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Water is making potholes worse

When it rains, it pours here in West Texas and that's not helping our roadways. Storms are expected throughout the rest of the week and the on again off again rainfall will not help.
(Source: KWES)

MIDLAND, TX (KWES) - When it rains, it pours here in West Texas and that's not helping our roadways.

Storms are expected throughout the rest of the week and the on again off again rainfall will not help.

"What cracks do is expose the roads to moisture and that water gets in and gets underneath and gets in the base and weakness it and that's what causes a lot of our potholes," said Superintendent for the Department of Transportation, Abe Langston for the City of Midland.

Langston said that the city tries to do everything they can to prevent the potholes from happening. But in many cases it's a losing fight.

"We do a preventative maintenance, we put sealer. You know a lot of preventive maintenance that you do, they all have the word seal in it. You know chip seal, cape seal, fog seal and all that is sealing the road from the things that age the pavement like UV rays and moisture. Water is a big thing that distresses pavement," said Langston.

Langston said drivers also need to be extra careful while driving on the roadways.

"Especially, if the rain is still on road or running. You don't always see underneath what's there so slow down and be more careful because you don't always see the potholes when they are underwater," says Langston.

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