Elk County roads to be oiled and chipped in upcoming weeks

SAINT MARYS, Pa. (WTAJ) — A pair of roads in Elk County will be oiled and chipped starting Tuesday, which could impact traffic.

PennDOT announced that it will conduct surface treatment operations on Route 120 and Route 255 in the coming weeks. This maintenance will seal the road surface to keep water out, restore the friction of the surface to enhance traction and extend the pavement life between resurfacing.

Beginning Tuesday, May 21, crews will oil and chip Route 120 in Saint Marys to the Cameron County line. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours. The work is expected to be completed on Thursday, May 23.

The following week, starting Tuesday, May 28, crews will work on Route 255 from Johnsonburg to the Saint Marys. The speed limit within this work zone will be reduced to 45 miles per hour to help the stones adhere to the asphalt faster and prevent oil and chips from coming free of the road surface. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours.

It generally takes about two days for the stones to bond to the hardened asphalt, according to PennDOT who is urging drivers to reduce their speed on roads that have received this treatment during that time.

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PennDOT encourages motorists to “Know Before They Go” by checking conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com , downloading the 511 Android or iPhone app, or by calling 5-1-1.

511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

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