Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) alerted drivers in Ferguson Township, Centre County, that they will encounter uneven pavement and rough road conditions on Route 45 for the next few weeks. The road suffered damage Monday, starting at Ferguson Township Elementary School and continuing eastbound for approximately a mile, during a shoulder widening operation for an ongoing bicycle and pedestrian improvement project.

PennDOT is reviewing all the factors to determine a permanent repair solution. It will issue an update describing how that solution will impact traffic before starting the work. Until then, it is urging drivers to slow down and exercise caution through this portion of Route 45.

The damage was the result of asphalt bleed, also known as flushing, which occurs when the asphalt binder softens and rises to the surface during high temperatures. The heavy equipment then picked up aggregate (stone) because of the asphalt bleed.