A Quick Guide to Potholes

A Quick Guide to Potholes
Posted on 01/15/2020
Potholes in LenexaPotholes are an unavoidable nuisance this time of year. They’re created when snow and ice melt as part of the seasonal freeze-thaw cycle. Moisture seeps into the pavement, freezes, expands and thaws, creating a gap in the pavement. As vehicles drive over the gap, the pavement weakens and creates a pothole.

While you may notice and report a pothole soon after it appears, repairs may take some time. Pothole repairs are weather-dependent. When there is moisture in a pothole, asphalt will not stick. The resulting loose debris creates more of a hazard in the roadway.

Weather also affects staffing for pothole repairs: the crews that repair potholes are also responsible for treating and plowing roads in inclement weather.

When conditions allow, crews will start addressing potholes by putting a temporary filler — referred to as “cold patch” — in the pothole when temperatures are cold.

As the weather warms, crews begin repairing roads properly with hot asphalt. This includes returning to temporarily fixed areas to make permanent repairs.

You can report a pothole on a Lenexa street by calling the Municipal Services Department at 913.477.7880.

While Lenexa crews work hard to address these requests in a timely manner, please keep in mind that wet/cold weather and snow plow operations can cause delays.

Who fixes which potholes?

The City of Lenexa repairs potholes on city-maintained streets, including arterial and collector streets and most neighborhood streets.

Private streets and parking lots are maintained by the property owner. Some subdivisions have private streets. Short roadways that connect businesses are also often privately maintained.

Highways and ramps — including I-35, I-435, K-7 and K-10 — are maintained by the Kansas Department of Transportation.

No matter who is responsible for fixing the pothole, remember that lasting repairs can't be done until consistently warm temperatures arrive.

Published Jan. 15, 2020