Pothole season arrives early now that icy conditions have thawed
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Official Pothole Month for the City of Fort Worth is four months away. Despite this, given last week's icy weather, the city is sending out its Street Ops team to assess the current pothole situation.
"After a weather event of this type, Street Ops will do a Pothole Roundup activity in which we provide additional resources to address the immediate need, resulting in filling 300-plus potholes per day," said Juan Cadena, operations officer in the Transportation & Public Works Department.
These holes or massive ruts in the road are caused in a variety of ways, including road wear, vehicle weight and weather. Also, there are parameters for what is considered a pothole and what isn't. A pothole is considered a pocket no larger than 3 feet in diameter. Anything bigger than 3 feet should be reported as a "street repair" or "base failure."
Normally, crews fill 80-100 potholes a day, Cadena said.
"Older areas of town with aged asphalt roads tend to be more problematic, but this will be a citywide effort."
How to report potholes: Instead of swerving when you see them and driving on by, report those potholes. The city's Pothole Crew will fix them, usually within 48 hours.
Report potholes with the MyFW app, by calling 817-392-1234 or online.
Be prepared to provide this information:
- Your name (optional but encouraged).
- Contact information (optional but encouraged).
- The exact location of the pothole and/or direction of travel (required).
- The size and dimensions of the pothole: length, width and depth (optional but encouraged).