Now that it’s safe to hit the roads again, Michigan drivers are swerving from a new obstacle: potholes.
Drastically warmer temperatures have created a slush fest on Michigan’s roads.
Aaron Jenkins is with MDOT. He says road crews are focused on fixing potholes created from the thaw.
Jenkins says potholes form after moisture seeps into the pavement, freezes and expands.
“What happens is you have a gap that’s created in the pavement, and as vehicles drive over these gaps the pavement weakens and that leads to a pothole,” says Jenkins.
Mechanic George Musser says pothole damage can cause hundreds of dollars in car repairs.
“Front end damage, usually ball joints, tie rod ends, you know stuff like that that get tore up from hitting the pot holes,” says Musser.
Musser says if you see a pothole slow down or try to straddle it.
If you see a pothole let MDOT know by clicking here:
https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9615_30883-69798--,00.html
or by calling 888-296-4546