Indiana Department of Transportation maintenance crews plan to begin chip seal operations on U.S. 31 in Jackson and Scott Counties on or after Thursday, May 29.
Crews will be active on U.S. 31 between West Booe Road located just over 1.5 miles north of S.R. 256 in Austin and the U.S. 31 overpass over I-65 located approximately 3.8 miles north of Uniontown in Jackson County.
Motorists should expect lane closures and flagging operations while work is in progress. Chip seal work typically lasts up to three to four days per location depending upon weather.
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 roadway is coated with liquid asphalt, loose aggregate is applied and excess material is swept from the roadway. After a curing period, crews will return to fog seal the new driving surface and apply pavement markings.
INDOT reminds drivers to slow down, avoid distractions, and consider worker safety when traveling through active work zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.
