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TDOT patches potholes in the rain, urging drivers to slow down and keep workers safe

TDOT crews are working to temporarily resurface potholes that opened as rain pours down across East Tennessee.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Crews with the Tennessee Department of Transportation have been working to patch big potholes that may have gotten even bigger with all this rain. 

In the meantime, thousands of cars and their splashing tires drove by them.

"We always ask that motorists use extreme caution anytime that they see our crews working, especially when it's pothole patching," said Mark Nagi, a TDOT spokesperson.

TDOT explained those fixes were temporary because of the bad weather. He said when they don't have dry asphalt, it's much harder to make permanent repairs on the roads.

"This is the time of year where we don't have access to very much hot asphalt," Mark Nagi said. 

In general, potholes form from cracks in the roads and as time goes by TDOT said those get larger as water seeps beneath the surface — especially with freezing and melting rain and snow. During colder weather, more potholes can usually be found on the roads as the water expands and turns into ice, opening up holes.

And potholes can cause a lot of car problems for East Tennessee drivers.

"Unfortunately, potholes are just something that drivers have to deal with," said Megan Cooper, a AAA spokesperson. 

Some of the top three reasons Cooper said they receive calls at any time of the year are because of battery-related issues, tire-related issues and lockouts. She said they can't be certain if a tire was damaged due to a pothole accident, but during springtime, they see many of calls from drivers reporting issues with their tires.

TDOT said it helps when people report any potholes they may come across. The state also provides the possibility of getting reimbursed if drivers damage their tires at a pothole, as long as it was damaged under specific circumstances.

Both Cooper and Nagi urge drivers to try to avoid potholes when driving by being aware of their surroundings and of any hazards. 

But if they cannot avoid a pothole, Cooper said it's best to slow down to minimize possible damages.

"Slow down as much as you can, as much as you safely can center your wheels, and that will try to lessen the impact of that pothole, and hopefully try to prevent some of that damage," Cooper said.

   

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