Chip-seal on a major highway?

[vtk]

In southern Pike County, Ohio, ODOT recently resurfaced US 23. It's a four lane divided highway with high speed geometry and a couple of interchanges, a 60 MPH speed limit and a fair amount of traffic.  Of course, the travel lanes got the usual mill and asphalt treatment.  But the inside and outside paved shoulders got a chip seal treatment. Anyone else see this kind of thing?

(Apparently rumble strips still work normally after being chip sealed.)

[hbelkins]

We've had several discussions about chip sealing. I remember seeing a few US highways in the southwest with chip sealed pavement when I was there 20-something years ago.

[SD Mapman]

I think chip-sealing is more common in the western states... there's some pretty good stretches of it in SD and WY.

[Mr. Matté]

I think chip-sealing is more common in the western states... there's some pretty good stretches of it in SD and WY.

General road chip-sealing is done on the hilly roads of Hopewell Twp., Mercer Co., NJ and pretty much all roads in Hunterdon County out here. Bad for me as I like to road bike up that way and the Hunterdon County DOT destroyed a recently asphalt-repaved CR 605 by putting chip sealing material all over it.

[jemacedo9]

In SE PA, about 10 years ago, I think they chip-sealed the shoulders of the US 422 and US 202 freeways...I did find it quite interesting.  I think those sections have been fully repaved at this point.

[GCrites]

Ohio must be getting jealous of the cheaper shoulders in other states.

[US71]

Arkansas and Missouri both do it, though not necessarily on a major highway.

[silverback1065]

SR 67 in mooresville In got a chip seal, so did us 40 in indiana. people are complaining of rocks chipping their windshields

[Bitmapped]

Chip-seal shoulders would be unusual for Ohio, but their use makes sense since the shoulders would get fairly little use.  ODOT makes pretty extensive use of chip-seal on surface roads already.

[TEG24601]

In all my cross-country driving, I have rarely seen chip sealing on a highway, of any level.  Usually is an emergency repair for a small section when I have seen it.  It might work for shoulders, but chip sealing only really works if there is traffic to push the gravel into the tar, I doubt that many people drive on the shoulders to make it worth it.

[doorknob60]

ODOT (Oregon) recently chip-sealed a large portion (50 miles) of US-20 east of Bend. They did the entire width of the roadway. Source: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGION4/Pages/US20-ChipSeal.aspx

I drove on it recently and it feels nice, better than it was before and better than the pavement after you get past where they chip-sealed it. US-20 certainly qualifies as a major highway, although its traffic is low compared to interstates and some other highways like US-97, but it certainly gets a decent share of traffic.

[hbelkins]

Saw this story today and thought about this thread:

http://www.glasgowdailytimes.com/news/local_news/article_4e156742-3ee7-11e4-8d9a-730c05532852.html

[thenetwork]

Colorado not only chip-seals many of their major highways (Interstates included), but after a week of laying thin gravel on top of the tar, they apply a "fog seal" which is a top coat of tar.

Chip-sealed roads have their pluses and minuses, IMHO:

Advantages:  Extra traction on wet or icy roads, prolongs life of roadbed longer.
Disadvantage:  Extra noise and friction, which causes a slight decrease in MPG.  Fresh coats cause stains, chips on car finishes.