Potholes are a common and expensive issue facing American infrastructure, with some estimates saying that there are over 55 million across the country. And as climate change continues to get worse, the number of potholes in the U.S. will only increase, especially in midwestern states with more extreme freeze-thaw cycles. To meet the needs of workers filling potholes, companies have been developing new technologies that decrease the time it takes to fill them. Here are some of the latest technologies centered around potholes.
JCB Pothole Pro
JCB’s Pothole Pro is a three-in-one tool that allows a worker to cut, crop and clean a pothole in about eight minutes. The vehicle comes with dedicated attachments to complete each part of the job, and it only needs one person to operate it. The only thing you’d need to do is add tar, and it’s off to the races.
Velocity Injection Patcher
The London Borough of Redbridge began using Velocity’s Spray Injection Patching machine in September 2023 and found that municipal workers were able to fix potholes in as little as two minutes. To fill potholes so quickly, the Velocity patcher blows high speed air into the hole to clear it out. Then, it coats the area with cold bitumen to create a perfect seal before the aggregate is coated in bitumen and applied at high speeds. Since the process uses no heat, it produces very low carbon emissions.
Python® 5000 and Python® 5000+
Python’s 5000 and 5000+ machines use standard asphalt mixes to create durable patches and can perform continuous repairs on long cracks and joints. The 5000 is only available in international markets outside North America and Europe due to limited access to Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel while the 5000+ is available in North America and Europe. Both machines only require one operator, and patching a normal pothole only takes around two minutes.
Robotiz3d ARRES Ultra
U.K. startup Robotiz3d is using advanced technology to develop the first robot capable of sealing road surface cracks and repairing potholes, the ARRES Ultra. While the Ultra is still under development, Robotiz3d has already released two ARRES devices, the Eye and the Prevent. The Eye uses artificial intelligence to identify issues in need of repairing and provides an analysis of the most important repairs to make. Meanwhile, the Prevent is an autonomous vehicle that “detects and seals road surface cracks to prevent potholes from forming.” Robotiz3d is using its experience with both the Eye and Prevent to develop the Ultra, which will fill both cracks and potholes.
Vortex Pothole Spray Patcher
Able to fill up to 100 potholes a day, Total Patcher’s Vortex Pothole Spray Patcher is a more economical machine to create a permanent patch over potholes. The machine is able to produce over 20 tons of road repair patch every day with material costs around half those of cold mix. In addition to potholes, the Vortex also fills alligator cracks, shoulder failures, and other common road repairs.
There are many more technologies coming out that help fill potholes more efficiently, and as potholes become even more common, the tools to fix them in a cost effective way will be an essential part of your arsenal.
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