Fix Potholes Right!

Pothole repairs, the way they're done now, are a waste of money. Often repairs are done under adverse conditions which are not conducive to an adequate remediation of the problem. I cringe every time I see road crews shoveling in new asphalt into a pothole full of water and muck. Asphalt contains oil and we all know oil and water do not mix. Companies contracted to repair these holes should adopt a better, longer lasting method for repairs.

I suggest they should isolate the hole (dam around it and cover the area with a tent to protect from moisture) and extricate all water from the area then use a blow torch to dry it and prepare the road surface to accept the patch. Furthermore, the hole's edges should be undercut to provide a key or tooth and coated with liquid tar to hold and seal the new material in place when it's solidified thereby preventing moisture from entering around the perimeter.. All this would take more time I know but in the end it would be a better fix and might even lead to longer lasting roads. Perhaps a feasibility study could determine the financial benefits of this idea.