Officials with the Nebraska Department of Transportation are advising motorists on the Interstate to use caution while passing through the Heartland Expressway – Highway 71 interchange.
The deck of both the east- and west-bound bridges at exit 22 have buckled pavement, which can be a surprise if drivers are not paying attention.
NDOT District Five engineer Doug Hoevet tells us potholes on the bridges were filled, but the problems are due to the nature of the fill material. He says the mastic becomes more pliable with the hot weather, and the pressure from passing vehicles pushes it around so the bridge deck becomes uneven.
He says the issue is compounded at night, when cool temperatures harden the patches before heavier traffic hits the road the following morning.
