Chip seal is cheap and durable. Americans are cheapskates when it comes to infrastructure. They want nice stuff but don't want to pay for it. They think infrastructure just magically appears because they want it and because they whine about politicians. So instead of conceding the fact that it takes taxes to pay for good roads, they get chip seal.

It's hell for bike rides. Often it leaves loose gravel over the chip seal, making the road treacherous for weeks or month. But drivers and residents are discovering the drawbacks too. It's rough on vehicle tires. It's noisy -- you can hear vehicles on chip seal for miles away when conditions are right. Eventually some residents realize they need to pay for fog seal or similar smooth topping to reduce the road noise.