Warmer temperatures might be a welcome relief for those weary of winter, but they don't do local roads any favors.

Workers for contractor J.D. Eckman Inc., spent Monday and Tuesday repairing sections of North Prince Street in Lancaster city, where potholes have appeared in recent weeks.

PennDOT on Monday publicized its toll-free number, 1-800-FIX-ROAD, used for motorists to report potholes.

And city public works director Charlotte Katzenmoyer said the streets department has begun getting calls about potholes at 291-4835.

And it's only February. Pothole season really begins next month, Katzenmoyer said.

That's when the mercury makes almost a daily swing between freezing and thawing. Water from rain and melted snow seeps into cracks in the pavement. That water expands when it freezes and contracts when it thaws. Vehicles run over the cracks and shake things up. The cracks get larger. The process repeats itself the next day.

It has actually been a mild start to the pothole season, Katzenmoyer said.

The consistently cold temperatures this winter have not provided for much thawing.

So far this year, there have been 278 reports of potholes in the city's streets and alleys. That compares to 510 during the same time frame last year and 309 in 2009, Katzenmoyer said.

VIDEO: Potholes in Lancaster city

On North Prince Street, Eckman is repairing sections of the roadway that failed after being repaved just four months ago. The repairs are the responsibility of the Atglen-based contractor because the contract has not been completed, said PennDOT District 8 spokesman Greg Penny.

Eckman is in the midst of a $5.1 million contract with the state Transportation Department to mill off the old pavement, repair the road base and repave Prince Street, from Liberty to Vine streets, and Queen Street, from the Engleside bridge to McGovern Avenue.

Much of the milling was done in September and October. A thin leveling course of asphalt was spread over the road base. A "wear course" of asphalt — about 2 inches thick — will be added when work resumes in mid-April. Completion of the entire project is expected in July, Penny said.

Penny said the appearance of potholes on North Prince Street is actually a blessing in disguise. It allows weak areas in the road base to be discovered and repaired before the top layer of pavement is added.

"By having these problem areas develop over the winter will give us a better end product in the spring," Penny said.

Katzenmoyer said she was not surprised the potholes developed in the recently paved street.

"I was surprised that they allowed it to stay like that over the winter," she said.

Katzenmoyer said 2 to 3 inches of asphalt was milled off last fall. It was replaced by an inch to an inch and a half of asphalt.

"That is your main protection for the street," she said.

The paving material that was put down was supposed to protect the road base until the spring, Penny said. He questioned whether sufficient base repair was done in the pothole areas or whether weakness from prior utility cuts into the street may have contributed to the failure.

He also acknowledged that the areas being repaired with cold-mix asphalt may not last long.

"Cold-mix patches could last weeks or months or days or less," he said. "You never know."

"This time of year, you're just trying to do what you can."

When calling to report potholes in state roads, PennDOT asks motorists to be as specific as possible regarding locations. Callers should know the municipality, street name or, preferably, the state route number when calling.

AAA Central Penn also this week issued a list of tips for motorists dealing with potholes.

Among the auto club's recommendations was for motorists to make sure their tires are properly inflated, to have their vehicle's suspension system inspected, to concentrate on the road surface while driving to avoid hitting potholes, to use care in driving through puddles that may hide potholes and, if a pothole cannot be avoided, to slow down.

bharris@lnpnews.com