IDOT preps for potential parvement buckles, urges drivers to take caution

With extreme heat hitting the state, the Illinois Department of Transportation urges people to drive with caution and look out for potential pavement buckles.

Pavement buckles​ occur on surfaces that experience a significant change in air temperature, generally from moderate to extreme heat. The temperatures may cause the road to expand and buckle, leading to uneven surfaces, according to IDOT.

IDOT says crews are ready to respond in the case of pavement buckles.

“The hottest week of the year means the potential for pavement failures will increase,” said says Omer Osman, Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary. “At IDOT, we will have the necessary staffing and materials in place to make repairs as quickly as possible."

IDOT asks drivers to stay alert and to avoid driving over buckled roads. Drivers and passengers are also encouraged to have extra drinking water in the case of being stranded from a pavement buckle.

You can report pavement buckles by calling IDOT at 1-800-452-4368.