Mild temps, combined with snow and rain have created a perfect pothole storm, which means Twin Cities roads are getting bumpy. The result – Minnesota is now the land of 10 million potholes. “It’s one of those things, it’s just part of nature and we realize it’s going to happen every year,” said Joe MacPherson, Anoka County Engineer. “This year I think we’re seeing more potholes.” The pothole population is growing because this season’s freeze/thaw cycle is happening more often. Anoka County road crews have been busy patching up these mini craters. Pothole patrol is part of their job description. “Definitely look out for potholes,” MacPherson. said. “If you can see them ahead of time try and avoid them. But I would not recommend swerving into the other lanes trying to avoid them. Slowing down helps, gives you time to try and navigate through them. A lot of times you can try and shift within the lane and try to avoid them.” Pothole priorities Anoka County has over 400 miles of roads that equates to almost 1700 lane miles. The county can’t fix every pothole, so they have to prioritize which ones they patch up. “A lot of it is based on complaints,” MacPherson said. “With that many miles we can’t canvass them all the time, so we rely on input from the public to let us know where the hot spots are and also we’ll focus on some of our major corridors. Coon Rapids Boulevard, Hanson, Round Lake Boulevard. Even down in Fridley you’ve got East River Road. You’ve got 7th Avenue in the city of Anoka. Bunker. County Road 22.” Potholes are the mosquitoes of winter and spring – annoying but inevitable. “Unfortunately this year we’re actually seeing it on some roads that we just repaved a few years ago, which is surprising,” MacPherson said. “But nature is what it is. It’s Minnesota, land of the tough, So we’re going to deal with it.” Potholes from when the top layer of the pavement comes loose and water seeps in, which can break up the road. Old potholes on highways that haven’t been repaved recently can go as deep as the bottom layer of the pavement. “Those are the ones that are wheel busters,” MacPherson said. “They mess with your alignment. They can take a strut out. Those are the ones you gotta watch for. In most cases those are the ones we watch really close.” MacPherson says potholes have been really bad at the Lake Drive and Main Street intersection in Lino Lakes. Some have even blown up.
BUMPY RIDE! MILD WEATHER CAUSING POTHOLE OUTBREAK
ANDOVER, Minn. (2/8/2023) – Most of us have been enjoying the balmy winter weather, but there is a caveat.
