An eight-mile stretch south of Valparaiso is affected. The Indiana Department of Transportation says the daytime closure of State Road 49, between Division Road and State Road 8, for a chip seal and fog seal operation to repair the road surface, will be extended by one day, due to equipment failure. This stretch, between Valparaiso and Kouts, will now reopen to 24 hour traffic, Friday evening, June 8th.

Info from INDOT: A detour will take southbound traffic north on State Road 49, east on U.S. 30, south on U.S. 421, west on State Road 8, and back to State Road 49. Northbound traffic will travel east on State Road 8, north on U.S. 421, west on U.S. 30, and back to State Road 49.

The chip-seal process consists of distributing a liquid asphalt emulsion on the roadway and covering the liquid asphalt with crushed stone to provide a new wearing surface. Chip-sealing extends the life of a roadway by protecting it from moisture, ultra-violet degradation and any other damaging exposures.

Drivers should exercise caution during the construction of these projects. Loose stone will be present on the roadway during the initial cure of the asphalt and can damage windshields and paint on vehicles following each other too closely. It is recommended when travelling on a recently chip-sealed road to slow down and allow additional space between vehicles.

The fog seal is being applied on top of the chip-seal work. The fog seal is a light application of asphalt material that can lock in loose stone and help with dust problems. It also makes the road black, which makes pavement markings more visible.