Permanent Pothole Patches to Follow Warmer Weather
By: Nathan Buccilla
Posted on:
This week’s spring-like temperatures have prompted Athens City Council to pay an asphalt plant to reopen early to produce hot asphalt to patch the growing potholes around the city.
The unnamed plant, which shuts down in the winter, has agreed to resume operations a bit early – for a fee of $5,000.
Mayor Steve Patterson said the plant will provide hot asphalt, not the cold mix used for temporary patches in colder weather.
“A lot of cases when there’s thawing and then freezing and then thawing again, cold mix is not the best material to put down,” Patterson said, “It’s a temporary material.”
Councilman Kent Butler said residents commonly complain about repair work needed on East State Street, Union Street, and Columbia Avenue.
Patterson said hot asphalt will likely be received on Thursday, and “significant” patch work to the city will be addressed immediately.
The weather will need to cooperate in order for patch work to proceed, as rain can prevent hot asphalt from bonding with the surface.
Patterson said he sees the use of hot asphalt as just another effort to fix the problem.
“We’re doing the best we can on the city end of things,” Patterson said. “Engineering and Public Works are doing everything in their power to make the passageways as safe as possible and addressing the issue.”