INDIANAPOLIS — Snow, rain and cold temperatures can all have an impact on road conditions. What happens to road construction during the winter months?
You’ll still see some areas of construction on Indiana roads, but only certain work can continue.
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Fewer projects, fewer closures: Impacts of winter on construction and travel
“Our construction crews and our contractors have been doing this for a long time,” explained Jordan Yaney with the Indiana Department of Transportation. “They know there’s just not as much you can get done in the winter, so they plan for that.”
Yaney went on to explain that summer is when most construction is typically planned.
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“We’re trying to get as many things done before that weather typically turns cold, but there are projects that span more than one construction season that will remain ongoing,” Yaney shared.
Adam Pinsker with Indianapolis DPW shared that winter weather also shifts the type of work his department can complete.
“You just can’t make hot asphalt during the winter,” Pinsker explained. “It doesn’t bind in this kind of weather.”
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Pinsker went on to explain that cold asphalt can be used to treat problems like potholes during winter, but this is only a temporary solution.
“It falls apart pretty quickly, because it doesn’t have the chemicals in it that help it bind like hot asphalt does,” said Pinsker. “That kind of eliminates a lot of the work that we can do long term, a lot of the more permanent projects that we can do.”
Hot asphalt is required for a variety of projects, including paving, striping and concrete work.
INDOT has been focusing on switching traffic to new pavement ahead of the cold.
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“Work on the pavement, that’s not really anything you can do when it gets too cold or when it gets too wet,” Yaney shared.
Yaney mentioned that traffic along I-65 was one area where traffic was driving on new pavement.
With the new pavement done, crews have the winter season to tear up the old pavement- a project that is not impacted by winter weather.
What does this mean for Hoosiers?
“Less work, different types of work, and not as many lane closures when we move into the winter,” said Yaney.
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This is ideal for those traveling along Hoosier roads ahead of the holidays.
WRTV met Jay Reeve when he was filling up his gas tank. He is just passing through Indiana on his Thanksgiving journey from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to Columbus, Ohio.
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“Today we’re taking a different route to avoid construction,” shared Reeve.
Reeve was thankful that construction had only caused a slight detour on his cross-country drive.
“Eleven minutes,” Reeve laughed. “We can handle that.”
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Hoosiers can expect even more closures to reopen this week.
“With the Thanksgiving holiday, we are planning to reopen pretty much everything that can be reopened and not do a whole lot of work over it, because we know there is just so much travel,” Yaney shared. “That’s something we typically do every year if we can.”
