City crews are ready for pothole season

(ABC 6 News) – Pothole season is back. While Rochester drivers are trying to dodge them. The city of Rochester says they are ready and prepared to take care of them.

“Well, they are all over,” said Rochester resident Lasla Stevens.

In parking lots and streets. Street maintenance supervisor for the city of Rochester Jake Busho says it doesn’t matter the surface type.

“All the problem is the water getting in those cracks and then at night when it’s cold out it freezes and expands and kind of pops and then it melts, and those pieces start breaking off and that’s what causes the pothole,” said Busho.

“I noticed a lot over a Glynner’s Pub and over by the Mexican restaurant over there and Walmart north is pretty bad. It’s crazy man,” said Rochester resident Tyler Sczrek.

The city says many potholes have already been reported and crews will be out all week taking care of some trouble areas.

“If there’s still ice in them, we have to break out all that ice and get all the debris blow out of them. And then we put the cold mix back in there. We have a couple other products that we’ve been testing and implementing to see if they are lasting longer, but it’s just a process,” said Busho.

The city uses what’s called a cold mix as a temporary fix. Once it gets warmer crews will come back out and do a more permanent pavement. Lasla Stevens says he thankful the city is staying on top of it.

“Rochester is better than many many cities. My brother lived in St. Paul for 20 years. I almost hated to drive up there you might lose a wheel going down a residential street,” said Stevens.

And while drivers are dodging the potholes, Busho says if you see workers out on the roads give them some space too.

“They are generally either right behind the vehicle or right in front of the vehicle. We have our arrow boards on, strobes on they have their high visibility on. So, we are trying to make the roads a safer place that they can travel. So, just like construction zones give them a brake,” said Busho.

To report a pothole to MnDOT, visit HERE.