With little snow, why is Summerlin Parkway so potholey?

Day after day, the TV weather forecasters showed one Siberian Express after another pummeling the Northeast. It was a winter of discontent for millions of Northerners. And, at times, there was an aura of smugness in the tones of the weather forecasters as they reported how we in the West were basking in warmth and sunshine, compared to those living in the snowbelt states.

We watched the plows build mountains of snow in some northeastern cities while clearing the roads. We saw the potholes that littered those roads and how they grew into the kinds of craters that would produce hefty repair bills on vehicular axles. And all the time we kept hearing about the layers of ice on top of the snow, caused by frigid temperatures, all of which played havoc with the roads.

That brings us to the realization of our roads in Las Vegas, and it poses this question: Why is it that we find hazardous cracks and even potholes on Summerlin’s roads? Thankfully, we had no blizzards or icy roads. In fact, aside from Mount Charleston, we didn’t have snow to speak of, except for occasional flakes.

So why should Summerlin, and particularly Summerlin Parkway, be plagued with potholes and other road damage after every winter? Especially frustrating is having to endure endless lines of those orange road cones that close off entire lanes, invariably creating monumental traffic jams.

The answer is a common denominator of weather conditions. While snow, ice and frosty temperatures are the ideal recipe for creating pothole hazards on the roads up north, in Southern Nevada, hot and cold temperature extremes, combined with dry air, are equally to blame for developing potholes and annoying crevices in the roads.

“We have our share of potholes,” although not of the crater variety, said Mike Janssen, assistant traffic engineer for the city of Las Vegas. “The major reason we get cracks and potholes on many of our roads is due to temperature extremes. We go from the 20s on some mornings in winter to summer pavements that reach 140 degrees.”

That, combined with our generally dry climate, causes expansion and contraction, which in turn creates cracks on the roads, Janssen explained.

“But that doesn’t mean we’re not out there patching cracks and potholes as soon as we become aware of them,” he noted. In fact, Janssen went so far as to issue a public appeal for anyone to contact his office to report potholes, cracks and any other damage on roads.

“We’ll be out there almost immediately to repair any road in Las Vegas, once we have been notified. Contact us online at our computer website, www.lasvegasnv.com, or call my office at 702-229-6227 to report potholes, cracks and other road damage,” Janssen said. “And if you find that traffic signals and streetlights aren’t working, you can report those also by calling 702-229-6327.”

One roadway that requires repair almost on a regular basis, especially along its ramps, is Summerlin Parkway.

“Every spring and summer, we address every ramp on Summerlin Parkway,” said Jerry Walker, deputy operations and maintenance director for the city.

Walker added that this year, of the 18 entry and exit ramps on the parkway, expanded cracks will necessitate asphalt patching on seven ramps, and another seven will require a more complete surface overlay.

He explained how he and his colleagues are proud of a preventative maintenance program in which “once every 10 years, every residential street is closely inspected, and asphalt patchwork is applied where necessary.

“Our pavements have a form of elasticity,” he said, explaining the need to accommodate expansion and contraction caused by weather conditions. Unlike the Northeast, where water commonly filters under pavement, resulting in surface damage, Walker said that “in Las Vegas, the high heat of summer causes oil in the asphalt to lose its elasticity,” which often results in deterioration of the road surface.

He noted that potholes are not as much of a problem in Las Vegas as elsewhere.

“We’ll fix a pothole within 24 hours after we hear about it,” he said. But cracks and crevices are more prevalent along the 1,345 miles of center-line roads in Las Vegas, he added.

Herb Jaffe was an op-ed columnist and investigative reporter for most of his 39 years at the Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J. His most recent novel, “Double Play,” is now available. Contact him at hjaffe@cox.net.