Heat Buckling Roads in South Fargo

High temperatures are causing road closures in South Fargo

FARGO, ND — The blazing heat of the summer is not only hard to bear for some people, but it’s also rough on the roads.

“During the summer, when the temperature gets to be extreme, then the concrete will shift and expand,” said Mark Williams, who is the services manager of Fargo Public Works.

Timber Parkway South on the northeast corner of I-29 and 52nd Avenue South is temporarily closed to southbound traffic.

Fargo Street officials are making an emergency repair on a heat-related concrete heave in the road.

“For pavement buckles on concrete, what we’ll end up doing is going out there and cutting out where the concrete has failed and then fill it in with asphalt,” explained Williams.

“Here, it’s not so much temperature,” said KVRR Chief Meteorologist Rob Kupec. “It’s probably more moisture. When the ground gets really dry, it cracks and then that causes the cement on top of it to buckle.”

But this isn’t the first time drivers have had to find alternative routes on their way to work.

“We probably get two or three every year,” added Williams.

“Pretty much every summer this happens,” said Rob. “On summers where we get a stretch where it’s really dry and we’re lacking a little moisture like we are now, it happens a lot.”

Although the roads are in the works of being fixed, drivers still need to be cautious of what they’re driving over.

“There can be a hazard when they initially fail,” warned Williams. “When there’s buckles, there’s chunks of concrete. Motorists need to be aware of where they’re driving.”

And as the temperatures continue to rise from the mid to upper 90s, Williams said these types of road hazards go on a repair list that the city monitors throughout the year.

The roads are expected to re-open by the end of the day Tuesday and ready to go for Wednesday morning drivers on their early commute.