Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) updated its schedule for surface treatment operations, more commonly known as “oil and chip,” in Clearfield County for the week of August 8. This maintenance treatment seals the road surface to keep water out, restores the friction of the surface to enhance traction, and extends the service life of the pavement between resurfacings.

Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours while crews complete the treatments. PennDOT urges driver to build extra time into their travel schedules as delays are anticipated on the following routes throughout the week: 

• Route 53 between the intersection of Route 2037 (Winburne Road) near Kylertown and a bridge spanning the Moshannon Creek approximately three miles west of Moshannon.
• Route 1011 (Rolling Stone Road) between the intersections of Route 879 (Frenchville Karthaus Highway) in Covington Township and Route 53 in Kylertown.
• Route 1016 (Keewaydin Road) between the intersections of Route 879 in Covington Township and Market/Carter Street in Karthaus.
• Route 1022 (Rolling Stone Road) between the intersections of Miller Hill Road and Woolridge Road in Covington Township.

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 and 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.

Generally, it takes about two days for the stones to bond to the hardened asphalt. PennDOT urges drivers to reduce their speed on roads that have received this treatment during the two-day curing period or to consider alternate routes.