Potholes Could Run Deeper This Spring
As winter comes to a close, we’ve reached the time of year when many Minnesota roads are littered with potholes.
“If you try to get in here without falling into the Grand Canyon, you’re doing good,” said a woman in the parking lot of the Brooklyn Park Aldi who declined to give her name. “No kidding, it’s really bad.”
Granted, not every road is bad. But in Brooklyn Park, there’s a few spots that need a little more love than others.
“This road’s not looking so good,” said Brandon Vogel of Brooklyn Park’s street maintenance department, referring to Unity Avenue. “We’re just out here filling some holes, trying to make some people happy.”
Vogel and his crew were busy Wednesday morning repairing a stretch of road along Unity Avenue that’s clearly seen better days.
“This is one of our worst roads right here,” he said.
That particular street is due to be repaved next year, so for now, they’re laying down about five tons of cold mix asphalt, which is meant as a temporary fix until they can come in with a more long-term solution once the temperatures get warmer.
Crews in Brooklyn Park worked to patch potholes along Unity Avenue.
“The cold mix asphalt that we use in colder temperatures doesn’t last as long,” said Brooklyn Park Public Works Director Dan Ruiz. “It can sometimes be knocked out of the pothole by a snow plow or ongoing traffic, so sometimes we have to go back to a certain area more than once.”
Ruiz, however, says the pothole problem isn’t as bad as in other cities, thanks to an extensive mill and overlay program that’s repaved more than 140 miles of streets over the last eight years.
“So all of those streets should not have potholes,” he said.
Still, the city spends around $1 million a year on pothole repair thanks to Mother Nature’s freeze/thaw cycle.
So expect to see crews out over the next couple of months as they try to fill those holes and help prevent people from damaging their cars.
“By the time we’re done here, all the deep ones that would cause maybe any damage will be filled,” Vogel said. “The problem will be solved, at least for now.”
If people see any potholes in Brooklyn Park, they’re encouraged to report them on the city’s website or by calling the city at 763-493-8007.
Hennepin County plans for pothole repairs
Meanwhile, cities are not in charge of pothole repairs on county roads.
According to Colin Cox, a media spokesperson for Hennepin County, the county is tackling the potholes as aggressively as they can.
“Once the weather turns the corner, we can use longer-lasting fixes and start our pavement projects that will address some of the roadways in the poorest condition,” said Cox. “That’s why you will start seeing crews shift to road construction season soon.”
A few of the projects where people will see country crews includes repaving segments of Bass Lake Road in Plymouth, West Broadway around Highway 610 in Brooklyn Park, and 42nd Avenue in New Hope.
“And you’ll see us out doing other things like cracksealing to help preserve pavement,” Cox said.
To report a pothole on a county road, you can go to the Hennepin County website.
Related: Easily Report Issues Like Potholes to the City of New Hope
