dollars for road and bridge improvements. These funds were approved in late 2025 to help manage a massive road network that would cost nearly 2 billion dollars to replace entirely.
The Engineering and Public Works Department uses these preventative treatments to keep 730 kilometres of local roads in good condition. This specific method was chosen after previous tests showed it performs better than other traditional surface treatments on high-volume local streets.
