Potholes

Spring temperatures warm the cold pavement, melting and evaporating ice. This creates air pockets that can eventually cause the pavement to break up. A winter of heavy snow or rain and several freeze-thaw cycles can mean a big pothole season ahead.

The pothole is carved out with a jackhammer or masonry saw to create a neat rectangle. When the excess asphalt is removed, an adhesive is applied and asphalt is added in layers. It is leveled off and compacted with a pavement roller.

In some counties, VDOT uses "pothole killers," machines that fix potholes quickly without closing the road. Learn more in this video about how potholes are fixed.

There are several reasons why a newly filled pothole may reopen:

1. When conditions are cold or wet, the material used to patch potholes doesn’t stick as well to the surrounding pavement as when conditions are dry and warm.
2. During winter months, asphalt plants are closed and hot asphalt is not available until spring. In the meantime, we typically use a material called “cold mix,” which isn’t always as durable.
3. If the cause of the pothole is not corrected, i. e. water getting under the pavement, pothole patches may fail, or more potholes may form. The long-term solution is to repair and repave the road.

Ultimately, our goal is safety and we must repair potholes as soon as possible.

Roads with high traffic volumes have more potholes because of heavier use. Bridges and ramps, which receive heavy doses of snow-removal chemicals, are more prone to potholes.

Roads today are built to reduce their moisture capacity. Researchers are working to develop better, more durable pavement materials and designs.

Researchers also have improved the cold-patch asphalt so those patches last longer.

If a driver hits a pothole and experiences damage to their vehicle, they have a legal right to submit a damage claim.

Claims are investigated on a case-by-case basis.

Investigators review the circumstances, the type and location of the pothole, if VDOT had been previously notified of the issue, and if crews had been given a reasonable amount of time to repair the pothole.

To submit a claim for damage to your vehicle, visit https://my.vdot.virginia.gov.