Road crews are focusing on pothole repairs

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Road crews are shifting their focus from plowing to repairing roads after the previous weeks of snow and ice.

Missouri Department of Transportation crews were out on Thursday repairing potholes after clearing ice and snow-covered roads the day before.

MoDOT said they had crews report overnight to avoid high traffic roads like Interstate 70,  Route 63 and US 54. 

Both Columbia Public Works and MoDOT road crews encourage travelers to report any potholes they see.

"There are a number of things we consider in terms of paying for the damage," MoDOT Central District Engineer Machelle Watkins. "One of the things is we want to be sure that it's on a state route and then of course in order to do so we need to have known about the pothole."

MoDOT's Columbia road crews used over 30 tons of patching material and 30 gallons of tack oil in one-night filling potholes but there are still many potholes that could cause issues.

Watkins said, "I think the people would be best to stay in their vehicles and not out in traffic ways. Certainly, if they can make mental notes of where that pothole is and report it as soon as they are aware of that fact that’s the safest way to go about it."

MoDOT crews will continue to focus on potholes around the clock through the end of the day on Jan. 31, with work on major routes again taking place overnight.

MoDOT has a website where travelers can file a claim from damages caused by potholes.