Public Works Expands Pothole Patching to Saturdays

Published on April 04, 2022

As long as there are paved roadways, there will also be potholes. Winter weather is especially tough on roads. Moisture from snow and ice seeps into pavement, freezes, and then expands. When the expanded pavement thaws out, it contracts and leaves gaps in the surface underneath.

In 2021, crews patched 28,873 potholes. March, April, May, and June 2021 were the busiest months, accounting for more than 50% of all potholes. Last month, Public Works’ Street Maintenance team patched 4,851 potholes for a total of 8,116 so far this year.

The summer is equally hard on the roads. The heat from the sun causes pavement to expand, and water can seep through the cracks that form. As streets cool overnight, the pavement contracts and leave behind gaps in the surface underneath. As vehicles travel over these gaps, the asphalt breaks apart, leaving behind a pothole.

Teams prioritize areas with high concentrations of potholes and high traffic volumes. So far this year, much of their work has focused on busy thoroughfares like Parallel and Quindaro.

Although the threat of snow has likely passed, rain delays have and will continue to disrupt operations, and this causes patching operations to slow down.

To manage the large number of potholes and pothole reports, Public Works has made the following operational changes to patching:

• Two patching crews will now work Saturday shifts, and
• Two patch crews will be added three days per week for an increase to four patching crews

Saturday, April 2, was the first day of this operational update. The Saturday crews filled an additional 314 potholes.

This updated approach allows crews to address more potholes while also continuing to run a sign repair team, staff the Recycling and Yard Waste Center, and operate a crack sealing team.

Crack sealing is an important part of the overall street preservation process, as it aids Public Works in stretching limited dollars further and helps keep roads healthier longer.

In 2021, Public Works added a Crack Sealing machine to its street maintenance toolkit. Pavement expands and contracts as it cools and warms throughout the year. In some cases, this can cause cracks to appear on the streets. If these cracks are not addressed quickly, they allow moisture to sneak into the road’s surface and ultimately decrease its overall lifespan.

The new Crack Sealer allows teams to apply repairs quickly and efficiently, which aids Public Works significantly in their work to stretch limited dollars further and keep roads healthier, longer. Unique to this model is its onboard and completely self-contained Asphalt Crack Sealing Kettle, which makes it capable of heating, melting, and applying all grades of rubberized asphalt crack sealer, joint sealants, and waterproofing compounds without the need for additional equipment.

Crews will continue their work along major thoroughfares and then move into lower traffic neighborhood areas.

When you see the patching team out, please remember to slow down and give them plenty of room to operate safely.

If you see a pothole on a local street, please remember to report it by calling 3-1-1 or visiting mywyco.wycokck.org.

Learn more about potholes and patching:

How do Potholes Form?

As long as there are paved roadways, there will also be potholes. Despite popular misconceptions, potholes can form at any time throughout the year:

• Winter weather is especially tough on roads. Moisture from snow and ice seeps into pavement, freezes, and then expands. When the expanded pavement thaws out, it contracts and leaves gaps in the surface underneath.
• The summer is equally hard on roads. Heat from the sun causes pavement to expand and water can seep through the cracks that form. As streets cool overnight, the pavement contracts and leaves behind gaps in the surface underneath.
• As vehicles travel over these gaps, the asphalt begins to break apart, leaving behind a pothole

For a visual example of how a pothole forms, check out this graphic:

How Are Potholes Prioritized for Patching?

When it comes to pothole patching, teams prioritize areas with high concentrations of potholes and high traffic volumes. Other factors matter as well, but high traffic volume is the primary driver. Some of the other factors are:

• Severity - Dependent on size, depth, and location on the road surface.
• Proximity - Work is assigned to crews based on location of other similar work to allow for efficient routing throughout the day.
• Weather and other contributing factors, like closures, may cause different prioritization of repairs.

How Are Potholes Fixed?

In Kansas City, Kansas, Public Works’ Street Division uses both of the City’s Hot Patchers and the traditional “Throw and Roll” cold patching methods.

With onboard attachments like a jackhammer and tack oil application wand, the Hot Patchers allow team members to apply long-lasting and more uniform repairs to road surfaces. While this process is initially slower than the "throw and roll," repairs last much longer – in some cases until the next overlay or rebuild. Over time, the need to patch the same hole time and time again diminishes significantly. Team members do still occasionally use older patching methods to get material in troublesome holes and buy time until the Hot Patchers or surface treatments are available.

In 2021, Public Works added a brand new Crack Sealing machine to its street maintenance toolkit. Pavement expands and contracts as it cools and warms throughout the year. In some cases, this can cause cracks to appear on the streets. If these cracks are not addressed quickly, they allow moisture to sneak into the road’s surface and ultimately decrease the road’s overall lifespan. The new Crack Sealer allows teams to apply repairs quickly and efficiently, which aids Public Works significantly in their effort to stretch limited dollars further and keep roads healthier, longer. Unique to this model is its onboard and completely self-contained Asphalt Crack Sealing Kettle, which makes it capable of heating, melting, and applying all grades of rubberized asphalt crack sealer, joint sealants, and waterproofing compounds without the need for additional equipment.

Are Potholes Proactively Addressed?

Yes - crews take a proactive approach to patching, so they are always on the lookout for new potholes. Unfortunately, they don’t to spot them all.

Remember to report potholes by calling 3-1-1 or visiting mywyco.wycokck.org.