7/24/2009
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Idaho 67 and U.S. 20 seal coats in Elmore County to begin Aug. 3
ELMORE
COUNTY - A pair of Idaho Transportation Department seal coats in early August
will address a section of Idaho 67 near the Mountain Home Air Force Base, and a
section of U.S. 20 northeast of town.
- On Aug. 3, the one-mile stretch of Idaho 67 from the air force base gates to the junction with Grandview Road will be seal-coated. This is a five-lane section of road.
- On Aug. 4-5, the 11-mile stretch of two-lane U.S. 20 from milepost 113 to Cat Creek Summit also will be seal-coated.
Pilot cars will be used along with flaggers to guide
motorists at intersections. During the Idaho 67 work, commute restrictions also
will be in place. No lane closures will be allowed on southbound lanes during
the morning commute between 5:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., and no lane closures will
be allowed on northbound lanes during the evening commute between 4 p.m. and 6
p.m.
Seal
coating begins by applying a layer of asphalt and then a cover coat of gravel
on the roadway surface. The highway is rolled and traffic allowed on to the roadway
to help pack the surface before "brooming" or sweeping removes excess
gavel.
Finally, a light fog-coat of asphalt is applied to the treated highway to help
seal the surface from moisture.
A seal coat protects the existing highway against water damage, adds traction
to the surface and prolongs its life. Costs to seal-coat a surface are much
less than replacing a surface.
ITD cautions motorists to reduce their speed on newly seal-coated highways
until the gravel has had a chance to fully adhere to the asphalt.
Kloepfer Construction of Paul, Idaho, is the
contractor for this $604,000 project.
ITD, Idaho State Police and local law enforcement caution motorists to slow down and pay attention when driving in work zones, where increased speeding fines and other penalties apply. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and dial 5-1-1 or visit 511.idaho.gov for information on the state highway or interstate system.