INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Department of Public Works is using the warmer weather to get started on strip-patching.
More than 4,000 potholes were reported as needing patched as of noon Feb. 21. The city said hot-mix asphalt is already becoming available and will move to patch pothole and strip-patch problem areas.
"Locations for strip-patching will be found throughout Marion County," said Mayor Joe Hogsett. "From County Line Road to 86th Street; from Fishback Road to Five Points. To here, North Meridian, where you can see: the freeze and thaw, combined with tens of thousands of daily commuters, has been tough on our city’s major thoroughfares. That’s why we’re pulling out all the stops and putting everything we can into their repair."
Strip-patching works by having specialized equipment mill the entire width of a travel lane down before laying a new surface along an extended segment of the road.
The strip-patching will be done by DPW crews and $4 million in construction contracts with vendors Milestone Contractors and Rieth-Riley Construction.
Locations for intensive strip-patching this year include:
- Meridian St, from 54th St to 96th St
- Emerson Ave, from County Line Rd to Stop 11 Rd
- White River Pkwy W Dr, from 10th St to Pershing Ave
- Emerson Ave, from Washington St to 16th St
- Mann Rd, from Kentucky Ave to Thompson Rd
- College Ave, from Massachusetts Ave to 10th St
- St Clair St, from Delaware St to Davidson St
- Fall Creek Pkwy N Dr, from Capital Ave to Pennsylvania St
- 46th St, from Meridian St to Keystone Ave
- Boulevard Pl, from 47th St to 52nd St
- Kessler Blvd E Dr, from Linwood Dr to Emerson Way
- 80th St, from N Keystone Ave to Westfield Blvd
- Westfield Blvd, from 75th St to 80th St
- 79th St, from Harcourt Rd to Ditch Rd
- Grandview Dr, from Fox Hill Dr to Westlane Rd
- W 86th St, from Conarroe Rd to the county line
- Fishback Rd, from Raceway Rd to Wilson Rd
- W 56th St, from Raceway Rd to Reed Rd
- N White River Pkwy W Dr, from Cold Springs Rd to W 29th St
- Prospect St, from Keystone Ave to Southeastern Ave
- Raymond St, from Hunter Rd to St. Clifford Dr
- Five Points Rd, from Edgewood Ave to Thompson Rd
- Southport Rd, from Arlington Ave to Franklin Rd
- Arlington Ave, from County Line Rd to Stop 11 Rd
- Edgewood Ave, from Keystone Ave to Gray Rd
- Mann Rd, from Southport Rd to Ralston Rd
DPW crews have already addressed 1,383 pothole patching service requests from residents by filling more than 22,500 potholes. Most of those were with the less-permanent cold-mix asphalt.
“If your residential street doesn’t get hit right away, it’s because we want to fill those holes on the major thoroughfares to prevent any accidents," said Indianapolis DPW Director Dan Parker
Parker said the number of potholes in the city is still "well below" the number reported in 2019, but ahead of last year's total.
Still, many drivers said they find themselves dodging potholes left and right.
“Oh goodness, I want to say I hit at least about 20,” said Antricia James.
Not only is it a bumpy ride, but it’s also dangerous and costly.
“I am driving and all of a sudden I am coming back and it’s like, 'Bam!,'” said Igna Spells.
Spells said she busted her tire last month near 23rd Street and Dr. Andrew J Brown Avenue. She reported the pothole to the city weeks ago, but when we drove by Monday, it still wasn’t filled.
“I think it’s really bad and as taxpaying citizens, we should have better than this. This is horrible,” she said.
AFSCME Local 725 President Steve Quick said crews that were plowing nearly a foot of snow off city streets just a few weeks ago are now out on pothole duty.
"The same folks that just got out of the snow trucks are the same folks that will be doing potholes, so they have been working around the clock and they do good work, said Quick.
To report a pothole in Indianapolis, click here. To see the map of potholes that have been reported, click here.