Warmer weather means more asphalt being made, more paving underway

CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – Drivers on area interstates and state highways in all three states in the WOWK-TV viewing area have likely seen more work crews filling in potholes or covering even larger areas of damaged road with asphalt. Some larger scale paving projects are also getting back underway for one main reason: the warmer weather.

The plants that make asphalt in the region are now able to open and operate because the temperatures are warm enough for the material to stay hot, flexible and adhesive enough to be trucked onto site and put down in the manner engineers want.

“Warm to cool asphalt is useless and loses its consistency and won’t compact properly. Rain is prohibitive due to the waters’ presence in the milled pothole. (Water or cold air) will prevent bonding of the tack to the existing asphalt and prevent bonding to the hot mix asphalt,” said Joe Pack, WV DOH District 10 Engineer.

Temperatures now in the region average 60s during the day, allowing more “mill and fill” operations for the highways workers as they repair stretches of potholes on area roadways. This week (April 5-10) has been a bonanza of warm temperatures for crews to work in.

Moving ahead, the night time temperatures also warm up. The average last hard freeze takes place in April, meaning crews have more hours to work to apply not only the patch material but also asphalt meant to pave over older road surfaces or even new applications for new road surfaces.

So if you thought orange construction cones also bloom in the warm season, you’re correct, because the warmer days and nights means more work can be done.

Add extra time for your trips as crews are working day and night in many areas, especially on interstates in the region and slow down in construction zones to help keep workers, and you, safe.