Staff: Winter workload keeps road crews busy with asphalt, pothole and guardrail work

Two staff members said at a meeting that road maintenance continues year-round and that winter can be busier than summer, with crews performing sweeping, crack sealing, pothole patching, guardrail and barrier repairs, sign repairs and overseeing construction projects.

“All maintenance responsibilities, whatever the season, continue to go on. I mean, there's still always, sweeping that needs to take place, there's construction projects going on that they oversee, there's, crack sealing and pothole patching, repairing guardrail, repairing barrier, repairing signs. So, still plenty of activities, to take care of,” Speaker 1, staff member, said.

Speaker 2, staff member, said cooler weather affects how crews work with asphalt and can make winter the busier season: “We're busier in the wintertime than we are the summertime probably with all of our projects and upkeep of the asphalt.” The staff members noted crews prefer cooler conditions for certain work because materials and equipment perform differently in heat.

The speakers also referenced unusual recent snowfall patterns in a comparison offered during the meeting. A staff member said a meteorologist had joked that New Orleans had received more snow than Salt Lake City that week, and cited figures of “6 inches versus 10 inches.” The remark underscored that weather can change quickly and affect maintenance scheduling.

Discussion at the meeting focused on the scope of routine maintenance and how seasonal weather influences crew activity and scheduling. No formal actions or votes were recorded on this topic during the session.