The Iowa Department of Transportation is testing a new pothole-filling system. Traditionally, the Iowa DOT has filled potholes using conventional hot and cold mix pothole-filling solutions that pair a dump truck and a trailer-mounted hopper, and at least two or three staff to spread the material with shovels and compaction tools. The new system involves one staff person and a self-contained truck. According to the IDOT, a Cimline Durapatcher is operating in Council Bluffs and Ames. This unit mixes and applies emulsion in a fraction of the time of traditional methods. IDOT said that after the Interstate 80 work zone crash that killed staff member Matt Dickerson near Council Bluffs in 2024, field staff and leadership have sought out safer ways to accomplish routine work like patching. “The…..