PUTNAM COUNTY, Ind. - The Indiana Department of Transportation announces a chip seal operation starting on State Road 240, on or after Monday, August 1, weather permitting. Work is scheduled from approximately 4.17-miles east of U.S. 231 to S.R. 75. Crews will place message boards at each end of the project, to alert the traveling public. INDOT suggests finding alternative routes during the short duration of the chip sealing operation.

Work is completed under lane closures with flagging 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 service life of the roadway 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 chip seal projects; and sweeping the roadway 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 a roadway.

Motorists should slow down, watch for stopped traffic and drive distraction-free through all work zones. All work is weather dependent and schedules are subject to change.