It’s almost Spring, which means several things in Northern Kentucky: The opening of ice cream shops, church fish frys and perhaps the most dreaded:
Tons and tons of potholes.
The spring is really the worst time for potholes as they form through moisture getting underneath the pavement, which then freezes and expands, causing the pavement to bend and crack. Then, as the ice melts, “gaps or voids are left in the surface under the pavement,” according to a report from the American Automobile Association. As cars drive on these weakened surfaces, the pavement breaks down, causing potholes.
Despite just being annoying, potholes can cause damage to your vehicle. On the minor end, hitting a pothole can knock your car out of alignment, puncture one or multiple tires and possibly damage your wheels, per the AAA report.
“Most pothole repair is proactive, not reactive,” said Covington Public Works Director Keith Bales. “We just know this time of year especially that we’re going to have potholes everywhere.”
Bales said that they know certain areas will always need repairs, and it often has to do with the vehicles that traverse the roads. An example Bales gives is a state route in Latonia where large trucks often sit at a light; Bales said those areas have to be redone every year.
How does pothole repair work?
The methodology around pothole filling can change based on the severity and the repairs needed, said Boone County Public Works Director Thomas Logan. In most cases, the potholes are cleared of debris and filled with an “asphalt-based material” that is then tamped down. However, Logan said, for bigger jobs, repair teams will use a method that includes “milling (to remove layers of damaged asphalt), saw cutting and excavation (for deeper, full-depth repairs), and replacement with hot-mix asphalt.”
An issue that Bales said his crew runs into is the fact that blacktop plants close down in the winter. The hot asphalt method is both cheaper and more effective, Bales said, so Covington has been “sending someone up near Dayton each day to get some asphalt in order to come back and hopefully get a better finished product with the patch.”
With all the work done to patch the potholes, some of the repairs don’t even last a year, Bales said, because “the weather is very hard on (the roads), so it just depends on the situation depends on the traffic.”
How do you report a pothole?
The City of Covington has an online portal where you can report potholes, or really any concerns about the city’s public infrastructure.
Covington City commissioner Ron Washington told LINK nky that the online portal has been very effective.
“Tt makes it really very easy for anybody you don’t really have to be that tech savvy,” Washington said.
Bales said that if they receive a report of a pothole, “we’re gonna hit those immediately.”
Over in Boone County, right now, Logan said the best way to report a pothole is by calling the Public Works Department at (859) 334-3600. However, he said they are currently working on an online pothole reporting tool which is expected to launch this summer.
Who pays for pothole repairs?
Road repair, in general, can be pricey, and those costs can come from several different sources.
State transportation funds come from a combination of state road funds, state general funds, state-restricted funds, and federal funds, said Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6 Public Information Officer Jake Ryle in an email to LINK nky.
Once state legislatures approve KYTC’s budget, Ryle said, those funds are distributed between the 12 state districts. District 6, which includes NKY, spreads those funds between five branches: permits, bridge preservation, operations/pavement management, roadside maintenance and roadway maintenance.
For roads owned by cities, the cost of repairs and maintenance typically comes from the city’s capital improvement fund. The money in this fund comes from taxes. Cities also get some funding from the state for local road repairs.