PennDOT crews start early pothole repairs after receiving over 1,000 pothole complaints
PennDOT crews start early pothole repairs after receiving over 1,000 pothole complaints
PennDOT crews are hitting the roads early this year to tackle a growing number of potholes across the Philadelphia area, following the recent snowstorm.
PHILADELPHIA - PennDOT crews are hitting the roads early this year to tackle a growing number of potholes across the Philadelphia area, following last week’s heavy snow and ice.
PennDOT crews fill potholes after early freeze-thaw cycle
What we know:
PennDOT crews are using cold patch blacktop to repair potholes in Montgomery County and other parts of the region.
Helen Reinbrecht, PennDOT Community Relations Coordinator for District 6, said, "We have had that freeze thaw cycle a little bit earlier this year so we are seeing more reports of potholes, certainly."
Drivers are noticing the impact, with Adrianna Burton of Douglassville describing her experience along Route 422.
"I took it head on and all I heard was da dush.. ssssss. And I was da da da all the way to the side of the road," said Burton. She added, "It’s like da doink and you feel your whole car shaking. If you got a bad suspension, you are feeling everything."
PennDOT has already logged more than 1,000 pothole complaints around the Philadelphia region this season, according to officials.
The combination of cold rain, snow and plowing has made the problem worse and forced crews to respond earlier than usual.
Crews say it’s a challenge to keep up with repairs on the state’s 40,000 miles of highway. Pat Malloy of Pottstown said, "With all the snow and ice we had lately and the plows being out I think it’s a lot worse on 422 in all around."
Snow removal remains the top priority for PennDOT
Even though potholes are a big problem for drivers, PennDOT says snow and ice removal comes first. "Winter services are still a priority at PennDOT. Clearing the roads, snow removal if there are any instances of ice it still is really cold. We are working on those first," said Reinbrecht.
The early start to pothole season means drivers should be alert for crews working on repairs and for new potholes that may appear as temperatures continue to fluctuate.
PennDOT crews are working to balance snow removal and pothole repairs to keep roads safe for drivers as winter continues.
What we don't know:
It is not yet clear how long it will take PennDOT crews to address the current backlog of pothole complaints or when the majority of repairs will be completed.