CLEVELAND — Between the freeze-thaw cycles and consistent salting and plowing, area roads have taken a beating.
The Ohio Department of Transportation said crews will be out across the state over the next few weeks, repairing as many potholes as the weather permits.
With temperatures still on the cold side, crews are using a temporary cold patch until a more permanent solution can be applied to the roads in warmer weather. The ideal time for repairs is on dry days when the temperature is at least 40 degrees, so fixing the potholes in extremely cold temperatures can be a huge challenge.
"I talked with one of our managers," Isaac Hunt with ODOT District 12 said. "He said he went out to try to fix a pothole and there was a bunch of ice in the bottom of the pothole. Then, they're struggling to get the ice out, you can't really put the material in. It's just a challenge that our maintenance crews are facing. They're doing their best to fix things and getting creative with their solutions."
When ODOT crews are not busy plowing and salting, they will assign teams of 2 to 3 people to fix potholes.
Fixing potholes in the center and left lanes can be tricky, so ODOT is asking all drivers to ditch the distractions and pay close attention to the crews repairing the craters in the coming weeks and days.
You can help the crews out by reporting potholes. You can fill out a report online. You can use the same form to file a damage claim if a pothole ruins your vehicle.
