City On Pace To Fill 100,000 Potholes This Month
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The cold temperatures have made a mess of Chicago streets, and city crews have been doing all they can to keep up with the potholes.
"It's perfect pothole growing season, as we like to say around here," Chicago Department of Transportation spokesman Pete Scales said.
WBBM Newsradio's John Waelti reports, with all the potholes on some city streets, you might mistake them for a moonscape.
Potholes Keep Repair Crews Busy
Scales said motorists can be assured city crews are going after the potholes like rabbits going after spinach. The city has 27 crews out every day to fill potholes.
"We're filling about 6,000 or so potholes a day. We're probably going to reach 100,000 potholes filled in the month of March," Scales said.
Because of the wintry temperatures, crews have had to use a cold mix to fill potholes, a fix that doesn't last as long as repaving streets. That will have to wait a couple more weeks.
"Mid-April, we'll start switching folks over from potholes to paving, and that's usually when we've sort of gotten a handle on it," Scales said.
Until then, drivers would be best advised to carefully maneuver around potholes whenever possible to avoid damaging their tires or axles.
