Heat Creates Cedar Rapids Road Problems

CEDAR RAPIDS – It is construction season, but Cedar Rapids Public Works projects are multiplying in unplanned places.

There have been a handful of concrete blow-ups, where concrete basically erupts.

Heat has been wreaking havoc on roads in Cedar Rapids.

Already this summer, there has been a handful of what Public Works Crews call concrete blow-ups or explosions on roads.

"When they start to expand, they actually then heave and break and that's what's the cause of the damage behind me,” said Mike Duffy with Cedar Rapids Public Works.

A blow-up on Oakland Road and H Avenue Northeast happened just days ago.

Many who live in the area, like Cameron Macaw, didn't even know what was behind the mess.

"I just came home, saw the road work signs, saw the cones, people sitting and honking at each other,” Macaw said.

Besides the traffic confusion and delays, Public Works said road blow-ups can be dangerous with chunks of concrete lying in the road.

And it turns out, heat wasn't the only thing to blame for the mess.

"Part of it is the condition of our road system. It is older. We average somewhere greater than 50 years old, overall, for our road system in Cedar Rapids. That's a major factor,” said Craig Hanson with Cedar Rapids Public Works.

Each summer the city spends tens of thousands of dollars on the problem.

Something that is hard to handle when city budgets are tight.

"The cost of construction material has doubled in the last decade and the material budget has not held up with them, so we have a significant issue here,” Hanson said.

Public Works said if drivers hit one of the holes their insurance would have to pay for it.