GREENFIELD — In spite of the efforts of public works employees, potholes continue to be an issue in the city.
The Department of Public Works is attempting to keep up with the annual issue of potholes in New England and this year has proven to be a particularly difficult one for them. Crews have been attempting to fill the roadway hazards over the past three weeks but the temporary repairs have washed away as quickly as 24 hours or sooner.
“We’ve got two trucks out full-time when we can,” DPW Director Don Ouellette said regarding the repair efforts.
“We’ve been out there pretty much every day,” he added.
Crews to this point have used about 50 tons of cold patch, a type of asphalt used for the temporary repairs, with a total of 10 to 12 tons being used on days that the crews are working on the roadways.
Ouellette said that the cold patch has cost about $105 a ton, with the money for it coming from the DPW’s highway budget.
The cold patch is a temporary solution, however, and while Ouellette is hopeful that the fix may last three days or more, at least one crew working on Tuesday found their repairs being washed out before they finished their eight-hour shift.
Mark Kelleher and Chuck Emery, two highway workers for the DPW, were on Wisdom Way Tuesday afternoon filling potholes.
According to Kelleher, they were on the same road filling potholes earlier in the day. But by 1 p.m., the cold patch used was already “blown out” by water flowing to the area and vehicles driving through.
“We can’t even keep up with it,” Emery said. “Some holes we do and we’re back the next day.”
Ouellette said that this winter’s weather has caused a majority of the damage, particularly the deep freeze experienced in January. In addition, the warmer days and colder nights have contributed to the pothole issue, with the issue usually occurring in March.
“When you have warmer days, the water melts. Then, in the cold it freezes and pops the ‘patch’ out,” he said.
Ouellette said that they may be able to start utilizing hot patch asphalt, which is a more permanent solution to the issue of potholes, as early as next week, when plants in the area that produce material may begin to open. However, the plants usually open in April.
Meanwhile, Emery had advice for drivers as they attempt to navigate the pockmarked streets — if you see crumbs, or bits of asphalt around a pothole, then avoid the hole because it is fresh and could be deep.