Winter season moving out; pothole season moves in

JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Department of Transportation crews are already focusing on pothole repairs to keep roads as safe as possible and will continue through the spring as weather allows.

When you see a MoDOT crew making repairs, motorists should slow down and move over a lane to give them room to work safely – remember, it’s the law.

“Between the drastic changes in temperatures throughout this winter season and the moisture from precipitation, we’re already seeing a high number of potholes developing on Missouri highways,” said Natalie Roark, MoDOT state maintenance director. “We ask motorists to please be patient with us and look out for our crews as they work to repair the roadways. Slow down and never drive distracted. Remember, Buckle Up Phone Down.”

MoDOT maintains 34,000 miles of road, including interstates, U.S. and Missouri routes, and lettered routes. In 2022, MoDOT patched more than 800,000 potholes, spending more than $16 million on pothole patching.

Potholes form when temperatures warm up during the day but continue to be cold at night. The rain and snow leave moisture that seeps into cracks and joints in the pavement. Frozen water in cracks and under the surface of the roadway causes pavement to bulge and bend. Then when ice melts, the pavement contracts and leaves gaps or voids in the surface under the pavement. When vehicles drive over the bulging pavement, it weakens the roadway, eventually causing chunks of pavement or asphalt to pop out, creating potholes.

Motorists can report the location of potholes on state-maintained roads using the following tools:

• Call the 24/7 Customer Service Center at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636).
• Use the Report a Road Concern form at www.modot.org/report-road-concern.

Potholes on local streets and subdivisions should be reported to local city or county maintenance departments.