Highways chiefs have blamed the wrong sort of weather after going more than £10 million over budget in just six months.
County Hall has overspent by more than £10.75 million on its highways and transport budget.
The county council has had to splash out almost £3.7 million more than expected on maintenance.
Bosses said an "exceptionally wet summer" was partly to blame.
Extra repairs have been needed in some parts of the county where roads cracked up after being under water for so long. When it wasn't the rain, it was high winds and soaring temperatures that took their toll on Essex roads.
A spokesman said: "It's not just the wet summer. Extreme events such as the gales at the beginning of the year and roads melting in the summer were factors."
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