Potholes are a problem that continue to resurface time and time again, especially in the streets in Kingsville.
However, the city has a plan to repair as many as they can with their given budget and resources this year.
"I can't redo all of them at the same time, so we have a street improvement program where we go through and systematically review our streets and go repave them through a number of different methods," Kingsville City Manager Mark McLaughlin said.
The problem dates back to when the streets in the small community were first built. The city did not have enough tax money to go specifically toward a certain area of development.
Streets were not the top priority. They do not have good base material and have poor asphalt. The city did not anticipate the types of vehicles and the amount of foot traffic that the rural town has today.
McLaughlin told us that there are three methods to fix potholes depending on how much work needs to go into it.
The first and quickest is the chip seal method. The method takes about one day after residents report certain potholes through the city's website.
The second method is milling the surface and re-shaping the area. The third is a full depth construction, which requires removing the street and starting all over.
The city also uses a pavement condition index number to choose which streets need what type of work and when. It is a computer system that measures the length, width and depth of roads.
After scanning the roads, it uses a number between one and 100, one being the worst condition and 100 being perfect. The street department also drives streets every day to match their eyes with the computer PCI. Although the Kingsville Public Works Department can make note of which streets need to be fixed, patching them up won't do anymore.
"Instead of just putting bandages and continuing to patch them — and they do, they send workers out to do that —but it doesn't last. My hope is that they will resurface the road like it should be," local Kingsville woman Janell Nix said.
The easiest way to fix potholes quickly is to put in a work order. When residents put in a request, the street department will receive it, and the following morning, go out to that street and fix it. If it is a major problem, they will make note of it and may have to use a different method. To report a pothole, visit the city's report a pothole link.
To check if an area is in the works, click here.
The city has put a pause on potholes and is working on redoing parking lots. In March, the city will resume pothole work that is on their list until the end of the fiscal year.
