The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announces that State Road 331 near Bourbon will be closed between U.S. 6 and U.S. 30 for up to a week starting Monday, June 4, as crews perform chip sealing.
State road detours must be on state-maintained roadways only. Southbound drivers on SR 331 will be detoured east on U.S. 6, south on State Road 19 and west on State Road 25 back to SR 331. Northbound drivers on SR 331 will be detoured east on SR 25, north on SR 19, and west on U.S. 6 back to SR 331.
Drivers should exercise caution in this area once the road is reopened. Loose stone will be present on the roadway during the initial cure of the asphalt and can damage windshields and paint on vehicles that may be following each other too closely. It is recommended, when traveling on a recently chip-sealed road, that drivers slow down and allow additional space between vehicles.
Chip sealing explained:
The chip sealing process consists of distributing a liquid asphalt emulsion on the roadway and covering the liquid asphalt with crushed stone to provide a new wearing surface. Once the asphalt has cured, any excess chips left on the roadway are swept from the surface.
Chip sealing extends the life of a roadway by protecting it from moisture, ultraviolet degradation and other damaging exposures. In addition to sealing the pavement, chip seal applications reestablish surface friction – improving safety for the motoring public. Of the pavement preservation methods employed by the state, chip sealing is perhaps the most cost-effective. Studies show that every dollar invested in chip seal operations saves $6-14 in future roadway costs.
