Twin Cities roads are buckling under the extreme heat

The unrelenting blast furnace gripping the metro area is pushing roads to the breaking point.

MnDOT says it has responded to nearly 45 road explosions in the Twin Cities area since 90-degree temperatures arrived June 3, and with only a slight cool-down in the immediate forecast - 88 degrees on Saturday - the agency is bracing for more.

"It is a traffic emergency," said Anne Meyer, a MnDOT spokeswoman. "If drivers see one, they should call 911."

Road blowouts, as they also are called, happen during periods of extreme heat as pavement overheats and pops. And with eight straight days of temperatures over 90 degrees as of Thursday, the conditions have been ideal.

https://www.startribune.com/twin-cities-roads-are-buckling-under-the-extreme-heat/600066805/