Yes, daily commuters, it's that time of the year once again!
As Winter haltingly relinquishes its grip to warming temps and the inevitable thaw, a challenge is presented to drivers across the America's Snow Belt. With Spring sitting teasingly just beyond the calendar's horizon, snow and ice give way to blacktop that hasn't been seen for months, trapped this Winter under layers of an impenetrable permafrost.
The big melt reveals roadways that in spots are in a state of severe deterioration. Craters the size of Baltic countries, fissures capable of swallowing a Prius whole, and teeth rattling jolts from "puddles" hiding deep water glacier lakes!
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Terror, Thy name is Thaw!
This year I dub this the Bent Tie-Rod Challenge in memory of the one destroyed just a week ago when I set out to forage for family sustinence at local pizza establishment. The jaw-jarring impact was exceeded only by the jaw-dropping cost of repair.
Find out what's happening in Hatboro-Horshamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The mechanics of pothole creation are fascinating.
OK ... Maybe that's a stretch. But it might be useful to keep in mind that it ain't the snow that's the enemy in this game of suspension system roulette. It's water and the freezing, thawing, freezing, thawing cycle. Exciting, I know ...
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