Crews Begin Fixing Potholes In Pittsburgh Area After After Winter Freeze
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- We have entered pothole season.
Between the freeze and thaw, those potential tire terminators pop up. After a winter freeze, a thaw can leave behind nasty potholes.
"Any water or any precipitation that gets in the roadway causes the roadway to pop," PennDOT District 11 Assistant District Executive of Maintenance Lori Musto said on Wednesday.
She said crews were out filling the pavement on major roadways like the Parkways, Route 28, and Ardmore Boulevard. It's a temporary fix until the warmer months.
"We're using what we call cold patch material. It stays flexible and the cold weather allows us to put it in and then we'll come back in the summer and make repairs," Musto told KDKA.
According to Allegheny County Public Works Director Stephen Shanley, his crews use a mix to make their fixes more permanent.
"We're setting up our paving crews for paving over 40 miles next year, so we'll do the best type of repair that we can do at this time," he said.
Drivers should use caution and take it easy on the roads this time of year. Repair shops like Troubleshooters said potholes can cause significant damage to your car.
"It's pretty typical in Pittsburgh this time of year to see cars have bent tie rod ends and cracked wheels," owner Tim Dietz said.
Some of the repairs can be hundreds to thousands of dollars.
"The best thing you can do at this time, and it's hard to get people to do, it is slow down," Dietz said.
Road crews said they will continue to patch holes as they find them.
"Kind of depends on the weather. We try to get ahead of it, but we're at Mother Nature's mercy with it also," Musto said.
In a statement, Acting Pittsburgh Public Works Director Chris Hornstein said, "The Department of Public Works is compiling a list of all of the pothole reports from residents to be reviewed at the beginning of Pothole Season in April. Residents are encouraged to call 311 to report potholes for review. Any potholes which are deemed to be a safety hazard or potentially damaging to vehicles will be filled with a cold patch during the winter months."
Find more information about reporting potholes below.
Reporting to 311; Reporting to Allegheny County; Reporting to PennDOT; Who owns my road in Allegheny County