Freeze thaw effect concern on roads after weeks of warm weather
After weeks of warm weather, some call this round of snow a relief.
“I like it. We needed the moisture so badly,” said Kathy Hardgrove, a driver.
“I can’t wait for the trees to green up, sprout out and get ready for spring time,” said Glenn Puchalla, a driver.
Spring also means roads thaw out in the day and freeze over at night when temperatures drop. It’s the time when drivers start to see the freeze thaw effect really hit the roads.
“The ground started thawing out, and then we’ll still get the colder temperatures at night time, so we start to get that freeze thaw effect,” said Kenneth Quintana, supervisor for the Colorado Department of Transportation.
If drivers aren’t cautious, it can be problematic.
“I don’t like when it ices over. I tend to slide a lot and I’m not really good at driving in it,” said Christy Montoya, a driver.
C-DOT is reminding drivers to be aware that this is also a time when rock slides start moving in.
“If you’re driving up to the canyon, especially if you’ve been around here long enough and you know about the rockfall, just always be alert and aware of your surroundings. There’s signs up there to tell people that it’s a rock fall area. But as you’re driving up there, just kind of watch the side of the canyon and drive cautiously,” said Quintana.
Quintana said Highway 24 and the eastbound ramp onto Manitou Avenue are both high risk areas for rock slides.
Rock slides are also common in the summertime when the area gets heavy rain. C-DOT has a budget of $9.3 million for rock fall issues.
In spring, the snow is more wet and melts quickly, that is also a concern for drivers.
“You have a higher chance to hydroplane, and that means your tires are not touching the pavement. There’s a thin layer of water, and that can be very dangerous,” said Maile Gray, executive director of Drive Smart Colorado.
This is also the time drivers start to see more pot holes.
“We’re experiencing those pesky potholes again and a light layer of snow will cover a pothole and you wont be able to see it, so you really have to watch where you’re going,” said Gray.
