Chip-and-seal effort for State Road 42

CLOVERDALE -- The Indiana Department of Transportation Cloverdale Subdistrict will begin chip-and-seal preservation on State Road 42 in Putnam and Morgan counties or after Monday, July 30, weather permitting.

Depending on weather conditions, crews will be on site from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Work is expected to last through Tuesday, Aug. 7.

Roadway sections to be chip sealed include:

-- State Road 42 from Little Point to the Morgan/Putnam County line.

-- State Road 42 from U.S. 231 at Cloverdale, west to Poland.

Loose stone will be on the highway temporarily during the initial cure of the asphalt. Drivers are urged to slow down and allow additional space between vehicles to prevent stone chips from damaging windshields or paint on auto bodies.

Once the chip seal has cured, crews will sweep the highway to clear away loose stone and apply a light application of dark asphalt material to lock in remaining stone and minimize dust.

After years of heavy traffic and winter freeze-thaw cycles, small cracks develop in highway pavement. If left untreated, moisture seeps into these cracks and forms potholes when the water freezes and expands. As the name implies, a chip-seal treatment seals off the cracks.

The stone chips also provide improved traction for stopping, especially during winter.