This creates a saturated roadbed, with water trapped between the pavement and the remaining ice layer below. Heavy trucks and equipment traveling over inadequately supported road surfaces can result in permanent cracks and damage.
Enacting seasonal restrictions is based on multiple factors including solid frost depths, pavement and air temperatures, visual signs of pavement bleeding, pavement distress, saturation levels of roadbeds, and the ten-day forecast.
Neighboring cities and counties work closely together to discuss these factors and align enforcement when possible.
The OCRC has a 24-hour Seasonal Weight and Speed Restriction Hotline can be reached at 616-842-0086 or 1-800-394-0290. The OCRC also posts information about the status of seasonal weight restrictions on its website: ottawacorc.com.
More information regarding OCRC's seasonal restrictions and transportation permitting is available at ottawacorc.com/trucking/.
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Beyond the Plow: The Year-Round Efforts of Road Commissions
During winter's icy grip, we often witness the dedicated efforts of our road commission staff as they diligently clear snow and ice from our roadways.
However, their commitment to ensuring safe and efficient travel extends far beyond the winter months. The Road Commission plays a crucial role in year-round roadside maintenance that is indispensable for our community's well-being.
1. Pothole Patrol:
With the arrival of spring, crews shift their focus to combating the aftermath of winter weather. Potholes, the bane of every driver's existence, emerge with the thaw. We work tirelessly to identify and repair these road hazards, ensuring smoother and safer journeys for all.
2. Shoulder Stewardship:
Roadside shoulders may seem like simple stretches of land, but they are integral to road stability and drainage. Crews engage in routine maintenance of shoulders, preventing erosion and maintaining proper drainage to safeguard against potential road damage.
3. Vegetation Management:
Maintaining a clear line of sight is crucial for driver safety. Our team undertakes vegetation management, ensuring that overgrown trees, bushes, and grasses are trimmed to enhance visibility and minimize potential hazards on the roadside.
4. Culvert Care:
Culverts may go unnoticed by many, but they play a vital role in directing water flow beneath roadways. Our staff inspects, repair, and replaces culverts as needed, preventing water-related damage and maintaining the structural integrity of roads.
5. Signage Vigilance:
Clear and visible signage is a fundamental aspect of road safety. Our team regularly inspect and maintain road signs, ensuring that crucial information is easily accessible to drivers and pedestrians.
Our team works year-round to keep our roadways safe, efficient, and resilient. Beyond the snowplows, their commitment to proactive maintenance ensures that our communities can thrive on well-maintained, reliable roads.
The next time you cruise down a smoothly paved road, take a moment to appreciate the comprehensive efforts of our road commissions, whose dedication goes far beyond the winter plow.
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Greetings from the Mitten State! As winter tightens its grip, so does the perennial challenge of potholes on our roads. Ever wondered how these craters form? Let's uncover the mystery.
Freeze, Fracture, and Thaw:
Michigan's weather plays a role. Winter's freeze-thaw cycles cause water to infiltrate road surfaces, cracking and weakening them.
Traffic's Toll:
Constant traffic adds stress, hastening pavement deterioration. The dynamic duo of freeze-thaw and traffic sets the stage for pothole formation.
Salt's Impact:
To combat ice, salt is used, but it accelerates corrosion, further compromising road integrity. The weakened pavement becomes a hotbed for potholes.
Endless Cycle:
Come spring, melting snow and ice worsen the situation, as water seeps into the weakened pavement, hastening pothole formation. It's a perpetual challenge.
Our Call to Action:
Though we can't control the weather, proactive road maintenance, durable materials, and innovative infrastructure solutions can mitigate pothole impacts. Let's collaborate to keep Michigan's roads smoother and safer.
Safe travels!
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Paved roads aren't the only
roads that deal with the
effects of weather.
The ups and downs of winter temperatures, combined with varying types of precipitation, can play a
number on gravel roads in
Ottawa County.
The effect of frost leaving the ground during thaw periods is compounded by large amounts of rain and/or snow melt during the late winter/early spring season.
The fines (silt and clay) in the gravel road that are needed to bind the sand and gravel together under normal conditions become oversaturated and weak during this thaw process.
The silt and clay also hinder excess moisture from draining through the gravel. What was once a frozen and solid road turns soft, unstable and muddy.
The best cure for allowing these “muddy” gravel roads to dry out is warm, dry temperatures and a good wind.
Crews' attempts to grade and/or place gravel on top of “muddy” gravel roads can turn the road into a bigger mess than if it were left alone.
The Road Commission monitors the gravel roads, and once conditions warrant, we will grade and reshape them as necessary.
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