By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
A mix of bitterly cold temperatures and wintry precipitation, followed by a significant warm-up this week, has led to an early pothole season in northwest Missouri.
Marty Liles, the assistant engineer for MoDOT's Northwest region, says there are about 300 crews statewide who are already working to patch the roads and highways.
Potholes form when temperatures warm during the day, but drop below freezing overnight. Moisture that seeps into cracked pavement and freezes causes the pavement to bulge and bend.
When the ice melts, the pavement contracts and leaves gaps underneath. When vehicles drive over bulging pavement, it weakens the road, causing chunks of pavement or asphalt to pop out.
Liles says the repairs going on now are made with a cold asphalt mix, and the deepest potholes take priority. He says more permanent repairs can't be made until the weather warms back up.
"You've got a lot of moisture in there," Liles said. "So, we know we're probably going to have to come back and make some permanent repairs this summer when we have drier (conditions) and warmer temperatures."
In 2020, MoDOT patched over 760,000 potholes on a budget of $18 million.
In St. Joseph, streets and infrastructure superintendent Kevin Schneider says the pothole problem isn't too bad yet, but four patch crews began making repairs on emergency routes on Tuesday.
"We haven't seen an uptick (in potholes) yet," Schneider said. "Now, I'm not saying we're not going to get one, but so far so good."
St. Joseph crews patched between 4,000-5,000 potholes in 2020, using 400-500 tons of asphalt. Schneider says anyone who sees potholes on the roadway are highly encouraged to report them to the city.
"We want to know where they are, so we can get them taken care of," Schneider said. "Please gives us a call at 816-271-4848. It's available 24 hours a day."
Residents can also report potholes on the city's website.
Officials say if you cannot avoid a pothole on the road, slow down before hitting it, have a firm grip on the steering wheel and try not to brake while going over the pothole, as this could cause further damage.
Having properly inflated tires is also encouraged.
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