Pothole patrol

KDOT crews clear debris and dirt away.

By Lisa Mussman, 
Northwest Kansas Public Affairs Manager

After a long season of battling snow and ice, KDOT crews are starting to shift their focus to repairing the damage winter weather has left behind on the roads. Among that damage is a plethora of potholes dotting the pavement in all parts of the state.

Potholes are formed when moisture left over from snow and ice seeps into cracks in the pavement. When the temperature drops, water freezes and expands the pavement, causing it to bulge and crack. Cars driving over these trouble spots eventually cause the pavement to break up, forming a pothole.

KDOT has a variety of methods and tools available for pothole patching, one of them being spray patching. Spray patching is done with a specialized trailer mounted machine, reducing the need for many different pieces of equipment. Crews recently utilized this method on a portion of U.S. 36 in Norton.

The process begins with clearing any debris and dirt out of the hole.

One of the ways crews can repair a pothole is using the spray patching technique. 

 

A tack coat may then be applied, followed by a layer of emulsified asphalt and aggregate. The emulsion is essentially the glue that will hold the asphalt together in the hole.

Finally, the hole is topped with a layer of dry rock and excess materials are swept up. After a short curing period, the patch is ready to withstand traffic.

The final step of filling a pothole is by adding a layer of dry rock that will help the
 patch be able to withstand traffic. 

As KDOT begins to ramp up its pothole patrols, motorists are reminded to slow down and move over for crews working.