Despite heat, few Eastern Iowa roads buckling

Officials in several eastern Iowa cities said they haven't dealt with many incidents of buckling roads this year, despite the intense heat that has swept through the area in recent weeks.

Craig Hanson, the maintenance manager for the Cedar Rapids public works department, said the only recent road buckling incident -- also known as a blowup -- occurred on Monday on Stoney Point Road SW near 16th Avenue SW.

Hanson said only one road panel buckled, and workers were able to repair the damage with asphalt. The more distance between panels, Hanson said, the more likely the road will buckle.

According to a news release from the Iowa Department of Transportation, pavement blowups frequently occur when heat causes pavement to expand, buckle, and shatter. In a typical year, the department maintenance equipment operators spend 2,000 to 4,000 hours on temporary repairs of the blowups, then another 6,000 hours replacing the pavement sections. The costs of the repairs totals around $400,000.

Bob Younie, the state's maintenance engineer, said not too many instances of buckling have ravaged the state's roads this year, but the incidents are unpredictable.

In Waterloo and Marion, officials haven't had to deal with any blowups this season.

In Iowa City, Public Works Director Rick Fosse said officials have dealt with one buckling, at American Legion Road Monday. He said the incident was "pretty minor," and the panel that experienced damage was in need of replacement anyway. The road carries about 8,000 vehicles each day, Fosse said, and should be fixed within a couple days.

Fosse said he expects a couple more blowups this summer, but said residents have been good about letting officials know when they spot problems.

And the Department of Transportation is urging Iowans to alert local law enforcement agencies if they notice a buckled road. Further, they ask residents to pay special attention to paved surfaces when driving on afternoons with 90-plus-degree temperatures.