City officials warn harsh weather conditions are causing potholes

The following is a news release from the city of Idaho Falls.

IDAHO FALLS — The recent weather conditions have wreaked havoc on city roads, causing potholes and other hazardous conditions.

Keeping roadways maintained and safe is a priority for the Idaho Falls Street Division. However, the weather conditions have also made that task challenging.

“Traffic, water, and the freezing and thawing cycles are all factors that cause potholes,” explains Idaho Falls Street Division Superintendent Brian Cardon. “When temperatures warm up, and the ice and snow melts, that water gets down in the cracks in the pavement and the material beneath, breaking it down and eventually causing potholes,” adds Cardon.

The Idaho Falls Street Division maintains approximately 700 lane miles within city limits. Although state highways, including Yellowstone and Broadway run through Idaho Falls, those roadways are maintained by the Idaho Transportation Department.

The Street Division is aware of some of the more problematic areas, including the potholes on the Pancheri Drive Bridge. The Division is also communicating with the Idaho Transportation Department about the potholes located on the state highways running through the city.

Cardon states, “Due to asphalt hot plants being closed for the winter months, maintenance personnel must use what is referred to as a cold patch to temporarily repair the potholes until the spring when the hot plants reopen and a more permanent repair can be made.”

The Idaho Falls Street Division has filled the potholes on the Pancheri Bridge at least seven times over the last week, but unfortunately the weather conditions continue to break the cold patch open. The Pancheri Bridge is scheduled to undergo concrete deck rehabilitation this year which will resolve the issues the city is having with that section of roadway. However, that work cannot be completed until the weather warms up this spring or summer.

To report potholes that have not be referenced above or other street issue within city of Idaho Falls limits, residents can either call the Idaho Falls Street Division at (208) 612-8490 or go to the Division’s website.

If the issue is causing a public safety hazard, people should contact the Street Division by phone immediately as website and/or city social media reporting may not be reviewed until the next regular work day, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

As the same personnel who are applying salt and sand and keeping the roads clear of ice and snow are those who are also repairing potholes, the potholes that are not causing a public safety hazard will be filled as staffing schedules allow.