Pavement in Minnesota may buckle as heat moves in, MnDOT says. Here's how to report trouble spots.
MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Department of Transportation says the next few days' worth of hot weather in Minnesota and the Twin Cities could result in pavement buckling along certain stretches.
Concrete usually lasts for about 50 years, but the surface expands when heated and, thus, needs room to grow. If it can't expand freely, it buckles.
"The warmer the temperature the more the pavement material expands. The sun heats the pavement, and the pavement expands and then buckles. Buckles more commonly occur on older concrete pavements," MnDOT reports. "Blacktop pavement is a more flexible material and does not usually blow up but may create a bump similar to a frost heave, especially in areas where concrete and blacktop meet."
Unusual for summer, the Twin Cities has yet to see its first 90-degree day this year, despite at least one close call 7 — June 16 registered an 89-degree reading at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, which is the official location for metro weather records.
But WCCO's NEXT Weather team is tracking a significant uptick in high temperatures moving in as we approach the weekend. WCCO meteorologist Adam Del Rosso says to expect heat in the upper 80s in the coming days, and heat indices in the low 90s. But by early next week, the metro area should cool back down closer to 80 degrees.
What to do if you see buckled pavement
The transportation department said, first and foremost, do not try to drive over a pavement buckle if you can avoid it.
Instead, the agency says you should slow down and move your vehicle into another lane.
The agency warned motorists to be on the lookout for those potential pavement buckles and to contact 911 if they encounter one, as MnDOT considers these cases to be an emergency.
"Crews who are patching or mowing are reassigned to fix the pavement buckles. Please be patient with workers and other motorists on the road," the agency said.
As an example of how buckled concrete can affect roads, MnDOT shared a video clip of a buckle that happened along Highway 36 in Little Canada during the summer of 2016.