Pothole Repair
The Public Works Department is committed to maintaining arterial and non-arterial streets.
Crews rely on citizens to report potholes. Once the call is logged, it is then assigned to a field supervisor for inspection. After this evaluation, a work order is generated for either a permanent or temporary repair. If a pothole requires a temporary patch, a work order is then generated for a permanent repair.
Potholes on arterial streets are usually repaired within two days. On residential streets, repairs are usually made within five days of being reported. Potholes posing safety hazards or those that will likely damage vehicles get immediate repair if possible, including on weekends or after normal business hours.
Winter weather is especially hard on city streets. Potholes can be caused by water in the pores and cracks of pavement freezing and expanding, then thawing. More moisture can then enter and the cycle repeats. The repeated expansion forces weaken and break apart the pavement and, as vehicles drive over the weakened areas, potholes are gouged from the concrete or asphalt surface.
City crews operate high-pressure asphalt injectors to make temporary pothole repairs while other City crews fill potholes by hand.
Also, a contractor is hired to make permanent repairs by rebuilding the pavement around the potholes.
Street maintenance crews repair potholes throughout the year, not just after winter storms. During fiscal year 2000-01, 83,613 potholes were repaired.