PennDOT to ‘tar and chip’ in McKean County
CLEARFIELD — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that surface treatment operations, more commonly known as “tar and chip,” will impact several roads in McKean 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.
PennDOT McKean County Maintenance crews will apply the surface treatment on Bell Run Road between Route 44 and the McKean-Potter County line in Ceres Township on Monday and Tuesday. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours.
Starting Wednesday, crews will start work on Route 46 starting at the split with Route 446 and continue northbound toward Rew for approximately 7 miles the remainder of the week. Traffic control will again be provided by flaggers in the roadway.
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 as well as 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 they then roll into place using a roller. Once cured, crews sweep any loose material from the roadway.
PennDOT urges drivers to reduce their speed on roads that have received this treatment during the curing period or to consider alternate routes.
For more information on PennDOT’s maintenance activities, visit the department’s website at penndot.pa.gov.
