CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State Transportation Secretary Paul Mattox told MetroNews Thursday he anticipates most all potholes on the state’s interstate system to be repaired within a few weeks.
“If the weather cooperates with us those roads will be in really good shape,” Mattox said.
By all accounts, the recently completed winter was one of the worst in recent memory for the state’s highway system. Mattox ordered crews to begin addressing the potholes more than a month ago as soon as the asphalt plants got up and running.
“We have crews that are solely dedicated to the expressway system. Out in our counties they’re working on the U.S. and state routes. Those are the primary roads our counties take care of.”
Secretary Mattox said the county crews will begin addressing potholes on secondary roads and county routes later this year.
Paying for the repair work isn’t expected to be an issue. Mattox said he learned Thursday collections for the state Road Fund are above this fiscal year’s estimates by $31.5 million. There are two months remaining in the budget year.
Mattox said a lot of interstate potholes have formed in cracks in areas where contractors have in the past paved over the old interstate concrete. He said the past winter’s freeze-thaw cycle wreaked havoc in those areas.
“It really affects the structural integrity of the pavement and that produces a lot of the potholes we see on the expressway system,” he said.
The pothole work will not delay the spring and summer paving programs. Secretary Mattox said those jobs are done by contractors.
“Our spring paving program has been let for contractors to do their work and we’ve almost got all of our summer program bid out,” he said.