Patching before the plants open is done for the purpose of protecting drivers and preventing damage to vehicles; these patches use cold mix asphalt and serve an important purpose for the public but do not last as long.  Once asphalt plants open, hot asphalt is available for a longer lasting fix.  WVDOH uses a five step process of milling out the pothole (square), brushing loose dirt out of the hole, applying a tacking material to help the asphalt bond, filling the hole with asphalt, rolling the asphalt to compact it and sealing the joints.  

Asphalt plants typically open in late March or early April, but this year early opening of a plant in St. Albans means WVDOH is kicking off pothole milling and filling season at the beginning of March. Counties within an hours radius of the early-to-open plant are already seeing milled and filled pothole repairs; with long term pothole milling and filling taking place in Kanawha, Boone, Mason and Putnam counties as of the end of February and beginning of March. 

As additional plants open around the state in the coming weeks, hot patch repairs will begin in those areas.  In the meantime, crews throughout all 55 counties continue to cold patch potholes for the sake of protecting drivers and their vehicles until the plants open.  

“This time of year, potholes can form seemingly overnight,” Pack said. “The men and women who maintain our roadways risk their lives every day, surrounded by traffic, to provide the safest roadway they possibly can."

Potholes serve as a source of frustration for all drivers -- including the men and women of the WVDOH.  Last year's strategy was to build consistency into the process statewide, applying best practices for patches that last.  This year's strategy builds on that, to squeeze efficiency into every part of the process --- from an early start where possible to having WVDOH trucks lined up at each asphalt plant as it opens.  

 

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.