How crews are patching up potholes before asphalt plants reopen

Potholes are a fact of life in the D.C. area. In fact, anywhere you have snow and roads, you’re bound to find potholes, especially as temperatures fluctuate above and below freezing.

As water freezes and seeps into cracks in pavement, it expands and can be broken up “with all the cars traveling over it,” Alex Liggitt, the communications manager for the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Northern Virginia District, said.

The melting snow on the roads refreezes at night and weakens the pavement. Traffic then breaks it up, eventually resulting in a pothole.

The problem, Liggitt told WTOP, is that it’s too cold right now to make asphalt to permanently smooth over roadways.

The next possible solution for VDOT and other transportation departments in the D.C. region is a “cold patch.” It’s similar to asphalt but does not need to be hot when put onto roads.

Road crews go out to potholes, fill them with the cold patch and “they use a big, big, big tamp that just kind of pounds that down,” Liggitt said.

While it’s not as smooth as regular asphalt, it’s a good temporary fix. Best of all, it’s quick for the road crews to do.

Liggitt said VDOT makes every attempt to do their road repairs when traffic is light, but drivers still need to remain vigilant and look out for repair crews on the road.

“The one thing that we’re asking folks is if you do come across those mobile pothole operations, make sure you’re slowing down, you’re paying attention, phone down, you get around them. Allow them a lot of extra space out there, because they are out on the roads trying to fix the road while you are there,” Liggitt said.

To report a pothole on your drive in Virginia call 800-367-7623 and in D.C. call 311. For any potholes in Maryland, you can fill out an online form on the Maryland Department of Transportation’s website.

WTOP’s Scott Gelman contributed to this report.

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