Pothole season has arrived
By Gillian Findley
The craterous holes leave drivers no choice but to jump into a real life video game. Just like the Nintendo game “Mario Kart,” drivers are dodging and swerving into both lanes, just to avoid the earth shaking collision between their cars and the dangerous dipping of New Jersey potholes.
The out of control caved in roads have become an issue in the state of New Jersey. The 2014 winters showed no mercy with the
incredible amounts of snow fall and below zero nights. The rough lumpy season left us with battered roads and vehicles dressed in a spare too many.
“I just want to park my car up for the rest of winter,” Wendi Forest, a senior majoring in communication said. “I can’t take the constant caution. I already bent my rim and probably need an alignment. Those fixtures aren’t cheap either! They have potholes all over Morris Ave and in Kean’s parking lot.”
Not only causing unbearable traffic and a bumpy ride, potholes are most likely the reason for harm to vehicles, causing flat tires, ruined rims, or worse. Cars are left needing more extreme repairs like wheel bearings or an alignment.
“I put the spare on my back passenger tire, and two days later, my front left blew out. These potholes are going to be the death me,” Keri Vasquez, a junior who is a commuter and majoring in education said.
But what are causing these potholes?
“I think the extreme weather changes are what are causing these crazy potholes. The winter has worn the roads more than any other winter I can remember,” Daneila Blake, a senior majoring in public administration said.
“Melted snow and ice seeps into the cracks in roadways. When the temperature drops, the water freezes and when it does it expands. When the weather warms up, the ice turns back to water. The pothole develops in the void left over from the ice. The pressure from traffic driving over the void cause the pavement to collapse, forming the pothole,” New Jersey’s Fast Traffic’s Bernie Wagenblasgt said on radio station 101.5.
Not only are the potholes harming vehicles, but they are also causing bumper to bumper traffic.
“I can’t believe the amount of traffic these potholes have given us these past couple of weeks,” Blake said.
Vehicles are slowing to even a complete stop to avoid these potholes.
“I have been stuck in standstill traffic on Morris Ave all week, for about 20 to 25 minutes,” Gabi Trepper, a sophomore who majors in English said.
According to News 12 New Jersey, pothole damage on state roads may be eligible for reimbursement through the Treasury Department. To report a pothole for repair in Union County, please call 908-789-3660.