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.)
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.
I think chip-sealing is more common in the western states... there's some pretty good stretches of it in SD and WY.
Quote from: SD Mapman on September 17, 2014, 01:17:23 PM
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.
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.
Ohio must be getting jealous of the cheaper shoulders in other states.
Arkansas and Missouri both do it, though not necessarily on a major highway.
SR 67 in mooresville In got a chip seal, so did us 40 in indiana. people are complaining of rocks chipping their windshields
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.
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.
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.
Saw this story today and thought about this thread:
http://www.glasgowdailytimes.com/news/local_news/article_4e156742-3ee7-11e4-8d9a-730c05532852.html
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.