Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is busy this time of year with various road projects, one of which is a chip seal project that will take place next week on Carbon Avenue in Price. Communications Manager, Kevin Kitchen took some time to talk about the various projects and the impact it will have on drivers.

“Chip seal in the industry has shown it is one of the most cost-effective treatments that we can put on a roadway to preserve the life of that roadway, basically saving dollars on the dime. We promote this not only at the state level, we promote it for local governments as well,” said Kitchen. Chips seals prevent deterioration of the asphalt surface from the effects of aging and oxidation due to water and sun.

There is a chip seal crew that travels around the southern region completing various chip seal projects. As many community members have noticed there has been a slew of projects on SR-10.  “Monday they’re coming back up into Price, that’s the one you are referencing to is going to come up into town and so they are asking people to move cars and so forth so we’ll be able to do that. Then once that’s done, we’re headed back towards Clawson on the 21st,” stated Kitchen. There is a process to chip seal that will carry on after the start of work as they have to wait for the elements on the road to cure.

“Typically, with these chip seals, what you’re going to see is most impact when they’re actually, you know, laying the chip seal to begin with its fairly quickly an operation, but then it has to cure out for a couple of days. So they’ll come in lay it, they’ll sweep it off to the best of their ability – typically lower the speed limit and let it cure for a couple of days,” explained Kitchen. Then in a week or so they will return to put a seal coat on, then in a month will return to paint the lines. UDOT asks that drivers travel through road construction areas with extreme caution has crews are busily working.

There has been a big project taking place in the Spring Glen/Kenilworth area and there is still a few more days of work that is scheduled to take place. “What we’re looking at now is there going to be laying another layer of pavement. You can expect pavers around Spring Glen on the 22nd through the 23rd, they are going to break for that 24th weekend, then they’ll be back in the Spring Glen area 27th through the 28th,” said Kitchen. Again, UDOT asks that drivers travel through road construction areas with extreme caution has crews are busily working.