Pothole troubles

It happens every year and some years are a little more extreme than others - potholes.  After the bitter cold we've experienced the past several days combined with the warmer weather this weekend, we will likely begin to see more and more potholes form.

The everyday wear and tear on the road from our vehicles creates cracks in the pavement.  Water, whether from rain or melting snow, seeps into the cracks in the pavement and begins to soften the road's base.  It then collects and as the temperatures drop below freezing, it freezes.  The freezing water will cause the road to expand and force the pavement upwards putting further stress on the pavement.  As the sun dries up the water within the cracks and underneath, it leaves then a hole under the pavement in the base.  With no base under the pavement, the pavement weakens even further and collapses under the weight of the continuous traffic.  If the pothole isn't repaired or water continues to collect and freeze within the hole, it will cause the pothole to get even larger.  As the temperatures warm this weekend and as the rain falls, we may begin to see more potholes form across the Stateline in the next week or so.