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 Juniata 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 Juniata County Maintenance crews will begin on Route 2007 (Free Spring Church/Locust Run Road) in Fayette and Walker townships on Monday, May 18. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours during these operations.
Crews also plan to complete surface treatment operations on the following roads throughout remainder of the week.
Tuesday, May 19:
- Route 2009 (Freed Road/Pine Street) in Thompsontown Borough, Delaware and Walker townships.
Tuesday, May 19, and Wednesday, May 20:
- Route 235 between Route 333 in Delaware Township and Route 2017 (Cocolamus Creek Road) in Greenwood Township.
Thursday, May 21:
- Route 2011 (Troyer Road) in Fayette Township.
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 is then rolled 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 https://www.pa.gov/agencies/penndot/about-penndot/strategic-planning-and-operations/penndot-maintenance-activities
Drivers 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 1,200 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.
Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.pa.gov/DOTprojects.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and find transportation results in Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties at www.pa.gov/DOTdistrict2.
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