Operation R.I.P. Potholes announced by the WVDOH and Gov. Justice
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CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — The West Virginia Division of Highways and Governor Jim Justice are getting a head start on pothole repairs with the announcement of Operation R.I.P. Potholes.
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Although asphalt plants are normally closed for maintenance in winter, the warmer weather means that they are needed to provide asphalt for paving and patching earlier than expected.
Our partners in the asphalt industry are cooperating with us to open during the off-season to provide us with hot asphalt to make needed repairs.
Joe Pack | P.E., WVDOH Chief Engineer of Operations
An asphalt plant in Poca, West Virginia opened on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, and asphalt plants in Princeton, West Virginia and Morgantown, West Virginia will open on Monday February 5, 2024 after talks with the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH).
The WVDOH and their contractors, who rely on the asphalt plants providing hot asphalt for paving and patching, will be able to make hot mix pothole repairs in the north central and southern parts of the state, due to the asphalt plants opening earlier than normal.
Photo Credit- West Virginia Department of Transportation Photo Credit- West Virginia Department of Transportation
West Virginia roads are in a state of disrepair after a variety of weather including a freeze/thaw cycle of snow and very cold temperatures, and then warm temperatures and rain. Pothole repairs done during the winter by WVDOH road crews are temporary. Hot asphalt is needed for permanent pothole repairs, which the early opening of the asphalt plants will allow.
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The early opening of the plant in Princeton will mean that patching jobs can be completed in southern West Virginia Counties such as Mercer, McDowell, Monroe, Raleigh, Wyoming, Fayette, and Summers.
The Morgantown plant will help complete patching jobs in the upper north central part of West Virginia in Harrison, Doddridge, Preston, Taylor, Marion, and Monongalia counties.
The Poca asphalt plant opening will allow patching jobs to be done in work zones, roads, interstates in Boone, Clay, Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln, Mingo, Mason, Wayne, Putnam, and Logan counties.
In places where hot mix will not be available due to asphalt plants being down for maintenance, there will still be crews out doing temporary patch jobs.
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