Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced it will begin 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.
Crews plan to complete surface treatment operations on the following roads:
Monday, June 8, and Tuesday, June 9:
· All Route 4002 (Sharpsburg Road) in Menno Township.
· All of Route 4004 (Front Mountain/Middle Road).
· All of Route 4009 (Waynesburg Road) in Menno Township.
Wednesday, June 10, Thursday, June 11, and Friday, June 12:
· All of Route 305 in Union 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.
CONTACT: Timothy Nebgen, tnebgen@pa.gov 814-765-0598
Steve Harmic, sharmic@pa.gov 814-496-6189