From staff reports

MIFFLINTOWN — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced the following schedule of maintenance activities in Juniata County the week of Oct. 13. PennDOT performs year-round maintenance in its mission to provide a safe, efficient transportation system, and while crews will be off on Monday, Oct. 13, in observance of Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day, the scope of work in Juniata County for the remainder of the week is as follows:

Crack seal and hot pour mastic

• Route 22 between the Juniata-Mifflin County line and the Thompsontown exit. Tuesday and Wednesday. PennDOT will implement single-lane closures while this work is completed.

Crack sealing and hot pour mastic operations prevent water intrusion from seeping through cracks or joints in an asphalt road, which can lead to potholes and pavement breakup. They are proactive preventive maintenance strategies to prevent water from entering the roadways and accelerating the formation of potholes and other failures.

Pipe replacement and cleaning

• Route 2005 (Centre Road) between Texas Hollow Road and Troyer Lane in Walker Township Thursday. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours and may deploy a pilot vehicle. When encountering a pilot vehicle with a “Pilot Car Follow Me” sign mounted on the rear and a revolving yellow light, drivers must remain behind it until it has left the roadway. Do not pass.

• Route 2008 (Dunn Valley Road) between Dressler Road and Logan Lane in Fayette Township Friday. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours and may deploy a pilot vehicle;

• Route 3017 (Academia Road) between Groninger Road and Cider Press Road in Beale Township. Friday, October 17. Flaggers in the roadway will provide traffic control during daylight hours;

Pipe replacement and cleaning are essential in maintaining water flow around state roadways. Controlling water flow is one of the most important aspects of maintaining pavements. Uncontrolled water flow will damage both the pavement surface and the area under the pavement, which causes deterioration across the length of the pipe.

Side dozing

• Route 22 between the Thompsontown-East Salem and Mifflintown-McAlisterville exits Tuesday through Thursday. PennDOT will implement single-lane closures while this work is completed.

Side dozing removes excess material from beneath guide rail areas, which improves drainage and allows water to sheet flow off the roadway. Side dozing is a crucial highway maintenance operation because when drainage systems do not function properly, water collects on the road, weakens pavement, accelerates the formation of potholes, and creates the potential for icing conditions in the winter months.

This schedule is subject to change due to weather conditions, emergencies, or other unforeseen interruptions.

Customers can report road concerns by calling 1-800-FIX-ROAD. If calling after hours, please leave a name and phone number.

For more information on PennDOT’s maintenance activities, visit www.PennDOT.pa.gov/about-us/maintenanceactivities.