ARLINGTON, Va. — The pothole problem across the Washington metro area is so bad that the National Park Service is asking drivers to take it slow or take public transportation.
“Potholes are pretty treacherous right now,” National Park Service spokeswoman Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles tells WTOP.
Crews have been busy trying to patch up the region’s parkways, notably the George Washington Parkway and Beach Drive. But as the pavement continues to weaken from the freezing and thawing cycle, the National Park Service is asking drivers to lighten the burden on the scenic roadway system.
“We’re out in force filling potholes and patching potholes,” said Anzelmo-Sarles.
“We’re asking drivers to slow down and use extreme caution on those parkways.”
The Park Service wants to ensure the integrity of the roadway and to keep workers safe.
It’s asking motorists to drive below the posted speed limit.
“We are encouraging folks to take public transportation this week if they can,” Anzelmo-Sarles says.
“When vehicles are traveling at high rates of speed on these major roadways, there is an increased risk for those drivers that they’ll hit a pothole and damage their vehicle or get hurt themselves,” Anzelmo-Sarles says.
Beach Drive is a noted trouble spot: Officials say it was last rehabilitated in 1991, putting it well beyond its 20-year service life.
The National Park Service will start a three-year overhaul of the scenic roadway. But until then, crews are busy trying to patch potholes wherever they can.
“As cars continue to drive on the weakened road surface, more potholes will grow and we expect the roads will continue to deteriorate in the coming days.”
Anzelmo-Sarles says there were a lot of pothole problems on the George Washington Parkway last year.
Overall, she says, “compared to last year, I think we are in a similar place.”
