HOLLAND, Mich. — While the return of warmer weather to West Michigan means that drivers no longer have to fear the ice and snow, it does mean another road hazard is returning. Pothole season!
In fact, the drastic shifts from warm to cold and back again are actually making potholes worse this January. For road crews a cold winter that stays cold is actually the best forecast we could have!
Matthew Talsma, who works for the Ottawa County Road Commission, told 13 ON YOUR SIDE, "A good winter, meaning less potholes, would be a winter that stays cold throughout the winter, and then we get the just one thaw in the springtime. That would be better for us than getting very cold, and then thawing, and then getting cold again. That's what wreaks havoc on the roadways."
The reason behind that is because when the ground starts to thaw water can seep under the roadway. When the next burst of cold comes it forms into ice, lifting up and damaging the road surface.
The weight of vehicles traveling above only further damages the weakened road surface.
As things warm up and dry out, the ice turns back to water and eventually recedes from under the road surface. This now leaves unsupported asphalt that will collapse when the weight of a vehicle moves overhead.
As more and more vehicles hit the newly formed pothole, it will continue to grow larger and larger until permanently fixed.
There is nothing that can be done to completely prevent potholes, but reporting them is the best way to get things back to normal! Matthew said, "We get emails, we get calls, we have a service request system at Ottawa County Road Commission, and then we have four district garages. Their supervisors, along with their assistants, they go they travel all the roads in their districts, and then they know where the problem areas are."
He concluded by encouraging residents to reach out, and wants to assure you that the road crews don't think of this as people complaining. Matthew added, "We can't be everywhere at once. So when we get those reports, it's very helpful to us as well. So no, it's not complaining at all."
-- Meteorologist Michael Behrens
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