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Potholes a priority for road crews

Road crews are out working to patch a plethora of potholes, which are a particular problem in the winter months.

Have you noticed a bumpier drive lately? Blame it on the potholes!

Winter weather is the perfect time for potholes to open up. They are created when moisture seeps into the pavement, freezes, expands and then thaws. That weakens the pavement, and traffic loosens it even more, and it eventually crumbles and pops out.

TDOT crews are out patching potholes every day on interstates and state roads, but they can only use temporary patches because the weather is so cold.

A spokesperson says TDOT knows how frustrating driving around potholes can be, but he has a few tips for drivers.

"Make sure they have extra room to move over if they see a pothole or slow down as well, make sure they give enough space around them. That can help," says Mark Nagi.

Heavily traveled roads have more potholes because of the amount of use. Bridges and ramps, which receive heavy doses of snow-removal chemicals in the winter, are also more prone to potholes.

You can report potholes to TDOT by calling 865-594-2408.

In the City of Knoxville, you can call 311 to report a pothole from a landline phone. Others can call (865) 215-4311. They try to respond to pothole calls with 48 hours.

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