INDOT warns drivers to be alert for potholes because of thaw

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indiana Department of Transportation is warning drivers to be on alert for potholes because of warming temperatures following the recent cold snap.

INDOT officials say rain expected Friday also will be a factor.

Potholes form when cracks develop in pavement from aging, traffic wear and winter freeze-thaw cycles. Potholes begin when water seeps into these cracks and freezes, expanding the layers of pavement, stone and soil. As the ice melts and contracts, heavy highway traffic further loosens the pavement, forming potholes.

INDOT says with temperatures too low for paving, most of Indiana's hot-mix asphalt plants are now closed. During the winter INDOT uses cold mix, a mixture of small stone and liquid asphalt, as a temporary patch. But those potholes require ongoing maintenance.