A portion of U.S. 6 will be closed this week for chip sealing. INDOT officials advise the highway will be shut down between State Road 23 in Walkerton and U.S. 31 in LaPaz tomorrow through Friday in order to preserve the road surface, if the weather cooperates.
State road detours must be along state-maintained roadways. Motorists can use State Roads 23, 4 and U.S. 31 to get around the closure.
INDOT officials say the chip seal process consists of distributing a liquid asphalt emulsion on the roadway and covering it with crushed stone to provide a new wearing surface. Once the asphalt has cured, any excess chips left on the roadway are swept from the surface.
Chip sealing extends the life of a roadway by protecting it from moisture, ultraviolet degradation and other damaging exposures. In addition to sealing the pavement, chip seal applications reestablish surface friction – improving safety for the motoring public. Of the pavement preservation methods employed by the state, chip sealing is perhaps the most cost effective. Studies show that every $1 invested in chip seal operations saves $6 to $14 in future roadway costs.
Click chip sealing video to learn more about the process.
Drivers in Northwest Indiana can monitor road closures, road conditions, and traffic alerts at any time via the District’s social media channels: www.Facebook.com/INDOTNorthwest or Twitter @INDOTNorthwest. Or visit http://www.trafficwise.in.gov for INDOT’s TrafficWise Traveler Information Service.
