Some of those potholes are big enough to be potentially damaging to tires and suspension systems. Greg Smothers, Illinois Department of Transportation's operations engineer for the 9th District, said the damage to roadways is inevitable. It's pretty typical when you go through more freeze-thaw cycles like we have this year. Last year was not as damaging to roadways as this winter has been. Smothers attributes that to last year's much milder winter.
Potholes occur when moisture gets under the road material, such as through cracks in the surface.
As temperatures drop below freezing, the moisture freezes, pushing up on the pavement. When the water thaws, empty space is left behind. The flexing of the pavement through freezing and thawing damages the road surface, and traffic driving over the damaged area creates the pothole. Older roads, where the pavement has surface cracks, are particularly prone to winter damage. Bruce Francis, supervisor of grounds for SIUC, said damage is just starting to show on the University's streets.