TDOT Tackles Potholes Across Tennessee as Winter Weather Persists

Crews work to repair road damage caused by prolonged winter storms.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 6:39pm

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The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is actively repairing potholes on interstates and state routes across the state, as recent winter storms have caused significant road damage. TDOT crews are using cold-mix asphalt to patch potholes, and the agency is encouraging the public to report any dangerous potholes they encounter.

Why it matters

Potholes can pose a serious safety hazard for drivers and cause damage to vehicles. TDOT's statewide maintenance effort aims to address this issue and ensure the state's roads are in good condition, especially as Tennesseans return to more normal routines following the winter weather.

The details

According to a TDOT news release, crews are actively repairing potholes across Tennessee, beginning a statewide maintenance effort to address road damage on interstates and state routes caused by prolonged winter weather. Many crews are out patching potholes with cold-mix asphalt. TDOT Regional Communications Officer Mark Nagi stated that recent winter storms have caused potholes to appear across the entire state, and he encouraged the public to report any dangerous potholes they encounter so TDOT can fix them.

  • TDOT crews began the statewide pothole repair effort in February 2026.

The players

Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT)

The state agency responsible for maintaining and repairing Tennessee's roads and highways.

Mark Nagi

TDOT Regional Communications Officer who spoke about the agency's pothole repair efforts.

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What they’re saying

“With all the precipitation and all those cracks in the roadway, all the vehicles, everybody getting back to some sort of normalcy, you're seeing potholes not only in Upper East Tennessee. East Tennessee, Chattanooga, Memphis, Jackson, Nashville, you name it, all points in between.”

— Mark Nagi, TDOT Regional Communications Officer

“We are responsible for over 9,000 lane miles in East Tennessee alone in our 24-county region, so we monitor our roadways every day, but we don't see everything immediately, so we ask that the public do their part and help us out.”

— Mark Nagi, TDOT Regional Communications Officer

What’s next

TDOT plans to continue its statewide pothole repair efforts in the coming weeks and months as weather conditions allow.

The takeaway

TDOT's proactive approach to repairing potholes across Tennessee highlights the agency's commitment to maintaining safe and drivable roads for residents, even in the face of challenging winter weather conditions.