Mayor Declares “Pothole Emergency”

Mayor Chris Beutler on Monday signed an emergency order enabling the Transportation and Utilities Department to escalate pothole repairs in the City.  More than 60 City employees are currently repairing potholes, over triple the number normally assigned to crews. Transportation and Utilities officials say repairs will go on around the clock, as weather permits.

“Potholes are more than an inconvenience, they can be costly and dangerous,” Beutler said.  “I have signed an emergency order, which allows for mandatory overtime, and we are preparing to deploy additional resources, including qualified staff from other departments.  I urge the public to drive very carefully in the vicinity of the crews who are working to make our streets safer.”

“Our street crews have the ability to quickly expand and target operations to maximize safety and convenience for drivers,” said Miki Esposito, LTU Director.  “We have been handling record snowfalls, and with this break in the weather, crews have redeployed to repair street damage.”

Crews repair potholes all year, she said, but the City has experienced unusually severe storms this winter. Those storms and the freeze/thaw cycle create ideal conditions for potholes to form.  Crews will focus first on repairing potholes on the main arterials.  She added that the City has sufficient repair material on-hand and is also using four spray-patching machines that enable a single crew member to make a repair in minutes.  Esposito said the pothole repairs will help make streets safer and smoother through the winter, but permanent repairs will be made when more favorable weather conditions permit.

Potholes and other non-emergency street problems can be reported in three ways:

• Report online at lincoln.ne.gov (keyword: pothole).  An UPLNK report will be created that automatically generates work orders for crews that include the repair locations.
• Download the free UPLNK app for mobile phone at lincoln.ne.gov or in the iOS or Android stores.
• Call the Pothole Hotline at 402-441-4676.