First the floods, now the potholes

VAN ZANDT – Recent storms across East Texas flooded roads making some impassable, but now as water recedes there could be new problems for drivers. Most roads have dried up but left behind a bumpy ride. Heavy down pours across Van Zandt County caused the creek on FM 875 to rise to high level, endangering drivers. “A vehicle decided to go around the TxDOT barricades and floated into the dry creek area, there were luckily no injuries,” Caden Mosher, with the Grand Saline Fire Department, said. When there is standing water with no where to go, it seeps into the cracks, creating pot holes.

“When you have critters and you have rain and you have wind and you have trees, all of these things, even the toughest roads are going to have problems,” Smith County Precinct 2 Commissioner John Moore said.
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Officials urge drivers to keep their eyes on the road and watch their speed as potholes can cause major damage to vehicles.

“You could potentially deal with are hitting, a pothole that wasn’t there 30 minutes before when you came through the first time, so watch the roads,” Moore said.

If there is a pothole, don’t assume officials know. A city road will be maintained by city road crews, whereas a county road would be through a local commissioner. TxDOT will maintain state highways and farm to market roads.