GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The pothole at the corner of Elmdale and Cheney Avenue is patched up now, but Rebecca Gibson says when it’s wide open, drivers often dodge it at the expense of oncoming traffic.
“It’s not very safe,” Gibson said. “Each time that pothole opens up, it keeps getting bigger and deeper,” she explained.
She said that’s one good thing about driving in all this snow. It helps keep a cover on the potholes smoothing the commute.
Snow and potholes: those are two things the city’s public service department is prioritizing on its to do list and in that order.
“Unless it’s a danger or anything like that, potholes are going to be waiting until Monday,” Victor Rose, Grand Rapids public service manager said.
Rose said the department tried patching potholes in the past couple weeks. However, in between snowfall, the window is small.
“About one day, that was about it,” he said.
That’s because patching in snowy and wet conditions doesn’t work. However, he said next week looks more promising.
“We’re thinking the Sunday-Monday thaw and rain… we’re probably going to bare about a million pothole children, and so we’re already planning,” Rose explained.
He said some trucks are already loaded up with “cold patch” material. Just about ready to go. That is unless the snow starts falling heavily again.
“They’re a little tired of snow. I think they’ll be glad to do some pothole patching,” Rose said.
He said seven crews designated to patching potholes will be on the roads Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
To report potholes and other issues to the city of Grand Rapids. Just visit GR City 311.
