Patching potholes: PennDOT crews make repairs to craters in roadways
Patching potholes: PennDOT crews make repairs to craters in roadways
It's the time of year, with temps dipping and rising, when holes in the street become too big to ignore. PennDOT crews are out and about mending potholes.
DOYLESTOWN, Pa. - The deep chill in winter and the spring thaw frequently wreak havoc on the roads, as the extreme in temperatures cause the road to heave and contract, thereby creating potholes.
Potholes definitely wreak havoc on cars and trucks.
What we know:
From the city to the suburbs, it is the bone-rattling sounds of spring.
"It’s pretty bad," said one driver.
It’s pothole season on area roadways. They can cause major damage to your car, not to mention your nerves. Drivers say this time of year it's like dodging landmines.
"Very deep, very big. I’ve lost a couple of tires over the past five years. Need a new alignment. That’s $129. It’s not good," said Kim Herzberg of Fountainville, as she navigated around some familiar neighborhood potholes near Doylestown.
PennDot road crews were out filling some of the biggest and deepest potholes in Bucks County on Wednesday afternoon. Because of the up and down temperatures this winter the deep crater like potholes are the worst crews have seen in years.
What they're saying:
"It is a very high priority for us. We put additional crews on that time of year. A little more resources at it. And only because this is the time of year, the issue blossoms the most," said Tom Rogal, PennDot’s Senior Assistant District Executive for Maintenance.
"At least the last couple weeks we’ve had tire issues, front-end issues with cars dropping into potholes and nails in tires," said AtLast Auto owner Preetam Mangalsingh.
The pothole problem also keeps local mechanics working. AtLast Auto shop in Media has been busy recently fixing damage to tires and rims, with repairs that could run anywhere from $300 to $900 or even more.
PennDot says extra crews have been deployed for pothole patrol over the next couple months but until then it may be a bumpy ride.
"They’re painful, there’s a lot of them and you got to keep your eyes open. A lot of swerving," said Seth Tomlinson of Doylestown.
Both Philadelphia streets and PennDot have places on their websites to report pothole problems. You can also file a claim against the city or state if you believe a pothole caused damage.
What you can do:
Drivers can report potholes on Pa. state roads by calling 1-800-FIX-ROAD or visiting PennDOT's website, here.