TDOT prepares for pothole season

JACKSON, Tenn. — It might have been a mild winter, but the end of February and into early March is usually when drivers start to see potholes popping up on the roads.

“You can try to dodge them, but sometimes you get in a wreck trying to dodge them, so that’s the problem I have been having,” Curtis Brown, who lives in the area said.

But with unseasonably warm temperatures during most of this month, we decided to take to the streets and see for ourselves how many we ran into.

The verdict? Road conditions didn’t seem too bad. But with cooler temperatures and rain in the forecast next week, some drivers in the area say they are starting to get worried.

“Anyone who knows me, knows I like my car in good shapem” Brown said. “And I already had a flat tire because of one recently, it’s just expensive.”

But the Tennessee Department of Transportation said they are preparing for possible pothole weather with a new machine that patches over the holes more efficiently and quickly.

The infrared pavement recycling machine is one way workers can heat up asphalt so it’s able to spread smoother and last longer.

“It just uses infrared heat to generate some heat in the asphalt that were using whether its hot mix or cold mix, either one,” Ross Sherwood with TDOT said.

Although there isn’t currently one in Jackson, workers say they are looking to invest in one soon.

Until then, drivers need to watch out for crews expecting roadways and patching any holes.

“Pay attention to the road, pay attention if our workers are out there, and just keep everybody safe and be respectful,” Sherwood said.
You can always report any potholes you see on the roads by contacting TDOT.