Apologies in advance, I'm going to ask you to do something pretty painful — think about last winter.

The mountains of snow, frozen-over sidewalks and brawls over the last parking spots were enough to last a lifetime of winters. Now, enjoying the dog days of summer, we're far removed from the likes of Juno, snowplows and late-night runs for milk and bread, right? Wrong.

You see, whether you realize it or not, the weeks upon weeks of snow, sleet, and shoveling wrecked havoc on our streets. You mostly likely encounter these parting gifts of the holiday season on a daily basis — potholes.

In the aftermath of storms like Juno, these craters caused chaos everywhere from major highways to quiet side streets. While cities across the North have done their part to patch up the potholes, the problem has proven to be too large to tackle in just a few short months. Unfortunately, I still notice several potholes driving around my own town that were not there a year ago, and they may still be there next year, in worse shape, if nothing is done.

I guess that's the price we pay as Northerners. What can we do? Potholes are merely a frustrating byproduct of our winter season, and who would trade in those white Christmases and sparkly New Years for fewer dents and a few more years out of those tires.

Well, there's another price we can pay, and it's going to cost a bit more than some new tires and a paint job. Oh, just a couple million or billion.

VolkerWessels, a privately financed group of Dutch infrastructure and energy companies, has proposed a concept plan for plastic roads. The high-quality plastic would be resistant to corrosion, surviving in extreme weather conditions (-40 to 176 degrees Fahrenheit).

Other anticipated perks of the plastic streets are:

• Less time needed for installation as framework can be precisely made ahead of time, and there's no need to wait for that asphalt to dry!
• Quicker installation time means less traffic as a result of road work and fewer dollars spent.
• Plastic is more environmentally friendly than asphalt because it can be recycled.
• High-quality plastic has a lifespan three times longer than asphalt.
• The hollowed out middle provides an opportunity for underground wires and piping to be implemented.
• Plastic roads can be installed upon previously difficult terrain (i.e., sand, marsh).

While the project sounds fantastic and solves all catalysts for road rage and then some, it may be a while until we take our hand off our horn. VolkerWessel still needs major financial backing for their projects, and while the city of Rotterdam has reportedly offered itself as a guinea pig, nothing is set in stone. Like any other revolutionary idea, it will take time, lots of money and more failures than successes. Hosts of questions can and will be posed: what is proper usage and maintenance for the hollow middle? How will the surface react with traditional tires?

VolkerWessel's PlasticRoad is not alone in the quest for a more sustainable pavement. India has been testing out a mixture of asphalt and a strengthening, recyclable plastic for years. If PlasticRoad becomes a success, it will bridge the gap between our past and future.

Time will tell if these will be the roads our grandkids will come to know and love, play ball in and scrape their knees on. However, like many progressive feats, PlasticRoad may take a while to reach its way over the pond. So, better luck for your great-grandkids.

But, until then, keep getting creative with those potholes, America.