Report potholes to PennDOT

Everyone hates potholes. Unfortunately, they are a fact of life in Pennsylvania, thanks to our severe freeze/thaw cycle.
Temperatures in Pennsylvania can fluctuate between freezing and mild daily during the winter months. After precipitation occurs, the water seeps into the soil below the roadway surface. When it gets colder, the precipitation freezes and the ground expands, pushing the pavement up. Then, the weather warms and the precipitation melts, leaving a gap between the pavement and ground below it. When a vehicle drives over the cavity, the pavement surface cracks, falls into the hollow space, and creates a pothole.
So, winters with a lot of precipitation (not necessarily just snow) and fluctuations in temperature often result in more potholes. Sounds like a typical Pennsylvania winter, right?
Fixing potholesThe Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) can only fix potholes if it knows about them. Motorists are encouraged to report potholes on state-owned roadways by calling 1-800-FIX-ROAD or visiting customercare.penndot.gov. When reporting a pothole, be as specific as possible. If possible, note the county, municipality, street name, or route number. Descriptions of familiar landmarks that could help PennDOT locate the problem area are also useful.
During the winter, crews will make road repairs when possible — meaning when the weather permits. Because of low temperatures, pothole repairs will only be temporary, using a mixture called cold patch — asphalt mixed with soap, water, and fine stones. The soap and water allow the material to remain flexible so crews can work with it. After the soap and water evaporate, the material becomes hard.
In the spring, the state's asphalt plants open, and warm mix becomes available for more permanent repairs. Warm mix is a mixture of pure asphalt and fine stone heated to about 250-265 degrees Fahrenheit. The pothole is cut square, cleaned, and then treated with a tack-coat of asphalt that acts as glue. After the tack-coat application, the hot mix is placed into the pothole and compacted using a roller or other device.