Indiana Department of Transportation maintenance crews will chip seal 28 lane miles of U.S. Highway 31 between Seymour and Austin (weather permitting) on July 27 and 31, and August 1.
Starting tomorrow (July 27), the north-south highway will close at the U.S. 50 intersection at Seymour while crews apply surface treatment. Operations will progress southward toward State Road 256 at Austin with flaggers directing traffic around moving worksites.
Next Monday and Tuesday, chip seal activities will continue on U.S. 31 between U.S. 50 and Industrial Parkway at Austin.
No application will be made through Crothersville.
The U.S. 31 chip seal will coat the highway’s surface with liquid asphalt sealing pavement cracks and protecting the roadbed from harmful ultraviolet rays. Small chips of limestone will be used to “choke” the asphalt’s fluidity and minimize adhesion to tires. These aggregate chips also restore surface friction— optimizing maneuverability and stopping capabilities.
Chip seal applications are highly cost-effective as a pavement preservation measure, INDOT officials said. Every $1 spent saves $6 to $14 in subsequent expenditures.
