ROSALIA, Wash. – The current heatwave across the western U.S. is affecting roadways in Eastern Washington, as it’s causing multiple roads to buckle.
Just south of Rosalia near the Horn School Rest Area, U.S. 195 saw at least three instances of the road buckling Tuesday.
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) repaired Tuesday’s three spots.
“It can be pretty minor buckling where it’s just that much pressure building up and we see little chunks on the road and we have to break that free and relieve the pressure…the one that happened last night was pretty severe and it actually lifted the panel about a foot and a half into the air,” Reid Wagner, a highway maintenance supervisor for WSDOT, said.
Wagner told NonStop Local that road buckling on this part of the highway is not uncommon, but it is still concerning.
The high heat essentially causes the road’s concrete to expand, creating the “buckle.”
WSDOT expects to see more spots of road buckling with the current heat wave.
Their crews will be out monitoring roadways throughout the next few days to be able to respond quickly.
