Potholes. They’re everywhere in Seattle this spring. That’s due in large part to the severe winter we had, with lots of rain followed by subfreezing weather. All that water seeps into the roads and then expands as it freezes, cracking the asphalt (or expanding existing cracks). In places with more severe winters this generates “frost heaving.” Here in Seattle, it generates lots of lots of potholes. But now that spring is (apparently) here, SDOT has a plan.
Next week, the department is kicking off Pothole Palooza, a concerted effort to encourage reporting of potholes so that SDOT crews can repair them.
Starting now, you can report potholes you see in any of three ways:
- Using the Find it, Fix It App on your iOS or Android phone;
- on the Web using SDOT’s online form;
- by calling (206) 386-1218.
I recommend the phone app; it allows you to submit a picture of the pothole, and automatically fills in the location if you submit it right there.
Even better (at least for us data wonks), SDOT has an online status map of potholes, including both those waiting to be repaired and those recently repaired. Fair warning: it’s a scary map. But kudos to SDOT for getting aggressive — and for being transparent.