Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Potholes

Record cold temperatures will soon be replaced with unseasonable warm temperatures.  And, for the department of public services this means potholes will be showing up all over the city. 

How A Pothole Develops:
Freezing and thawing create havoc for our streets.  Potholes begin when snow or rain seep into the soil below the road surface.  The water then freezes when the temperatures drop and as it freezes, it expands pushing the pavement up.  When the weather changes and temperatures rise, the soil returns to normal levels, but the pavement often remains raised, creating a gap between the street and soil beneath.  And, then when vehicles drive over the "gap" areas, the pavement cracks and falls into the hollow space, creating another pothole. 

What You Need To Know About Pothole Repairs:
DPS crews systematically work their way down streets filling every pothole.   This approach is a more efficient use of staff and equipment than crisscrossing the city responding to individual complaints.  However, there are situations which may cause DPS to respond immediately:  when a pothole is very large or if the location is determined by the police department to require immediate attention.  

How Can I Report A Pothole:
The best way to report a pothole is to use the city's online "Report a Concern" form which can be found at:  https://www.romi.gov/FormCenter/General-33/Report-a-Concern-138.  Reports are forwarded to the DPS, a work order is created, and barring any other weather events - the repair is made within 24-hours. 

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