Indy DPW dealing with 4,500 more pothole requests than this same time last year

INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Department of Public Works crews have filled more than 13,000 potholes but still have thousands more to worry about. 

Just this week, Kyle Bloyd with Indy DPW said crews have resolved more than 1,000 requests and dropped 270 tons of hot asphalt mix.

Still, DPW has about 7,600 outstanding requests through the Mayor’s Action Line and more coming in every day.

Bloyd said the department has had 4,500 more requests this year than this same time last year.

”This was certainly a more harsh winter than last year and even probably the last several years, so we’ve certainly got a lot of work on our hands,” Bloyd said.

The springtime can be difficult for crews to keep up with. The freeze-thaw cycle is almost a daily occurrence and creates more problems.

”You’re going to see more potholes pop up as we consistently go up and down, especially as we get precipitation involved,” Bloyd said.

Indy DPW had four crews out Friday and had multiple overtime shifts over the last few weeks. There are also additional crews working on larger trouble spots.

”We’ve got contracted crews out doing strip patching and those are going to be primarily on thoroughfares,” Bloyd said.

Bloyd said soon neighborhood roads will get more attention, as well.

“We’re about to have our own in-house strip patching activated for the season,” Bloyd said. “They’re going to focus more on neighborhoods.”

Additional pothole relief should come with warmer weather and the onset of construction season. Less freeze-thaw cycles will mean fewer potholes and construction season will mean more roads getting worked on.

So far this pothole season, Bloyd said crews have filled more than 100,000 potholes with 2,100 tons of mix.