Indiana Department of Transportation maintenance crews will begin chip seal operations as early as Monday, June 8, on S.R. 46 in Ripley and Dearborn Counties. Work will take place between S.R. 101 at Penntown and S.R. 1 near St. Leon. Crews plan to start work on U.S. 421 mid-week in Ripley and Decatur Counties from just north of S.R. 229 in Napoleon to the Sand Creek Bridge in Greensburg. Chip seal operations typically last around three to four days per location depending upon weather. Work is completed under lane closures with flagging to prevent damage to both vehicles and the roadway. During operations, existing pavement is coated with liquid asphalt, which seals cracks and provides waterproof protection. This extends the service life of the roadway and lowers maintenance costs. Once the seal coat is complete, loose aggregate is applied and then swept from the road. After a curing period, crews will return to fog seal the new driving surface. Chip seal is a cost-effective pavement preservation technique that is utilized across the state of Indiana, saving an estimated six to 14 dollars in taxpayer expenditures for every dollar invested in extending the life of a roadway.
Eagle Country Online
06/04/2020