City Street pothole filling and crack repair work continues

If you see a dangerous pothole, please notify the City Street Division with information so crews can respond to the location and make repairs. Motorists are encouraged to slow down when approaching Street crews working pothole repair on busy roadways.

“We have 40 employees who are trained in pothole repair. They are ready to mobilize when citizens advise of dangerous potholes,” added Hillis. “Repairing our streets as quickly as possible is essential in our efforts to keep motorists’ safe and reduce vehicle damage.”

“Unfortunately, we are having to return to some of the same locations repaired due to wash out from heavy rainfall,” added Hills. “We understand the frustration of motorists who encounter some of worst street conditions that need repeat attention due to changing weather conditions. Sometimes it is only a short-term fix that requires a more long-term solution.”

To report a pothole, call the Street Division at 615-893-4380 during business hours from 7:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Some of the worst areas where repeated cracking and potholes have developed include Church Street and S. Rutherford Blvd., NW Broad Street and Singer Road, Main Street and Minerva Drive.

Citizens are encouraged to provide the street location address, nearest cross street or block address, your name, phone number and e-mail address. The Street Division is committed to the goal of responding to reported potholes by the next two business days. If it is too cold for the asphalt to adhere to the surface, the road is wet, or materials and equipment are not available, it may take longer.

Potholes are formed when water that has seeped into the road freezes, expands and melts, loosening the pavement. When vehicles drive over these spots, the impact further loosens the road, creating a hole. The mixture of water, salt and ice contributes to the pothole conditions. The City Streets Division started patching potholes Jan. 2 of this year and has repaired well over 150 different potholes.

The Street Division uses a cold-mix asphalt, a temporary fix especially suited for winter weather. Temporary fix is a blend of small stone and liquid asphalt and is not designed for permanent repair. Once the asphalt plants open in late March/April (weather permitting) a more permanent repair can be made with hot mix.

The City Street Division currently has three pothole patching crews and six trucks for the Spring pothole season. Motorists are encouraged to slow down when approaching Street crews working busy roadways.

To keep Street crews safe, citizens are urged to obey mobile work zone signs and observe the following:

• Stay alert and minimize distractions
• Don’t tailgate
• Merge into proper lane safely
• Don’t speed
• And Be patient

The City’s 2017-18 budget for paving and pothole repair is approximately $55,000,00 covering overtime for employees, and equipment maintenance.

The Street Division is responsible for the filling of potholes and repairs of City road surfaces. For information on the Murfreesboro Streets Division, contact
Superintendent Raymond Hillis at 615-893-4380 or [email protected].

For City News online, visit www.Murfreesborotn.gov.