Virginia starts 2011 Pothole Blitz

RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) - Governor Bob McDonnell on Tuesday directed the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to immediately start a campaign to patch the thousands of potholes that formed this winter on the state's highway system.

Citizens are encouraged to assist this effort and report potholes to VDOT’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-FOR-ROAD (1-800-367-7623) or by visiting www.VirginiaDOT.org .

"Potholes aren’t just bumps in the road, they are serious roadway hazards," said Governor McDonnell. "VDOT will address this problem as quickly as possible. We ask the citizens of the Commonwealth to help identify the location of these hazards so they can be quickly repaired. As pothole reports are received, VDOT crews will be dispatched to make repairs." McDonnell continued, "The goal is to improve everyone’s safety and comfort as they travel the highways of Virginia."

VDOT and its interstate maintenance contractors are responsible for patching potholes on the 58,000 miles of state-maintained roadways in the Commonwealth. During the 2010 Pothole Blitz, more than 161,000 potholes were repaired.

Pothole repairs are made with both cold and hot mix asphalt depending on the temperatures and the availability of materials. Hot mix is the preferred material as it is more permanent, but it is not effective until air temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees.

Some areas and types of pavements may require more extensive repairs. In these cases, crews will make temporary repairs immediately and will schedule more extensive reconstruction work at a later date.

Safe driving tips, pothole patching videos and other useful information on potholes is also available on VDOT’s website.