The toll of winter-time freezing and thawing on area roads is making itself seen and felt throughout the Commonwealth. Potholes are popping up along interstates and secondary roads at this time of year.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Public Affairs Director Naitore Djigbenou says it’s been an active season of freezing and thawing within the pavement. “This year has definitely been a harsher winter than the previous year, so anecdotally yes we’ve seen more potholes. We’ll be able to know that conclusively at the end of our snow and ice season,” said Djigbenou.
The cabinet spokeswoman says district road crews are actively patching potholes across the state, as weather permits. She also notes that the technique for filling potholes has not changed significantly over the years.
Djigbenou says there’s nothing to suggest pothole resilient pavement is on the near horizon. “Technology is always changing so, who knows. That might be a reality for the future, but for right now it’s not and we just continue to use the materials that we know work well and as long as we have winters and heavy rainfall, we expect potholes to form and we’re prepared to handle them,” noted Djigbenou.
Djigbenou says shady areas of roadway are more apt to experience pothole damage. She says district crews across the state are out patching potholes as weather permits.
