The growing list of potholes — and the city crews tackling them.
Crews are out, but just one street can cosume lots of time.
TOLEDO, Ohio — This week marked the beginning of spring, which also marked the beginning of city crews repairing the damage left behind by winter.
My ride along with one city employee of 23 years started at the city’s road and bridge maintenance building on Central Avenue. From there, we made our way to East Bowen in west Toledo. And it was there, we spotted a pothole’s paradise. That bumpy drive is created when water seeps into the pavement, causing splitting and cracking, which eventually results in a giant hole — like the many I spotted off of busy Laskey Road.
So how do city crews know about these potholes? Well, it’s all done using a system called “Cityworks”, which is how crews determine where to go. And the city only knows about bad streets if you report them through Engage Toledo, whether online or by calling the 24/7 number, 419–936–2020.
That explains how crews receive their assignments. But what streets are prioritized and how can you get your street prioritized, if it’s desperately in need of some TLC?
“We try to do the prioritization based on the severity of the pothole, but residents should certainly call Engage Toledo to let us know that they’ve got potholes,” explained Rachel Hart, interim director of marketing and communications for the City of Toledo.
So there you have it: There’s really no one to “prioritize” your street, but consistent calls to Engage Toledo could make repairs happen sooner. Hart added that typically the city has about 6 crews on potholes, and that they tend to address potholes all year-round. November through March, a cold patch is used, and from April to October, a hot patch is used. However, during the winter, crews will at times be assigned to snow removal and other jobs.
