By Brett Fisher
Moisture can wreak havoc on asphalt, Carson City Transportation Manager Patrick Pittenger said, and heavier than normal precipitation this winter could mean the development of potholes on city streets around the Nevada state capital.
“As part of the pavement deterioration process, potholes occur and moisture plays a big role in their creation,” Pittenger said. “Water infiltrates the pavements through various cracks and other openings and results in the loss of surface material. This is exacerbated if there is also a freeze/thaw impact as we do frequently experience in this area.”
Carson City has experienced periods of heavy rainfall since October, including back-to-back atmospheric river events since the first of the year, leading up to a potentially busy pothole and street repair season, which has actually already begun, Pittenger said.
“Public Works is repairing potholes currently with city staff and equipment,” he said. “We are doing so throughout the city on big and smaller roads.”
Pittenger said Carson City Public Works just recently completed a major pothole repair along Fairview Drive between Roop and South Carson streets in which a rather large square of asphalt has been filled in and patched.
Unlike general street repair, which typically occurs on a schedule, Pittenger said potholes and other road deterioration problems are reviewed one case at a time.
“They are prioritized on a case-by-case basis,” he said. “The primary concern is the severity of the pothole and the hazard to the public.”
A pothole that does not pose a significant hazard or risk to traffic may not get the attention of others, he said. Likewise, potholes featuring less deterioration may not be deemed as severe as depressions that appear to be spreading across the asphalt.
This doesn’t mean other areas are ignored, Pittenger said, but the city does have to spend its money for street repair according to the most need.
“Carson City Public Works does not neglect the pavement of the city,” he said. “However, there has been insufficient funding to properly maintain the streets of the city for some time.”
The result is an increasing amount of asphalt deterioration that the city is unable to keep pace with.
“The pavements of the city are deteriorating overall, and increases in the number of potholes,” Pittengers said. “Other distresses are expected to continue until additional resources are available to allow for the proper maintenance of the city’s streets.”
To report a pothole or other problem with a city street, call the Carson City Public Works main line at 775-887-2355.
Go here to learn more about the city’s current and upcoming street maintenance projects.
