MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee leaders are grappling with how to handle a tough pothole season as crews face limits on time, staff and resources—and drivers across the city are dealing with the impact.
Officials from Milwaukee's Department of Public Works say they have almost 11,000 service requests to patch up potholes in the city. As crews try to meet the demand, many drivers aren't happy with some patch jobs or say the damage is already done.
Watch: How a record number of reported potholes in Milwaukee is impacting drivers and how Milwaukee's DPW is working to get them filled.
Tristan Sacotte has a freshly popped tire to replace after driving downtown on Water Street.
"Then just loud, just a loud bang in my tire went instantly flat," Sacotte said. "I knew it was a pothole instantly."
Sacotte added that he's never seen potholes this bad in Milwaukee.
Zachary Tellock, who lives off Russell Avenue in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood, said the problem has been getting worse.
"They've definitely gotten bigger," Tellock said.
Tellock said he's seen crews fill potholes with rocks and sand but hopes for a more permanent fix.
"This street, especially with the high traffic we've always talked about, it does need to not only have the potholes done, but it needs to be redone," Tellock said.
Officials with Milwaukee's DPW say with a record number of requests, they are prioritizing high-traffic areas and the most severe potholes. Milwaukee City Engineer Kevin Muhs said the challenge isn't awareness—it's the capacity of DPW's workforce.
"We have way more service requests at this time than we've ever had in any year on record. It is not reporting the potholes that is the issue. It is our staff capacity to address the potholes," Muhs explained.
Muhs said staff is working overtime, including Saturdays, with help from other departments, but crews are still limited by asphalt supply and weather. He also pointed to the need for more long-term investment in street maintenance.
"That would require probably something in the neighborhood of $60 to $80 million a year," Muhs noted.
Sacotte added that he's hoping the damage to his vehicle is limited.
"It was a pretty big hit so hopefully it was just the tire," Sacotte noted.
You can report potholes in the City of Milwaukee by clicking here.
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