READING, Pa. — Uber driver Basilio Mendez has one word for the condition of some local roads: “Deteriorated.”
That’s how Mendez describes the stretch of Route 422 he drives regularly.
“Mainly the right lane. Terrible. And where the bridges are, also terrible,” Mendez said.
And PennDOT knows why drivers are frustrated.
“The 422 bridge over Brentwood Drive has some issues with the decking. There have been some potholes that consistently have been popping up,” said Sean Brown, a PennDOT press officer.
Crews have patched them before. The problem?
“We have our maintenance crews that have been going out there trying to patch them, but it’s just not, those patches keep failing,” Brown said.
So this time, crews need more room and more time.
“They’re going to be doing a larger area, not just fixing individual potholes, so we’ll be able to get out there, do this, be able to resurface the area and make sure the patches are permanent,” Brown said.
One eastbound lane over Brentwood Drive will stay closed through 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning.
“Just be aware that we are going to have a lane restriction all weekend on 422 East. Expect delays or avoid the area if at all possible,” Brown said.
Basilio will be driving an Uber this weekend. He knows the closure could slow him down.
“It’s uncomfortable because it’s working, but it’s not forever. Once it’s finished, everything flows normally. It’s worth the wait,” Mendez said.