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It's No Halloween Prank: Toilet Paper On Roads Is Servicing A Purpose

LITTLETON, Colo. (CBS4) - Some people in Littleton say they thought their neighborhoods were "TP'd" after they found toilet paper all over the roads.

CBS4's Jennifer Brice asked city officials about it and found out there was a legitimate reason.

"I think it looks like we've been toilet papered. That's what I thought," Littleton resident Harry Robbins said.

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Toilet paper on Littleton streets (credit: CBS)
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Toilet paper on Littleton streets (credit: CBS)

Harry and Holly Robbins aren't too happy about the view outside their home.

"Usually the neighborhood looks pretty good, and now it just looks like we just got TP'd," Holly Robbins said.

The City of Littleton has been getting a lot of calls from people wondering about toilet paper stuck to many city and neighborhood streets. Kelli Narde with the City of Littleton says people are really curious.

"'Is this a Halloween prank? Is this teenagers? What's with all the toilet paper?' So we are trying to let people know that this is part of our fall crack sealing program," Narde said.

"It just looks a little tacky," Harry Robbins said.

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Toilet paper on Littleton streets (credit: CBS)
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Toilet paper on Littleton streets (credit: CBS)

"Crack seal is really tacky and it's really sticky, and it takes about 40 minutes to dry. So this protects the surface of the crack seal and it also protects people's cars, bicycles, your shoes; so it doesn't get tracked all over the place," Narde said.

The city has opted to use the toilet paper, rather than shut down streets for 40 minutes.

"Toilet paper -- we all know its blotting potential and it works really, really well -- and its inexpensive," Narde said.

"I was kind of surprised it was done this way. I've never seen it done this way before," Holly Robbins said.

There are other options that the city can use to cover the seals, but they say good old fashioned toilet paper is significantly more economical.

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