Pothole season returns

WEST MICHIGAN (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – It's that time of year, when folks are out celebrating the sunshine and rising temperatures.

However, this time of year also sees huge craters opening up in the roads. The cycle of freezing and thawing can wreck havoc on the pavement, as it expands and contracts small cracks quickly grow into much larger problems, creating the potholes that make driving a challenge.

Road crews will be on alert for the next month, during what's considered the worst time for potholes. Kalamazoo County has six to eight crews out a day filling in the holes as the weather starts to warm up.

“We're not seeing the freeze-thaw, but it's a disadvantage because the frost is going to come out fast if we get this much rain,” said Travis Bartholomew of the Kalamazoo County Road Commission.

Kalamazoo County budgeted $400,000 for pothole repairs this season, and is going through about 15 tons of cold patch daily. On Wednesday, workers spent the morning on Sherman Lake Drive near Ross Township, but if too much money is used on county roads, it could take away from other services.

“We may eliminate a project as a possibility,” said Bartholomew, “we could eliminate other sorts of maintenance activities that aren't such a priority.”

Over at Kalamazoo Tire Company in Portage, they're seeing about four cars a day that have sustained damage from potholes, a costly accident for drivers who would rather be spending their hard-earned money elsewhere.

“Bent wheel can cost anywhere from $175 to $400 a wheel, you can mess up your frame, that kind of stuff,” said Dave Foley of the Kalamazoo Tire Company.

Drivers are advised to always check their tire pressure and to avoid braking when running into a massive pothole, it only makes things worse. Drivers should also avoid driving over the cold patch, it's never good when it sticks to tires.

You can report potholes to Newschannel 3 by going to our Pothole Patrol, and we'll pass that information along to the agency in charge of maintaining that road.