MILWAUKEE — It’s that time of year when customers start to come into Kush’s Automotive with pothole-related damage to their vehicles.
“Unfortunately here in Wisconsin, potholes are a thing all year long, so it’s very steady for us,“ said Kathy Kush, owner of Kush’s Automotive.
Kush says it’s almost inevitable to avoid them and some of the holes can cause major damage to your vehicle.
“We see a lot of sway bar lengths that are broken, lot of control arms and the ball joints a lot of times. What you may find is some of the simpler things, let’s say you hit a pothole and it’s pretty severe, your car may go out of alignment,” said Kush.
Crews with the Department of Public Works Street Service team were out on Thursday fixing the road near 58th and Vilet. Thomas Wangerin, Street Service manager for DPW, said between March and May is when nearly 40% of their pothole requests come in. He said so far they have received 2,500 requests and responded to 2,100.
“They form through freeze thaw cycles, when moisture makes it into the cracks in the pavement, it freezes, expands and the material flexes, ” said Wangerin.
The change in temperature combined with heavy traffic causes fatigue out on the roads. This week crews switched from a temperate cold mix to a hot mix of asphalt, which provides a more permanent solution.
“Though winter operations we provide the cold patch around this time, local batch plants open back up and produce the hot mix, and that material is more resistant and easier to work with and more beneficial,” said Wangerin.
As freeze thaw cycles continue, DPW anticipates more holes to form and more request to come in. Fixing the roadway quickly to provide a smooth ride for drivers is critical for the crew as we approach summer months.
If you have a pothole on your street, report it to the Department of Public Works for repair.
To report a pothole or other street maintenance problems:
• Call Infrastructure Services Division - Field Operations at 414-286-CITY (2489)
• Submit an online service request
