Charleston, WV (WOAY) – The West Virginia Divisions of Highways preparing for the annual springtime war on potholes.
According to a press release from the WVDOH, in years past milder winters have allowed asphalt plants to open earlier giving the WVDOH a head start patching potholes. This winter the colder temperatures and winter storms have put hot asphalt production on hold.
In colder temperatures, WVDOH crews can only use a mixture of cold asphalt to give potholes a temporary fix. Crews give priority to potholes that can cause damage to vehicles first until permanent repairs can be made.
In order for hot asphalt to be used certain minimum requirements must be met in order for the product to cure. Ground temperatures should also be above 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
John Crane, Executive Director of the Asphalt Pavement Association in Charleston:” This has been the worst winter we’ve had in a decade.”
The state of West Virginia is currently being served by about three dozen asphalt plants according to Crane. At the moment two are open with more expected with warmer weather on the horizon. Crane expects all of the plants to be open by the end of the month.
To make permanent repairs to potholes, crews will need to expand the pothole to make a square or rectangular hole about two inches deep. They will then clean debris out of the holes, and a sticky layer of tack is applied to help the hot asphalt adhere to the road surface.
A rolling machine is then used to flatten out hot asphalt once it’s poured into the hole. If the pothole is patched successfully the patch should last as long as the pavement around it and be smooth enough to be virtually unnoticeable to drivers.
Transportation Secretary Todd Rumbaugh, P.E. has this advice for drivers: “Please be patient with us as we endeavor to patch these potholes,” he said. “Slow down and pay attention to work zones for the safety of you and our workers. Our intention is to patch all our potholes as quickly as possible.”
