Railway infrastructure includes earthworks, bridges, tunnels, steelwork, timber and track. Track alignment must be within millimetre of design for safe train travel. Modern tracks use steel wheels running on steel rails
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) required for annual registration. Revenue used directly for road maintenance since 2015. Paper tax discs abolished in 2014, replaced by central database
Deicing removes snow, ice or frost from surfaces using various methods. In 2013, 14 million tons of salt were used for road deicing in North America. Traditional salt-based deicers freeze at −18°C and cause corrosion. Modern alternatives include calcium and magnesium chloride, organic compounds. Solar road systems use heat to maintain surface above freezing point
Pothole is a pot-shaped depression in road surface caused by water and traffic. Water weakens soil, traffic breaks pavement, creating hole. Frost heaving during freezing/thawing can damage pavement. Potholes can grow several feet wide but usually only few inches deep
Asphalt is made of aggregates and bitumen, a petroleum-based binding substance. Blacktop is a lower-cost alternative with higher aggregate-to-bitumen ratio. Asphalt density ranges from 2,200 to 2,400 kg/m³
Neighbor's car wheel got stuck in road hole due to two-month ice and snow. Author requests road repair team and better preparation