The Marshall County Highway Department is planning to start their chip and seal season on Tuesday, July 16th and they anticipate completion by August 19th.
Highway Superintendent Jason Peters said they will begin work on Oak Road from US 6 to 3rd Road first thing in the morning at 6:30 am and move on the 3rd Road from Oak Road to Michigan Road at 7:15 am. The Highway employees will then move to 5th Road from Union Road to the County Line Road about 8:15am. From there they will continue on Union Road from US 30 to 4B at 10:00 am starting at US30.
As the county continues their chip and seal program, the county will work from the northwest across to the northeast north of US 30. Once that section is completed, they will work their way down the southeast part of the county and work back toward the southwest. After this is completed they will finish up in the sub-divisions.
Peters asks drivers to try and avoid the chip and seal areas due to road closures saying, “Roads will be close from cross road to cross road.”
With fresh chip and seal roads, drives should use slower speeds, 20 to 30 mph, for the first week or so. This helps the stone embed into the oil and cure. And also avoids the flipping up of stone, which can cause damage.
With the weather forecast and the higher temperatures on the way a little more aggregate may be applied due to the possibility of bleeding through of oils. Again slower speeds will help this as normal traffic flow helps embed the stone into the oil, more aggregate locked in the better.
As the highway department has invested money in a new chipper spreader and distributor, time in classes and studies, and a buy in effort from the department to establish a quality chip and seal application for the residents of Marshall County. Peters said, “We are asking the public to help out with the quality also. To help out with the quality of the road once the chip and seal is completed, PLEASE: Avoid turning sharp, Avoid spinning tires, Avoid breaking hard, Avoid SPEEDING the number 1 factor in hurting a fresh chip and seal road !!!!”
Peters closed his comments saying, “These simple actions can have a long term affect on the roads performance over the next 5 years.”
