With winter almost over, drivers around the Ankeny DMACC campus are starting to notice more problems with the roads. Namely, pot holes.
Ned Miller, Director of the DMACC Physical Plant, said that next week they may start fixing the roads.
“We hope to start next week if the weather cooperates. The temperature needs to be above freezing and dry so we can clean and dry the pothole so the material will stay,” Miller said.
Miller noted that the school uses pressurized air to clean the holes and then they put a cold patch on the holes in order to fix them.
“Each bag of repair mix costs $18 to $20…so it depends on the number of potholes and their size,” Miller said.
According to Parker Friedrichsen, a Graphic Design major from Perry, Iowa, potholes are seen as more of a nuisance.
“Eh, I find them mildly annoying, having to do a quick swerve to avoid them,” Friedrichsen stated.
According to Miller, DMACC will spend several thousand dollars on potholes this spring.
He also stated that they keep an inventory of the roads and drives and the number of parking lots at DMACC and their condition. Although repairs and replacements are done as needed and when the budget allows.
According to Friedrichsen, the money could be of better use elsewhere.
“Repairing the potholes would be appreciated, but I can’t say if they’re really needed right at this moment,” Friedrichsen said.
Aundrea Hale, a Criminal Justice major at the Ankeny DMACC Campus agreed with Friedrichsen about the money being used elsewhere.
“I don’t see anything wrong with the roads the way they currently are. I think the money would be better spent elsewhere,” Hale said, “I vote on making the cafeteria food cheaper.”
Potholes happen when water melts and mixes with the melting agent used on the roads works its way down into the road surfaces through tiny cracks. Then after it repeatedly freezes and thaws, it breaks up the pavement causing a pothole to form.
Potholes are also one of the major forms of auto accidents.
In a study done by State Farm insurance, vehicle repairs from the damage caused by potholes can cost a driver anywhere from $300 to $700. While there is not much that can be done about the deterioration of the roads, they do recommend some driving tips around these menaces in disguise.
These tips include but are not limited to:
Try to take roads you know well. Your familiarity will help you avoid potholes.
When driving at night, travel on well-lit roads so you can see the surface.
Slow down. Give yourself a chance to see the pothole and avoid it before you’re in it.
If you hit a pothole, carefully inspect your tires and wheels for possible damage. Note how your car handles afterwards. If it “pulls” one way or the other or the steering feels wobbly, you may want to have your car checked by a professional.
If you can’t avoid a pothole, do your braking before impact. There’s less damage when a tire is rolling than skidding over a hole during braking. (State Farm Insurance)
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