Spring-like weather strikes, pothole season gets early start

Recent spring-like weather has forced road repair crews onto the street to fill in potholes earlier than expected, said the city’s acting manager of roads.

Brian Kral said city road maintenance is put on hold during the winter months. Typically city workers can’t get back onto the streets for road repairs until enough snow has melted, which is usually near the end of March.

But this year hasn’t been typical.

"To be doing the number of pothole repairs that we’re doing this early in March is the incredible part," Kral said. "We’ve been getting a steady barrage of calls on both sides of town. We get as many trucks out as we can each day.

“We’ve also been doing a 24/7 dispatch that the public calls in to report potholes."
The trucks are divided up between the north and south side of the city to repair all the reported holes as well as any they come across with hot asphalt. He said the roads that host high traffic volumes, such as Memorial Avenue, Balmoral Street, Arthur Street and Red River Road, need constant repairs.

Kral said while the city has been constantly repairing roads for two weeks now two weeks, he expects the total number of pothole repairs to remain about the same as last year.

That isn’t comforting enough for 53-year-old Betty Nash. The city resident was walking her dog along Balsam Street near several large potholes Wednesday morning. She said she believed the pothole problem has become worse and added that she wasn’t satisfied with the city’s repair efforts so far.  

"They’re too deep," Nash said. "I’m afraid to drive a car because I’m afraid I’ll damage my car. (The potholes) should have been fixed a long time ago."
Bill Horde, 68, said he didn’t feel the same way.  

He said he believed the city has done a good job over the years maintaining and repairing the roads. Horde worked as milk deliveryman for 28 years before he ran a Husky Service Station.

A lifelong resident, he said the road conditions have improved over the years.

"They can only fill so many," Horde said. "It’s just typical spring again. That’s what it is. (The city) has only so many guys who can (fill in the potholes)."

Mario Pace, owner of Mario’s Superior Auto Body, said the most common repairs done on vehicles from pothole damage are the tires, shocks, suspension and rims.

"The potholes are pretty bad," Pace said. "I got a couple big ones in front of my shop. I need to call the city to come and fix it."

Residents can report potholes by calling 684-2195 during the day and 684-3117 after 4 p.m.