Why does the WVDOH patch roads instead of repaving them?

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — Potholes are a common problem across West Virginia’s country roads with bigger ones seemingly popping up each year. But when crews with the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) go out to make repairs each year, why do they just patch the holes with asphalt instead of repaving the road altogether?

During an episode of the WVDOH’s podcast, “WV on the DOT,” Chief Engineer of District Operations Joe Pack talks about the topic and compares West Virginia’s roads to maintenance on a car.

“When I need a new set of tires I don’t trade the car in and go get a new car. When it needs an oil change I don’t say ‘oh well, this oil is three months old. I better get a new car.’ No, I change the oil. I do maintenance,” Pack said. “The same thing happens with our roadway surfaces.”

Pack said that after the WVDOH completes a resurfacing project, there should be several years where they don’t have to do any maintenance to it. However, he said that once the WVDOH has to begin maintaining the road, crews have to extend the “cost life-cycle” of the project for as long as possible through maintenance measures like patching.

“The resources are not available to resurface a road every single time a pothole arises,” Pack said. “Resurfacing in itself is extremely expensive. To resurface a mile of roadway using a full contract project for a two-lane road is close to $300,000.”

According to Pack, road maintenance factors in more than just patching roads and includes things like drainage system maintenance and removal of tree canopies which he said can bring in sunlight and extend the life of the roadway by evaporating water that eats into the sub-base of the road and melting ice without the use of salt during the winter.

Pack said that the goal of the WVDOH is to resurface every roadway across the state about once every 20 years, featuring “a lot of maintenance in between.” He also said that roads with higher traffic volumes will need repairs sooner, so the 20-year cycle is an overall average.

Every spring, the WVDOH sends out crews across the state to find and fill potholes on roads across West Virginia. In January, Gov. Jim Justice announced “Operation R.I.P. Potholes” which looked to take advantage of 2024’s early warm weather to patch as many potholes as possible statewide.

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