PHOENIX – A late winter storm this week and more precipitation expected next week have Arizona Department of Transportation maintenance crews in patrol-and-patch mode as they address pavement-repair needs on Interstate 40 and Interstate 17 in the high country.

Potholes can pop up quickly when moisture seeps into and below asphalt, which in northern Arizona can be stressed by the combination of freezing overnight temperatures and daytime thawing. The Flagstaff area usually experiences more than 200 daily freeze-thaw cycles each year. Add heavy traffic, and this stressed pavement can break away.

After weeks of making permanent repairs, including laying asphalt over rough stretches of pavement, crews over the next week will be out patching any potholes that have formed as a result of the latest storms. Forecasted rain showers and snow in the high country will delay other work.

ADOT responds aggressively to the annual challenge of potholes from winter weather. Crews make temporary and then permanent repairs to potholes as soon as possible.

ADOT has two projects coming later this year along I-40 between Flagstaff and Williams that will add a new layer of pavement in both directions.