Potholes No Match for VDOT Repair Crews

POTHOLES NO MATCH FOR VDOT’S REPAIR CREWS
Call VDOT’s Customer Service Center at 800-367-7623 to report potholes or use online form

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews and contractors are tracking thousands of potholes to fill them in order to reduce road hazards. 

Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne said, “Governor McAuliffe and I are committed to keeping the state’s roads safe. A major part of this effort is pothole repairs. VDOT crews did a stellar job clearing snow from Virginia’s roads this winter, but the agency takes no break between plowing snow and patching potholes. With more than 57,000 miles of pavement to take care of, VDOT crews continuously monitor conditions and make repairs.” 

Each motorist is another line of defense in helping VDOT to spot potholes.  VDOT has easy ways to help report potholes so crews can repair them more quickly.

VDOT crews are always on Virginia’s roads addressing various maintenance needs, so when they see a pothole or get a report of one, they will repair it as quickly as possible or call for a crew with the proper materials to patch it.  Last year, VDOT patched more than 146,000 potholes statewide between March and May. 

“VDOT depends on drivers to stay alert when they see a slow-moving vehicle or other equipment repairing our roads,” said VDOT Commissioner Charlie Kilpatrick. “We need to keep everyone – you and our crews – safe on the road year-round.”

Potholes are created when moisture seeps into the pavement, freezes, expands and then thaws. This weakens the pavement. Traffic loosens it even more, and it eventually crumbles and pops out. This graphic illustrates how potholes form.

The pothole repairs VDOT makes during the winter and early spring are mostly temporary, using a material called “cold mix.” Materials used for permanent pothole repairs typically require warmer weather.

VDOT repairs potholes on state-maintained roads, which include interstates and most primary and secondary roads.Local governments, plus Arlington and Henrico counties, are responsible for repairing potholes on their streets. Residents in cities or Arlington and Henrico counties should contact their local public-works agency for pothole repairs.

To report potholes

·         Use VDOT’s Web-based form to report potholes and other road problems, athttp://www.virginiadot.org/travel/citizen.asp.

·         You also can click on “Report a Road Problem” in the top right corner of the home page on VDOT’s website atwww.virginiadot.org.

·         Call 800-367-7623 (800-FOR-ROAD) 24 hours a day to reach VDOT’s customer service center to report road hazards or ask road-related questions.

More VDOT information

·         Potholes: http://www.virginiadot.org/info/faq-potholes.asp