Southeast Missouri roads buckle from heat

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Missouri Department of Transportation, or MODOT, is reporting 30 to 35 cases of road buckling due to sweltering heat in its Southeast region.

The damage, known as blow-ups, is caused by the expansion of concrete in the intense summer heat.

Maintenance superintendent Keith Gentry says his crews are working to fix the problems.

“They can still pass over it unless they get real rough or something like that. We’ll go in and push some jackhammers and bust it up. We’ll put some coal mix in there for a temporary patch and then we’ll come back and fix it later on then with a permanent repair,” Gentry said.

Gentry says blow-ups have been pretty widespread throughout the region. Some have occurred on the Interstates and on Highways 60 and 25.

He says this summer has not brought more buckled roads than an average summer.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

Posted in: heat dome,MODOT