If you live in an area that had a harsh winter, you’ll likely have an increasingly hazardous pothole season.
Springtime is upon us! Unfortunately, that doesn’t just mean warm weather, stellar sunshine and vibrant plant life. It also means increasingly hazardous roadways. Potholes appear in greater numbers during the transition to springtime, especially in areas that have experienced a particularly harsh winter. Thus – it is pothole season, Marylanders. Are you on high alert? PTG Enterprises is here with more information about how to address and avoid the dangers of potholes.
What is Pothole Season?
Have you grown accustomed to seeing giant mounds of snow piled high on the side of roadways or in parking lots around the area? It took months, but most of those mounds are finally almost fully melted away and if you haven’t noticed – there is damage nearby. Inclement weather is damaging to asphalt pavement. Why? Because rain, melted snow and ice can seep into the tiniest crevices in asphalt. When that melted water refreezes due to cold weather, it expands and increases pressure within the asphalt resulting in a crack, break, and eventually – pothole. If left untreated, the potholes in your roadway or parking lot will worsen and become more hazardous.
What Are The Dangers of Pothole Season?
Potholes pose serious dangers to motorists and pedestrians. Not only can coming in contact with a pothole damage the tire, frame and body of your vehicle – it can cause you to swerve in response to the sudden hazard and collide with other motorists or nearby pedestrians. As a pedestrian in a parking lot with asphalt damage, you could also sustain injuries from tripping and falling.
How to Avoid Potholes
If you want to avoid potholes, be on high visual alert for their presence when you are traveling on an asphalt surface. Pay close attention to the presence of standing water or rain in potholes, as it is more difficult to gauge their depth. The deeper a pothole is, the more likely it is to cause damage. To avoid potholes, you should drive a safe distance away from other vehicles in order to shift lanes around the damage safely. If there is no safe way to avoid a pothole in your path, approach it at a lower speed for less impact. If your commercial property is suffering from asphalt damage, you should rectify it immediately to avoid liability for injuries and damage.
Need Commercial Asphalt Maintenance? Call PTG Enterprises!
PTG Enterprises has been in the asphalt paving, concrete, and masonry business for more than a decade. We have seen it all before and we know the telltale warning signs of asphalt and pavement failure. And as a member of the Community Association Institute (CAI), National Facilities Management and Technology (NFMT), and Maryland Multi-Housing Association (MMHA) we are well-positioned to help you make the right financial decisions for your property or community association.
PTG stands out as an industry leader due to our methodology of pavement management planning: a systematic, long-term approach to managing and extending the life of your pavement. We will work with you to develop a comprehensive strategy to extend and maximize the lifespan of your asphalt and concrete surfaces.
If you have any questions about winter asphalt maintenance, please contact PTG Enterprises today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! You can also check us out on Facebook and Twitter.
Tags: Asphalt Maintenance, Potholes
