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North Texas Heat Causing Roadways To Buckle

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The extreme heat pounding North Texas is wreaking havoc on roadways.

Cynthia White, with Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), says repair crews make at least one heat-related repair a week because of buckling.

"Concrete actually expands in the heat [and] of course the soil contracts – so, you've got that buckling that goes on," explained White.

According to White, the areas of most concern are sections of road on Highway 161, between Highway 114 and Highway 183.

"A lot of times we'll have to go in and basically cut out that concrete and redo that," said White. "Sometimes we'll just seal the cracks if it's an asphalt road."

White says the buckling problem is exacerbated when summer temperatures of more than 100-degrees heat roads that were icy during the winter.

While heat-related road damage isn't uncommon, it usually happens in late summer.

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