The one-ply rolls serve as a shield against pedestrians and vehicles when they travel across newly tarred roads. The toilet paper is placed on paint rollers and worked back and forth across the road surface, leaving a white cover that helps prevent the sealant from being removed. "It looks almost like litter," says Street Commissioner Todd Waelterman.
The city, which learned about the novel application during a Missouri petroleum seminar, finds that the toilet paper is cheaper than materials it previously used, such as sand or leaf mulch. It has another key advantage over the other materials: Repair crews no longer have to close down a recently repaired road a week after it's been sealed in order to clear away debris. The paper gradually disintegrates on its own, leaving the repaired asphalt clear. "The savings is in the cleanup," Waelterman says. "That is where the big money is spent." Sweeper crews that clear off the excess debris from roads can cost upwards of $200 an hour, so forgoing that step saves thousands of dollars, Waelterman says.
The process also has cut down on road congestion by eliminating several additional hours of road closings. The technique, however, still causes occasional traffic slow-downs: Passersby stop to crack jokes with employees when they catch a glimpse of the TP-rolling spectacle.
