Julie Happy, Division Communication Manager of Business and Developer Services, No Phone Number Available
Thursday, January 21, 2016 at 3:03 p.m.
When it's not snowing, City Street crews have been hard at work dealing with another weather-related problem: Potholes!
Snow, ice, and rain provide the ingredients to make potholes. Severe cold and sun creates varying temperatures, creating cracks which allow water to seep in, expand, and “pop” out crumbling pavement. This winter's active freeze/thaw cycle and ongoing rain and snow have caused lots of potholes to appear.
Citizens can report potholes that need repair by calling the City's Pothole Hotline at 509.625.7733 or on-line at SpokaneCity.org. Go to the “My Spokane” tab and select “Report a Problem.” Please include as much information as possible about the location of the problem and its approximate size. Using the on-line application, citizens can add a photo or “pin” a location on a map.
Crews prioritize pothole repairs based on size and location, with the largest potholes on the busiest streets being repaired first. Crews fill potholes all year long.
During the winter, crews fill potholes with “cold mix” asphalt. Cold mix doesn't require a heavy rolling machine and can be applied right without heating. It is shoveled or poured into a pothole and tamped down with a hand tool. In the spring, crews fill potholes with “hot mix” asphalt from local asphalt plants, which provides a more permanent solution.
Street maintenance activities, like pothole repair, are part of the City's work to preserve and enhance its street system. In November 2014, City voters approved a new street levy that will focus on improving and maintaining our arterial street system over the next 20 years.
