Feb 21, 2007 10:25 am US/Eastern
Freeze, Thaw Opens Gaping Potholes
LEXINGTON (WBZ) ―
Drivers beware. The recent weather pattern has made it prime season for potholes. A gaping hole in the road disabled at least three vehicles on Route 2 Wednesday morning.
The hole opened at an expansion joint on the bridge over 128 in Lexington. Pictures from Skyeye4 show at least three vehicles pulled over, one being taken away on a flatbed tow truck.
Nobody was hurt in the accidents, but they are a sign of the season in New England. The recent deep freeze, followed by a couple days of mild temperatures - and voila.
Here is a basic lesson in the anatomy of a pothole. In frigid weather, water that is collected under roadways freezes and expands, pushing the pavement upward into a heave. When the pavement thaws, it collapses into the void created by the expanding ice. Add traffic, and a hole opens in the road.
To report a pothole on a Massachusetts State Highway, contact your MassHighway District Headquarters. Find the contact information for your office by visiting
MassHighway online. State law does not allow for reimbursements for damage to your car done by a pothole on a state roadway.
To request a repair to Boston city roadway call the Public Works Department at 617-635-4950. If your car was damaged by a pothole in the city of Boston you can file a claim on the
city of Boston's web site.
To report potholes in other cities and towns, call your local Department of Public Works. You can search for contact information on
the State of Massachusetts' web site.
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