The Indiana Department of Transportation announces chip seal operations in Montgomery, Fountain and Vermillion counties. Beginning on or after June 22, INDOT maintenance crews will begin chip sealing in the following locations:
• State Road 25: From S.R. 32 (skipping Waynetown) to the north side of Wingate, located near S.R. 55. Following the completion of work on S.R. 25, crews will be chip sealing the following location on or after June 24:
• State Road 341: From S.R. 234 to the north side of Wallace. Following the completion of the work on S.R. 341, crews will begin in the following locations beginning on or after Thursday, June 25:
• State Road 234: Between the Montgomery/Fountain County line to the west end of Kingman; and between the west end of the railroad tracks in Cayuga to the Indiana/Illinois state line.
All work in these locations is anticipated to be complete by the end of July but is weather-dependent and subject to change. After the completion of the chip seal operations, crews will begin fog seal operations which will last approximately five days, weather-permitting.
Crews will place message boards at the end of the project, to alert the traveling public. INDOT suggests finding alternative routes during the duration of the chip sealing operation.
Work is completed under lane closures with flagging operations, or a full closure, 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 life of the surface of the roadway by 7-10 years and lowers maintenance costs. Once the seal coat is complete, loose aggregate is applied and swept from the road. After a curing period, crews will return to fog seal the new driving surface and apply pavement markings.
INDOT makes every effort to reduce vehicle damage during and immediately after chip seal projects. While these efforts may not prevent all damage to vehicles during the chip seal process, they have substantially reduced the likelihood of damage.
INDOT safety efforts include posting reduced speeds in work zones, closing roadways, or lanes during the chip seal process and after project completion to eliminate loose stones.
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 the roadway.
Drivers are encouraged to slow down, watch for stopped traffic, and drive distraction-free through all work zones. All work is weather-dependent and subject to change.
