VDOT says rain heavy caused potholes

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - Tuesday's heavy rain washed away some pothole repairs on I-264 and once again, VDOT had to shut down heavily-traveled lanes.

This is the second time in February the Virginia Department of Transportation has had to shut down parts of Interstate 264 eastbound for emergency pothole repair  between Ballentine  Avenue and Campostella Road.

VDOT spokesperson Brooke Grow said they were not the same potholes as those that were repaired two weeks ago.

"The potholes that popped [Tuesday] night were old, temporary patches on the interstate," Grow said. "They were in the same area as the incident that occurred a couple of weeks ago."

Grow said VDOT contractor TME Enterprises, Inc. keeps a record of repaired potholes and said the potholes patches that deteriorated on Tuesday were much older pothole repairs.

WAVY.com requested a copy of those work orders, but VDOT said WAVY.com had to file a formal request for them, something that could takes days.

Grow said the reasons the older pothole patches popped up Tuesday is partly due to weather and the already rough conditions of the road.

This is the same explanation they gave WAVY.com when the first pothole fiasco happened earlier this month.

"It is an aging area of concrete," Grow said. "Unfortunately with the intense rain we had some of those aging potholes mixed with traffic pounding over them, they were broken up, causing larger potholes," Grow said.

VDOT and TME have made some changes since the first potholes opened up earlier this month. Instead of just filling potholes with asphalt, contractors are using a different technique and material.

"They are squaring it off and cutting out a large square area then putting this hot-mix asphalt to make a temporary patch," Grow said.

Grow said the mix is called Aquaphalt and sets faster in rainy conditions.

VDOT hopes it will hold until another contractor Curtis Contracting can make permanent concrete repairs.

Curtis Contracting is currently doing concrete repairs on weekends and during the overnight hours.