How Worcester Decides Which Pothole to Fix First

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Ashley Klann, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

Worcester's pothole problem can be seen city wide.

In one month alone, Worcester sees 1,000-1,500 potholes. While some may think that weather is the only cause of the problem, according to Assistant Department of Public Works and Parks (DPW&P) Commissioner, Matt Labovites, there are a slew of issues that cause potholes, and deciding which streets get repaired first is not so simple.

“Depending on the time of year, we have 1000-1500 per month, obviously months like spring will be at the higher end. In addition to not having much snow, there was not a lot of frost in the ground, which was beneficial. This number includes what gets reported as well as those we report when we’re out fixing other potholes,” Labovites said.

It takes the DPW’s team 1-2 days to fix each pothole that could be caused by weather, old streets, or utility crews.

“When we select streets that are going to be resurfaced it’s based on age of the asphalt. Potholes are just one part of the equation. Weather conditions are not always linked,” he said. The department is one year in to establishing a $20 million resurfacing program.

Time and Money

Besides the efforts it takes to repair streets, Labovites explained that the $20 million was apportioned for good reason – potholes can be expensive.

“It’s all about money. It’s all about how much you want to spend. Last year was the first big extensive year of accelerated resurfacing, only due to desire. It had nothing to do with the winter of 2011. We had been programming that increase one to two years prior,” he said. “It was out of a desire with city administration to address that the amount of money for resurfacing was insufficient to make a noticeable difference. It was started by Commissioner Moylan and embraced by the City Manager, as well as members of council.”

That being said, last year’s harsh winter did have some damage on the department’s efforts.

“If you were to ask me if we are still feeling the effects from 2011, I would say no. We fixed those road issues a year ago. Did 2011 do permanent damage to road surfaces? Yes, there’s a whole metrics of factor. We do a Total Pavement Condition Index which includes a host of factors when looking at which streets to repair. Potholes is one piece of the puzzle,” he said.

No Shortage of Complaints

It’s no secret that there are pothole problems in Worcester. Drive down just about any street in the city, and you’re bound to dip into one sooner or later. While residents are upset about the hazards of driving on holey roads, one local has found a way to make due in the meantime.

Lily Hughes, who lives in Worcester’s Main South neighborhood spoke about her daily struggles when traveling on area streets.

“You have to drive about five miles per hour or risk blowing out every single one of your tires on the potholes,” she said. One of the worst in her area is Woodland Street, which has seen increased traffic since the closure of Downing Street. Woodland connects Main and May, and leads to several other branching streets.

“Loudon Street, which runs off of Woodland, is actually in worse condition, but it's easier to avoid. At this point, tearing up Woodland and turning it into a dirt road would make it easier to drive on,” she said.

What City Law States

Under state law, the city is responsible for repairing public streets, and the city is liable for any damages caused by potholes or other defects only if the city fails to make repairs within 24 hours of a complaint.

Driver negligence, however, often gets in the way of the city paying for your pothole problems. According to their website, speeding is the most common form of driver negligence which frees the city from its obligation to pay for pothole damages.

When Weather Isn’t the Problem

Local blogger, Nicole Apostola, blogged about potholes and potential fixes, and posted that there are other causes to the city’s pothole problems: “There are other areas where these are man-made situations. The street on which my parents live, Midland Street, was completely resurfaced last year,” Apostola said. “Less than a year later, we've already seen multiple crews digging into that brand-new road surface, and – if our experience as Worcesterites is any indication – they will likely leave a less-than-adequate patch.”

While Labovites was quick to agree that utility work is an issue concerning potholes, he remains confident that the DPW&P holds them to a high standard when they repatch work area.s

“Utility patches are an issue. We have a very aggressive program to hold contractors to high quality patching. We don’t even allow them to cut through streets that are five years old or less, unless it’s an emergency,” he said, adding that under these conditions, they patch must be treated with a special fill. “If there was an emergency gas leak that got repaved last year, they’re held to a much higher standard than if they were digging into a twenty-year-old street. It’s a job of the municipality to hold them to a standard to repair and maintain – we’re comfortable that we do.”

“As [my late friend] Jeff said a few years back, if we are paying for this work, then there should be a way to ensure the quality of the work, she said. “No patch is going to be perfect, but a good initial job of patching means that the road will be in better condition for a longer period of time.”

A Do-It-Yourself Fix

Apostola was fed up with the potholes in her area. While she does live on a private street, which removes the city’s responsibility, her solution could be picked up by anyone with some quick setting cement.

“I have a bit more leeway to do what I like on my street because it's a private street that is not maintained by the city. We've had pretty good luck with the kind of patching we do, though,” Apostola said in an email. Her blog post about fixing area potholes shows how much of an issue the streets can be, but she understands that while they are worse in some areas than others, they are a factor in living in New England.

“We live in New England, so roads will always need work because of the extremes of hot and cold we experience each year. That's unavoidable. But we should make sure that that work is always done appropriately,” she said.

Tools you’ll need to carry out Apostola’s quick fix include a bag of QPR (Coldpatch Permanent and Easy Pothole Repair), a broom to sweep up the dirt around the area, a shovel for even coverage, and a piece of plywood or concrete backer board to smooth it out.

“My own feeling on potholes is that in some areas they are pretty much unavoidable. If you've got a low-lying area where water can collect, that water will eventually make a hole. Sometimes the street can be engineered in such a way that the water is directed to a storm drain. Sometimes it can't,” she said.

You can also report potholes on GoLocal's website by clicking See Click Fix on the right side of the page.