PEORIA, Ill. – If you think this weather is great for you, it’s almost just the opposite for the roads — and the crews trying to fix them.
The shifts in temperatures coupled with rain and snow is likely causing more potholes in the area, and Peoria Public Works Deputy Director of Operations Sie Maroon says his crews will try to get to what they can.
“It’s great that the weather is nice,” said Maroon. “But, that’s what’s creating the work for us, in terms of trying to keep up with the number of potholes that are out there now, and the number of potholes that we’re going to eventually have as this week goes on, because more and more of them are going to develop and pop up.
Maroon says the melting snow means potholes might be filled with water in some cases, making them harder to take care of.
“The equipment that we use that we attach to a truck and pull with a truck, they’re hot boxes,” said Maroon. “So we can take the cold mix material, put it inside that hot box, and it warms it up to 120 degrees and above, depeding on how long it’s been in the box.”
He says his crews handle potholes “in the five figures” every year, and if you see one, you’re encouraged to call Public Works or the Peoria Cares line.