Des Moines has received nearly 630 reports of potholes in the last week alone after the city was walloped with more than 2 feet of snow followed by a rapid warming in temperatures.
Now, street maintenance crews have switched gears from plowing the snow to working on potholes.
“Pothole season has arrived much earlier than usual this year thanks to significant winter weather in January followed by a quick warm-up,” Public Works Director Jonathan Gano said in a city news release. “The same trucks that plow streets during winter weather are now outfitted with equipment and materials used to repair potholes.”
Between the heavy snow and warming temperatures, the pavement shifts and weakens while snow plows put further stress on the roads, according to the release.
The city’s street maintenance will use cold-mix asphalt, a temporary fix until the construction season begins this summer.
You can report potholes by calling the 24/7 Public Works Customer Service Center at 515-283-4950 or on the MyDSMmobile App. Users can drop a pin on a map to indicate where they encounter potholes and also submit photos of the issue.