Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced the start of surface treatment operations, more commonly known as “oil and chip,” on several roads in Mifflin County this week. This maintenance treatment seals the road surface to keep water out, restores the friction of the surface to enhance traction, and extends the pavement life between resurfacings.
PennDOT Mifflin County Maintenance crews will complete surface treatments on Route 4006 (Back Mountain Road) between Route 305 in Union Township and Route 1005 (Old US 322 Highway) in Armagh Township. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours during these operations.
PennDOT typically employs surface treatments as a preservation strategy on roads with low traffic volumes and speed limits of 35 mph or slower. This activity extends the life of those roads by keeping water out, which mitigates the damage caused by the freeze-thaw cycle of Pennsylvania winters and delays the formation of potholes and the oxidization process.
In recent years, PennDOT District 2 has expanded its use of seal coating to roadways with higher traffic volumes and speed limits of 55 mph or faster as it strives to effectively manage and preserve its assets while being good stewards of taxpayer money.
PennDOT performs this activity in temperatures greater than 60 degrees, generally between April and September. Crews begin by sweeping the roadway clean of debris. Next, they apply emulsion oil and a layer of stone, which they then roll into place using a roller. Once cured, crews sweep any loose material from the roadway.
Generally, it takes about two days for the stones to bond to the hardened asphalt. PennDOT urges drivers to reduce their speed on roads that have received this treatment during the two-day curing period or to consider alternate routes.
For more information on PennDOT’s Maintenance Activities, visit www.PennDOT.pa.gov/about-us/maintenanceactivities.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District2.
Information about infrastructure in District 2, including completed work and significant projects, is available at http://www.penndot.pa.gov/D2Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at https://gis.penndot.pa.gov/paprojects/.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Timothy Nebgen, tnebgen@pa.gov or 814-765-0598
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