Illinois road crews begin pothole repair operations

Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig on Feb. 25 announced that Illinois road crews are out searching and repairing potholes on state highways to further improve highway safety. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) advises motorists to slow down and be on the lookout for maintenance workers as they patch potholes.

“We are confident in the proven techniques the department uses to effectively and safely repair roadways damaged by frequent freeze-thaw cycles,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig. “As the harsh winter begins to subside, IDOT’s road crews are out inspecting pavement and responding to calls about pothole formation. State crews are promptly patching broken pavements, but we do ask that motorists please slow down and be attentive as they are likely to encounter our workers patching potholes and performing other winter maintenance tasks along the roadways.”

Potholes are caused by a combination of factors, including gradual aging and deterioration of the roadway, an unusually high level of moisture affecting roadways and frequent freeze -thaw cycles that can cause potholes to form overnight. The formation of potholes is worsened by cold temperatures, as water expands when it freezes to form ice and puts stress on cracked or weakened pavement. Moisture that has seeped through cracks and joints in pavement freezes and expands causing the pavement to bulge, heave and fracture. The damage is amplified by wear and tear from traffic.

IDOT’s road crews are patrolling Illinois roadways across the state looking for potholes and making repairs using cold-patch asphalt material. The department also utilizes spray injection patching, using truck and trailer mounted equipment to make repairs.