“Our major focus this time of year is trying to address the potholes causing the greatest amount of danger for our drivers,” said Joe Pack, P.E., Chief Engineer of District Operations. “Our goal is to get out in front of the major issues so we can make repairs in a timely fashion, so it doesn’t impact the drivers.”
Gov. Justice and the WVDOH are taking advantage of a recent streak of warmer weather to announce Operation R.I.P. Potholes. Temperatures are expected to remain in the 50s and 60s for the remainder of the week around West Virginia and continue warmer than usual for the week of Monday, February 12, 2024.
Since the beginning of Operation R.I.P. Potholes, WVDOH road crews have laid down approximately 2,050 tons of asphalt and filled potholes along more than 2,250 miles of roadway – the distance from Charleston to the California coast.
Potholes form when water gets into cracks in roadways, freezes, and then thaws. A recent freeze/thaw cycle of snow and very cold temperatures, followed by warm temperatures and rain, has wreaked havoc on West Virginia roads. WVDOH road crews have been patching potholes with cold asphalt throughout the winter, but these repairs are only temporary.
What the WVDOH and contractors need to make permanent pothole repairs is hot asphalt. The WVDOH and its contractors depend on asphalt plants throughout the state to provide asphalt for paving and patching. Those plants shut down during the winter for maintenance and usually don’t reopen until spring.
However, the WVDOH negotiated with owners of asphalt plants in Poca, Princeton, and Morgantown to open during the recent stretch of warm weather to get a jump on pothole patching.
In areas where hot mix is still not available, such as areas where the asphalt plants themselves are down for winter maintenance, crews will be out in full force patching with temporary methods to allow a smooth ride for motorists.
Roads scheduled to be milled and filled on Monday, February 12, 2024, include:
WV 4, Clay County.
US 119, WV 94, and WV 61, Kanawha County.
WV 2, Cabell County.
Meathouse Fork, Doddridge County.
Interstate 79 and US 19, Harrison County.
WV 310, Marion County.
Osage Road, Monongalia County.
US 50 and WV 92, Preston County.
WV 310, Taylor County.
US 60 and WV 16, Fayette County.
WV 63, Greenbrier County.
US 219 and WV 3, Monroe County.
WV 20, Nicholas County.
WV 12, Summers County.
US 52, McDowell County.
Bent Mountain Road, Mercer County.
WV 99, Raleigh County.
WV 97, Wyoming County.
As Operation R.I.P Potholes continues, the DOT will keep the public informed through regular press announcements.
With work continuing in all 55 counties across the state, the West Virginia Division of Highways and the West Virginia Department of Transportation remind the public of the importance of keeping everyone safe in work zones by keeping “Heads up; phones down!”