Strapped For Cash, Facing Higher Road Repair Costs, Some Cities Filling Only Worst Potholes

[hatrack]

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In East St. Louis, the city is filling only the deepest and largest holes — leaving behind some that are large enough to break axles and puncture the tires of vehicles, including city ambulances, police cars and fire trucks. This past winter was especially brutal in many parts of the country, bringing blizzards and heavy snow. The Midwest was particularly hard-hit, and one result is more damaged pavement.

Chicago already has filled 120,000 potholes since Dec. 1, about 50,000 more than during the same period last year. Motorists are finding their travels take longer and are more treacherous. Chicago officials concluded that the north end of Lake Shore Drive, one of the most scenic routes in the city, was so pockmarked that the speed limit, which is normally raised from 40 mph to 45 mph in the summer, will stay at the slower speed limit. "We haven't done that in at least 15 years," said Brian Steele, transportation department spokesman.

Indianapolis is using more asphalt than in previous years and paying $52 a ton instead of last year's $40 price. The city is also searching for more money so crews don't have to cut back on roadwork. "It's going to create potholes down the line because paying $12 more a ton means we can pave less miles, and therefore the roads aren't in as good of shape," said Kit Werbe, spokeswoman for the city's Department of Public Works.

Petroleum is a key ingredient in the asphalt that gets spread on roads and poured into potholes. Mixed with sand or gravel, the oil serves as the glue that holds the other materials together. In Des Moines, Bill Stowe, the assistant city manager for public works and engineering, said prices for asphalt and gasoline are climbing at exactly the wrong time. This winter, the city had to spend $800,000 more than the $3 million it had budgeted to clean up 58 inches of snow. Then there was $70,000 to fill the potholes — more than four times the amount spent in recent years.

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080411/ap_on_re_us/pothole_woes

[midnight]

1. Does so much have to deteriate so a few can have so much?

[tularetom]

2. In rural parts of California some counties are considering

turning paved roads back to gravel. The costs of continually repairing failed roads that carry fewer than 100 vehicles per day no longer make sense from a cost benefit standpoint.

[Systematic Chaos]

3. That's okay.

Pretty soon we'll all be driving our wind-powered Hummers on highways paved with solar asphalt. And at the end of all those solar highways there will be little clean coal leprechauns with pots of golden biofuel.

Yay us!

[kestrel91316]

4. Sounds like Los Angeles. Our main streets are deplorable, let alone

the residential and side streets.

On the up side, it will have a tendency to deter people from racing up and down the streets at all hours of the day and night.

Like speed bumps, only WAY cheaper.