AASHTO Journal, 25 March 2016
The New Jersey Department of Transportation this spring is deploying what it says are “13 state-of-the-art pothole-filling machines” that keep road-repair workers in their truck cabs while forward-mounted hydraulic arms and hoses fill in pavement holes with hot patch material.
The department said that “although this past winter was mild in comparison to the previous two winters, the blizzard in January as well as several snow and rain storms have produced a large number of potholes on state highways, which pose a risk for motorists.”
Acting Commissioner Richard Hammer announced the March 17 start of a statewide campaign. “Now that the worst of winter is likely behind us, our crews will focus on repairing potholes on state highways as quickly as possible to ensure New Jerseys roads are in good condition,” he said.
In addition to the NJDOT usual winter pothole repair method of using cold patch material, the agency said its hot-patch machines “make a more durable repair than cold-patch. The pothole-filling machine is a truck that can heat a mix of asphalt and gravel before injecting the mixture into the pothole. These machines require just one person to operate, with another worker operating a safety truck.”
More state DOTs are using equipment that keeps their road repair crews in the vehicles rather than out on the road where they are at higher risk of injury from passing traffic and inattentive drivers.
Earlier this month, two employees of the New Mexico DOT died when they were outside their department vehicle filling potholes when a motorist crashed into their vehicle and knocked it into them.
In New Jersey, the state DOT reportedly began using the Pothole Killer machines from the Patch Management firm in December 2012, when it leased six units.
In this month’s announcement, NJDOT Assistant Commissioner for Operations and Maintenance Andrew Tunnard said: “The pothole-filling machines provide several advantages to the traditional ‘throw-and-go’ method where a crew shovels cold patch into a pothole. The machines save time and money by providing a more lasting repair. They also allow our crews to cover a larger area more quickly and safely because the worker doesn’t have to get out of the truck.”
The NJDOT said it typically repairs about 180,000 potholes a year, although for the past two years it repaired an average of 270,000 each year because of the severe winters. So far in the fiscal year that began last July 1, it has filled more than 136,000 potholes, with the busiest repair season just starting.
Here is an NJDOT video of one of its “Pothole Killers” machines trucks in action.
