TDOT crews treat hundreds of potholes along I-40
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NORTH JACKSON — The recent spell of cold weather is hurting drivers and road crews in more ways than one. If snow and ice weren’t enough to keep crews busy this past week, they’ve also been treating potholes. Drivers across West Tennessee said they’re facing obstacle course conditions when cruising in the fast lane, and Mother Nature is to blame. District 4 Operations Supervisor with the Tennessee Department of Transportation Burton Hatch said crews spent Sunday filling hundreds of potholes along 60 miles of Interstate 40. “We just go out with the coal mix and patch them as we come to them,” Hatch said. Hatch said the best time to truly remedy them is in warmer weather, as more ice can cause the roads to crack. “When it warms up and we kind of get into the paving season, we plan to get back out there and kind of mill those out and pave them with the paving machine,” Hatch said. West Tennessee drivers said for now they’re happy with the temporary fix to the pesky potholes. “You’re driving — just thump, thump, thump — you keep hitting them, and it can cause an accident,” Jimmy Daniels said. “I’m worried that it’s going to ruin my car,” Tonya Mason said. In addition to her car, Mason said she’s worried about people’s safety. “I want the people of Jackson to be safe,” Mason said. “I don’t want people to get into an accident because of potholes, something that can be fixed.” TDOT workers said most of the potholes they’ve seen are less than three inches deep. Troopers with the Tennessee Highway Patrol warn drivers to keep their distance from other cars so there’s time to avoid them. TDOT crews said it will be weeks before the problem is resolved.
