Thaw from Iowa’s winter storms brings latest scourge: potholes

CEDAR RAPIDS — Iowa has seen a quick warm-up after winter storms last month dumped heavy snow and ushered in subzero temperatures, creating potholes on roads across the state as asphalt or concrete buckle under the changing weather conditions.

When moisture gets into or underneath the pavement during freeze-and-thaw periods, it causes the asphalt or concrete to shift, buckle or break, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation. Vehicles driving over the weakened areas can leave behind potholes.

Iowa DOT maintenance forces, as well as city and county crews, are working to patch potholes with cold-mix asphalt. This typically is not a long-lasting solution, but helps cover the potholes until the weather warms up enough to place a more permanent patch in the spring.

Permanent repairs use hot-mix asphalt or Portland cement concrete and work best when the temperatures stay above freezing in the spring and summer. In the spring and summer, crews also patch roads with significant cracking or deteriorated pavement, which can eventually lead to potholes.

According to AAA, a survey found the number of drivers who sustained vehicle damage from a pothole requiring a repair rose 57 percent from the previous year. In 2022, an estimated 44 million U.S. drivers had pothole repair bills — up from 28 million in 2021. On average, it cost $406 per repair.

Cedar Rapids’ Assistant Public Works Director Mike Duffy said the city is using a lower-grade cold mix material that costs $97 per ton. Duffy said in the past, the city has used higher-grade materials that cost about $125 a ton, but that’s not currently available.

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The city has seen an increase in potholes since the winter storms, he said, but an exact number was unavailable. As of Wednesday morning, there were more than 40 active reported potholes shown on the city’s MyCR reporting tool.

Duffy said staff with the Public Works Department’s Streets division are running three shifts to maintain local roads.

“We really want to make sure that we run our routes,” Duffy said. “It’s the most effective way that we’ve found to identify and fix the potholes.”

So much snow was piled up from the early January storms that crews most recently were focused on clearing storm intakes to allow water to be taken away. Crews’ next focus is transitioning to point repair on potholes, he said.

Crews like to make a permanent repair and not just a “Band-Aid” fix, he said. While crews use the cold asphalt product right now, they’ve taken note of pothole locations to make permanent repairs when hot mix is available.

Typically, he said potholes affect roads later in the season after February.

“To have it at the end of January going into February is unusual,” Duffy said.

Thanks to Cedar Rapids’ Paving for Progress street repairs, funded by the voter-approved 1-percent local-option sales tax, Duffy said the city has seen a decrease in the number of potholes in the last few years.

Past problem roads have been less of a challenge recently, such as O Avenue NW, which used to have frequent water main breaks and potholes.

Crews also maintain roads during spring and summer — sealing cracks so it “keeps the water from getting into those areas” and contributes to fewer potholes, Duffy said.

How to report potholes

To report potholes on streets or county roadways, the Iowa DOT advises motorists to contact the local city administrator, engineer or public works department or county engineer.

In Cedar Rapids, citizens can report potholes using the MyCR Reporting Tool — available at cedar-rapids.org/mycr or on the city’s MobileCR app — or by emailing street@cedar-rapids.org. The reporting app is handy, Duffy said, because when people report and give contact information, they’ll be notified when staff complete a work order. Residents also can see where reports are coming in throughout city.

Iowa City’s ICgovXpress app allows city residents to report potholes. Choose “streets” under the list of topic areas, then “pothole repair.” The tool is available online at icgov.org/residents/report-a-concern.

To report potholes on the interstates, Iowa numbered routes and U.S. highways, contact the Iowa DOT's maintenance manager located nearest the problem roadway. Contact information is available at iowadot.gov/districts/District-contacts.

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Avoiding potholes

AAA offers tips to motorists on how to avoid damage from potholes:

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