The West Virginia Parkways Authority could not afford to lay more than 2 in. of asphalt over the top of the concrete on the West Virginia Turnpike last year between Chelyan and the Kanawha River. As a result, the Charleston Daily Mail reported, the breaks in the concrete have propagated cracks through the asphalt, and the Parkways Authority will—again—have to fix thousands of cracks in the turnpike before winter turns them into giant potholes.

The Parkways Authority recently approved a contract with the state Division of Highways to mill and repave the cracked sections of pavement. The authority turned to the Division of Highways after receiving only one private bid in response to its earlier offer, and the bid it received was 32% more than its engineering estimate.

Five Division of Highways crews will work with three Parkways Authority crews under the contract to make sure the work is completed before winter. By combining efforts, the authority can save money the private company would have charged for having so many crews dedicated to the project at the same time.

“The Division of Highways has the necessary personnel and equipment to assist in completing this project,” Paul Mattox, West Virginia’s transportation secretary, told the Daily Mail, “and by working directly with [Parkways General Manager] Greg Barr and his staff, the Parkways Authority is saving approximately $300,000.”