Chips and.......

Fish?  Salsa? Dip? Pretzles......how about oil?

As I drive back and forth to work every day I see signs to buy fresh corn,  strawberries,  other produce of the season and flowers - Lots of places to buy flowers.  So naturally when I saw this sign I thought it was another place along the side of the road the side of the road with something new to sell.   I pictured the man who sells corn up on Sugartown road with a side line - making corn oil to go with his corn and sunflowers.  Let's face it - it couldn't be a road sign could it?  Oil and Chips?  As long as I have been driving and living in this area this is not a sign I've come into contact with.  Never have seen a road that has been oiled or chipped. 

Ahhh - but is was a road sign.  All the warnings were up a week in advance. "Drive at your own risk".   They were sprouting up everywhere now - people  in work were talking about them as well.   And we all agreed - no one ever saw these signs before.    I've seen roads paved with tar, but never oiled.  I was getting excited now -   what does an oiled & chipped road look like? If I had to drive at my own risk should I consider chains?  It sounds slippery and dangerous.  

Well  - the week has come and gone and we are into the third week now.  The signs are down and I come to find out that the roads have been oiled and chipped.    My neighbor told me - I drive it 5 times a week and never noticed.  Although anyone that knows me will tell you I would only notice if the road caved in and I had to go around.......Observant isn't my strong suit.

                            

The picture is not the best - but neither is the road.  the darker right side of the photo it the freshly "oiled and chipped" portion.    I had to Google Oil and Chip paving to satisfy my own curiosity.   This is what it says:

• Low cost all weather surface for light to medium traffic
• A waterproof layer to prevent intrusion of water into base material
• A skid-resistant surface
• Short construction time
• New life to weathered pavements

They just neglected to say it looks ugly.  Or maybe because only 1/2 of each lane is done makes an even shorter construction time.    

Penn Dot at your service.  Your tax dollars at work.