COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado — Work crews are taking advantage of warm temperatures at the end of this week to patch up potholes. The Public Works Department for the City of Colorado Springs reports having filled roughly 8,800 potholes since January 1.
"We're close to 3,000 ahead of last year's pace and total last year, we were somewhere in the 90,000 range on the year," said Corey Farkas, Public Works Operation and Maintenance Division Manager
He explained that the city fills potholes even in the winter when the asphalt doesn't stick very well.
"We get a lot of calls in, hey you guys filled this pothole, it popped out again already, it only lasted a month, and it's already gone and you're coming out to fill it again; yes, and we know that's going to happen," Farkas said.
The city prefers that temporary fix to the risk of leaving a dangerous pothole in place. When the temperatures warm up, they can come back to make a more permanent pothole repair.
"We are the largest infrastructure in Colorado, bigger than Denver, and there's still going to be potholes out there," Farkas said. "So, be aware. If you see them, report them. We'll get out there ASAP."
Repairing potholes is manual labor that takes place outside of the truck close to moving traffic. Farkas asks drivers to be considerate and slow down when passing by.
"If you could just slow down, keep our folks safe, they're trying to fill potholes and do their job and then get home to their loved ones at night."
There are 3 ways to report potholes. The preferred method is the GoCoSprings app. It's free to download on your smartphone and lets users upload photos of the pothole along with detailed information about where it's located.
Pothole reports can be submitted through city's website or by calling the public works division at 719-385-ROAD (7623.)
If the call isn't answered in person, you may leave the report on a voicemail. Farkas said those messages are checked daily.
