Downtown Indy is full of potholes, but road repairs are happening before NBA All-Star weekend
Construction workers were spotted downtown on Monday working to repave the roads before the NBA All-Star weekend.
If you're traveling into Indy for the game, here's what you need to know about Indianapolis' potholes.
How do potholes happen?
Potholes are created when water seeps beneath the pavement through cracks, according to Indianapolis' website. As the temperature drops, the water freezes and expands, causing the pavement to rise. As the ice melts, it creates an empty cavity beneath the pavement, so when a vehicle passes over one, it collapses and creates a pothole.
Indianapolis experienced a lot of ice and snow last month, meaning there's been an increase in potholes.
How are potholes repaired?
There are only two ways to repair them: With hot mix or cold asphalt patches.
Hot mix is the preferred method of repair, however, it's only used during warm months because asphalt factories are closed during the colder months. Cold asphalt patches are the alternative method when the weather is too cold for hot mix, but they are not as permanent of a fix as hot mix.
NBA All-Star weekend: Here's the weather forecast
Residents can report potholes, but it may take up to a week and a half before potholes are filled. Crews are often unable to repair potholes when it is raining, snowing or during very cold weather.
On busier roads with multiple potholes and weather damage, they might even decide to just resurface the road.
Katie Wiseman is a trending news intern at IndyStar. Contact her at klwiseman@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @itskatiewiseman.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: What to know about potholes if you're driving downtown Indy for the game
