It's already pothole season in Decorah

Pothole have already arrived in Decorah this month! 

Mid- to late-March is the typical time for potholes to appear on streets in town.  Decorah City Engineer Jeremy Bril says you can blame our weather--the cycles of cold weather, followed by warming temperatures and melting snow, followed again by cold weather.  Potholes are caused when water from the melting snow seeps into soil under the pavement and then freezes and thaws, weakening the road and leading to cracks.  The weight of vehicles driving over the road eventually turns the cracks into potholes

City crews will be heading out on Friday to put patches on the potholes, but Bril warns the patching might not hold up to certain weather conditions. He says, "We have been working the past week or so to pull accumulated snow away from the curb and haul it away. This makes it easier for the water to get where we want it – running along the curb/gutter. When water gets into the seams and out into the travel lanes (away from the curb and gutter), it increases the likelihood of a pothole developing. With the frequent freeze/thaw cycles we have been seeing lately, potholes are developing a little earlier than normal. These conditions also make it difficult to repair the potholes, as the asphalt cold mix we use to fill them tends to work best under warm, dry conditions. We expect the repair process to take some time so we greatly appreciate everyone's patience."

You can contact the Street Department at 382-2157 with any potholes that you've noticed.  City crews spend a lot of time traveling local streets, of course, but they can't be everywhere, so Bril says the public helps when it reports a pothole.