ALLEN, DEKALB, NOBLE, STEUBEN AND WHITLEY COUNTIES – The Indiana Department of Transportation announces that chip seal preservation is scheduled to begin on or after Monday, Aug. 26, weather permitting. Work is scheduled for various roadways in Allen, DeKalb, Noble and Steuben counties.

Roadways to be chip sealed in the area are as follows:

•S.R. 205, between S.R. 3 (DeKalb County) and the Churubusco Town limits (Whitley County)

•S.R. 327, between S.R. 8 and S.R. 4 in DeKalb County

•S.R. 101, between the south limits of City of Woodburn to the Allen/Adams county line (excluding the Town of Monroeville)

•S.R. 727, between Ln 100 Lake James to S.R. 127

Drivers can expect lane restrictions and traffic directed by flaggers while INDOT maintenance crews maintain access for vehicles. Motorists are urged to seek an alternate route. If driving through the chip seal work zone, drivers should take extra caution, drive slowly and allow additional space between vehicles to prevent stone chips from damaging windshields or paint.

Once the chip seal has cured, crews will sweep the highway clear of loose stone, apply a fog seal surface coat and paint pavement markings. The entire process can take up to two weeks in each area. All chip seal in Allen, DeKalb, Noble, Steuben and Whitley counties is expected to be complete by early October, weather permitting.

About chip-seal projects

National research has shown that every $1 used to preserve INDOT roadways saves $6 to $14 in future costs. After years of heavy traffic and winter freeze-thaw cycles, small cracks typically develop in our highways. If left untreated, moisture seeps into these cracks and form potholes when water freezes and expands. As the name implies, a chip-seal treatment seals off the cracks. The stone chips provide improved traction for stopping, especially during winter.