Pothole problem improves with weather

Southeast Missouri drivers, no doubt, have had their fill of potholes, a perennial problem made even worse this year by the harsh, wet winter.

But these dangers and annoyances should be fading as the Missouri Department of Transportation and local municipalities wait on warmer, drier weather to remedy the patchy situation.

MoDOT defines its work this spring as an "all-out assault" on potholes after filling about 27,000 state-maintained roads in Southeast Missouri. The Southeast District's road maintenance crews have combed all of Southeast Missouri's interstate and state roads to eradicate potholes. The district is made up of 14 counties, from Ste. Genevieve to the Arkansas border.

"We had some rain in some areas that caused delays, but we are on track and the program is progressing nicely," said operations engineer Willie Chasteen.

Water standing

The harsh winter, highlighted by several snowstorms, left a lot of water in the pavement. Recent spring temperatures have evaporated the frozen water, causing air pockets. The air pockets collapse, causing potholes.

Doug Leslie, Cape Girardeau's public works director, said that MoDOT maintains some city streets, such as the state routes that run through town -- Kingshighway and portions of William Street and Big Bend Road. An estimated 600 man-hours have gone into patching potholes this spring.

Some of the potholes, which were particularly rough on Perryville Road, Mount Auburn Road and Sprigg Street, were patched with a temporary mix. Nowstreet crews are working on permanent repairs, which involve cutting out the bad area of pavement and putting down new concrete.

The city does not track the size or number of potholes, but it was estimated in the thousands.

In Jackson, the problem isn't as bad, said Jackson public works director Rodney Bollinger. The city's main roads -- Highways 61, 25 and 72 -- are maintained by the state.

Another reason, Bollinger said, is that Jackson crews put a mixture of cinder and rocks on slick roads instead of salt, which is more harsh on concrete. Cape Girardeau uses salt on city streets.

The increased effort by road crews has to be good news to drivers, who are tired of the bone-jarring thunk of a car's undercarriage bottoming out on a pothole.

Mike Mathes, who lives on County Road 651, said he has noticed some pretty bad potholes, but said the county's Special Road District filled them in quickly.

"They do a good job," he said. "You call them, they're here the next day. I give them guys a thumbs up."

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137