Rain causes delays for road crews

Mid-Missouri has seen one the the wettest summers in quite some time. Columbia Public Works said it’s been a headache for road crews.

The rain water seeps through the cracks in the road and settles in the ground under the pavement. Crews have been trying to get out and seal those cracks, but it’s been hit and miss this summer due to consistent rain.

The main concern is for this coming winter. If the water currently under the pavement doesn’t dry out, it could freeze.

“Water just getting infiltration into our sub grades and then having the freeze/thaw in the winter. That’s when the real damage occurs. So, we’re trying to do an aggressive chip/seal program and crack/seal program to keep that water from getting into the pavement,” said Dave Nichols, assistant director for Columbia Public Works.

All the rain has created a backlog of work for Columbia road crews. Officials said they’re not concerned yet, but are running out of time in the season to complete projects, possibly creating a need to push them to next year.