By Okon Ekpenyong

Pothole season is here, and all drivers should be aware by now that if they run into one, it could cause an alignment issue, suspension issues, wear, and tear to the tires, and of course, it may damage the car’s wheels. Those damages may not show up right away, but all drivers know car repairs are expensive when it does. 

Cities nationwide, including the Ohio Department of Public Service and the city of Columbus Maintenance crew, hit the streets to patch potholes caused by the winter weather and freeze/thaw cycle.

“Continuing to respond to neighborhood calls, even if it is regarding filling potholes, is a good thing, and the maintenance crew will also address other non-pothole-related issues when they are out there,” Mayor Andrew Ginther said. 

“To date, there have been about 22,000 thousand potholes filled by the Department of Public Service, and there are more to come when the weather permits,” Frank Williams told Apex 1 Radio and the New Americans Magazine.

Mr. Williams is the Division of Infrastructure Management administrator and has been with the department for about six years.

“We’ve worked the last two weekends to fill as many as possible before the rain comes. Some of the potholes residents may encounter are from snow plowing and lots of cold weather during the winter season,” Williams also added.

Recommendations

Part of filling the potholes is not about speed but ensuring that it is good quality for the safety of everybody. Suppose there are areas with large or little potholes. In that case, the Department of Public services advises everybody to please be safe when driving and not attempt to go through them to avoid any accident or damage to one’s transportation. Residents are encouraged to call 311 to report any potholes they see in their neighborhoods.

“We did not just fill the potholes; we use Cold Patching to make it last a little bit longer,” Williams also said. The maintenance crew does not wish to rush the process, and they want to ensure that all potholes have the appropriate material to make permanent repairs to avoid repetition. Some potholes require a complete restoration, meaning removing all the failing materials.

Therefore, encouraging all residents to report when they see one but be patient.

Mayor Andrew Ginther filled one of the potholes, and when asked how he did? He gave himself a B-, but Williams gave him a B+.

“The only reason why the Mayor did not get an A was that he did not wear the proper shoes, but other than that, he did great.”

Many of the repairs of the potholes occur during the weekend due to less traffic on the road. It can be dangerous for the crew when drivers are driving 55 and up to 70 MPH. It is why the Department of Public Services encourages everyone to drive cautiously, pay attention to traffic signals, and watch out for construction zones while on the road.