Potholes: What’s causing them, and the science that could make roads more durable

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — When you drive within the Bay Space, likelihood is you’ve got already been a sufferer of a pothole.

“Each county is seeing potholes. Proper now we have now our upkeep crews out making these repairs,” mentioned Pedro Quintana, public info officer for Caltrans.

From the air, SKY7 captured crews repairing potholes Monday on northbound lanes of Freeway 101 in Redwood Metropolis. Up shut, the numbers are staggering. In San Francisco, the general public works division studies a median of 600 potholes a month. They’ve already surpassed that quantity within the first 13 days of Jan. Our highways are additionally saturated with potholes.

MORE: 391 studies of potholes throughout Bay Space in final 12 days, Caltrans says

“In 2022 for your complete month of January, we had about 380 reported potholes throughout the area. Ranging from this month January 1, 2023 to till now, we have now seen over 400 reported potholes all through out highways,” mentioned Quintana.

What’s inflicting them? Prove the rain is just aggravating the injury that was already there.

“We’re enjoying catch-up proper now and we simply obtained this huge rainfall, so a whole lot of these pavements that obtained cracked once we did not come up with the money for, are actually the water is getting in and items are coming out,” mentioned John Harvey.

MORE: ‘Pothole Vigilantes’ come out at evening to repair Oakland streets

UC Davis professor John Harvey is the Director of the UC Pavement Analysis Heart. Within the lab, his workforce is testing a mix of supplies to assist our roads last more.

“We’re taking a look at greater recycled content material utilizing previous asphalt pavement in new asphalt pavement, however with one thing known as rejuvenators. We’re taking a look at concrete that has much less cement in it,” mentioned professor Harvey and added, “Utilizing tire rubber within the floor. Recycle tire rubber helps us get overlays of asphalt that might last more. They will trip out over the cracks higher and deal with that motion over the cracks. There are additionally polymers which are included in asphalt. Beginning to look somewhat bit at recycled roofing shingles and sooner or later, additional out sooner or later beginning to have a look at pine tree-based resins and oils to convey into the pavement to assist soften and recycle.”

Professor Harvey says extra must be finished to keep up roads, not simply react when potholes occur.

“These cracks there. The injury was finished over years of underneath funding,” mentioned Professor Harvey.

When you’re on the ABC7 Information app, click on right here to observe stay