HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Large temperature swings in Christian County during the past few weeks is the cause of the sudden pothole problem popping up along the roadways.
Keith Todd with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet told Christian County Now that there’s a lot of science to potholes. Moisture, paired with large temperature swings, are the main factors. Moisture seeps into cracks in the pavement and pushes up the pavement as it freezes. This constant freezing and thawing as the temperatures go up again are what cause them to continually appear.
“As vehicles cross the spot, their wheels create impact that loosens the asphalt or concrete that has been pushed up by the frozen moisture. The flexing causes material to pop out of the spot creating a pothole,” said Todd. “The wide temperature swings like we had a couple of weeks back is a major contributor to potholes.”
He added that some soil types make areas more prone to potholes, but the problem isn’t localized to one specific spot in Hopkinsville. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has a website where people in the community can report potholes, so the area can be assessed and repaired.
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