Buffalo, NY (WBEN) 'Tis the season for potholes.
While we're getting word of some notable craters plaguing drivers across the Buffalo-Niagara region, public works leaders tell WBEN they anticipate more to open up as the weather warms up and a more active freeze-thaw cycle sets-in.
There is a steadier freeze, says Clarence Highway Superintendent James Dussing. "I think right now, they are showing signs of, you know, popping open with the freeze/thaw cycle that we kind of got going here. But I've seen it a lot worse in previous years," says Dussing, who notes we're early in the pothole season.
Helping crews, says Dussing, is a decent frost in the ground. "It's not very deep. But you can see where there is evidence of some frost heaving when temperatures do start to rise, especially obviously over freezing and get up into the 30s and 40s. You will see some of those heaves pop, and they'll either present themselves as a blowout or a typical pothole," explains Dussing.
The situation is much the same in the town of Amherst. "Currently, we're not seeing a large number of potholes appearing. There are some, which is typical for any winter season. But it definitely can be managed with our trucks that go out," says Highway Superintendent Patrick Lucey. "I anticipate with the warmer weather and this freeze thaw cycle that we've been experiencing now that they're going to be popping up more and more."
Lucey says the situation typically gets worse in late February into March. "That's where we...could receive again, a lot warmer weather than we're experiencing now," he says. "So I'm anticipating march to be our worst month for potholes."
Lucey says two or three crews go out, depending on the number of potholes, with cold patch that will temporarily fill the holes. Dussing says the same program is in place in Clarence, as crews go out with the cold patch on a moment's notice.
Erie County Public Works Commissioner Bill Geary says there are a couple of reasons why there are fewer potholes. "With the investments that we've had over the past couple years, and having a substantial freeze also, not the freeze thaw cycles that we normally get with the thawing periods, we're doing a little bit better than in most years," says Geary.
Geary notes the colder winter has helped keep potholes from popping up. "When we have sustained freezing periods like this, obviously, the thaw doesn't happen so that water isn't getting in there." says Geary. Any savings they're seeing on reduced use of cold patch so far this season is balanced out by the increased use of salt dur to the extreme cold conditions we've experienced.
Geary says Erie County has the highest road rating in over 20 years, and a lot of the roads that were problematic have been addressed.
