Potholes aplenty in Philadelphia; repairs are being made

Last winter’s wild weather has led to a bumper crop of cracks and holes in the streets of Philadelphia.

Last winter’s wild weather has led to a bumper crop of cracks and holes in the streets of Philadelphia.

Potholes are only natural in parts of the country that brave wintry weather. The combination of moisture and the freeze-thaw cycle causes cracks that turn into crevices.

Streets Commissioner Clarina Tolson says the city is doing the best it can to fill thousands of potholes in the city.

“Last year in 2009 we had 11,000 potholes,” says Tolson. “This year year, to date, we have many more to do. We’ve done almost 15,000 potholes so that is the difference; that’s why we all feel they are not being repaired or if there is a problem with potholes because there is so many.”

Tolson says now that the weather has improved, temporary repairs to damaged roads can be replaced with permanent repairs that hold up better. City workers fill many holes by hand; there’s also an automated pothole repair process.