The horrific winter our region has been forced to endure has taken a toll on roadways across the region.
In fact, motorists are now dealing with a so-called pothole pandemic as they attempt to avoid these nasty roadway hazards across the region.
Highway crews in southern West Virginia are making plans now for emergency pothole patching and paving across the region. While regular hot asphalt will not be available until asphalt plants reopen in the spring, the District 10 Division of Highways office in Princeton does have an option to help generate some hot asphalt until regular supplies are available.
The District 10 office does have a new asphalt recycler, which it plans to use as weather permits and until the asphalt plants are reopened.
In Virginia, Gov. Bob McDonnell has announced a statewide pothole blitz.
McDonnell has instructed the Virginia Department of Transportation to focus its efforts during the month of March on patching the thousands of potholes that are causing headaches for motorists in the Commonwealth.
VDOT will be using state crews and contractors as part of the month-long pothole blitz. VDOT also is asking for help from area citizens in identifying potholes as they form to help speed repairs, according to a press release from the governor’s office.
McDonnell said VDOT’s top priorities are safety and emergency response. A pothole is not only a nuisance, it’s also a roadway hazard.
VDOT has budgeted $45.8 million for asphalt and concrete patching for the current fiscal year. We welcome the pothole blitz announced by VDOT.
It is our hope that pothole repairs can get underway soon on roadways across southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia. But until we see some patching and paving on local roads, motorists in our region will continue to face a rough road ahead.
Editorials
March 7, 2010
Pothole blitz: A rough road ahead for motorists
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