Share this Story : The Sarnia Observer Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

Philp: Potholes aren't created overnight

Almost every driver knows the sudden, bone-rattling shock of hitting a hidden pothole.

Almost every driver knows the sudden, bone-rattling shock of hitting a hidden pothole. One moment you are cruising smoothly down a familiar street, and the next, a violent jolt travels up through the steering wheel, jarring your spine and making you pray your tires and rims survived the impact.

If you decide to escape the city for a quiet drive in the country, you might trade those sudden craters for a relentless, vibrating chatter that shakes your entire vehicle on a gravel road.

Philp: Potholes aren't created overnight Back to video

While these two rough rides feel entirely different, they both represent nature waging a constant physical battle against human engineering.

The creation of a pothole begins long before that jarring impact. It starts with a microscopic flaw in the asphalt and the unique physical properties of water. Asphalt is incredibly tough, but it is not perfectly impermeable.

Over time, the constant weight of passing traffic and the slow degradation of the surface from sunlight create tiny cracks. When rain falls or........

© Sarnia Observer