Sure Sign of Spring

Here in the northern New England region, we have some real problems with roads during the cold weather months, what with all that snow, icing, et al. But when things warm up, it gets even worse. When the temp starts to go up, the frost line below the ground surface, which gets as deep as 4 feet here, starts to melt and as a result buckles the road surfaces, creating what we call "Frost Heaves". These can be as minor as a minor bump or dip in some roads, or as drastic as entire slabs of paved roadway heaving up above adjacent sections that have different ground temperatures.

Needless to say, these conditions are hell on motor vehicles. I'll try to snap some photos of some bad stretches of road as I find them. The better roads, like our Interstates, are pretty much exempt from these problems, but many of the State roads are a living hell, especially NH Route 132, which runs from Ashland south thru New Hampton to Concord. I'll be driving that one tomorrow, so wish me luck.