Potholes spring up from time to time as water seeps into the crack of a road surface. Please let us know about them so we can start the repair process
Pothole Information and Policy
•What is a pothole?
Potholes are created in a number of ways. When water seeps into cracks on the road's surface and is combined with the vibration of traffic it causes the asphalt to fail. This is why there are more potholes after it rains. Potholes are also created when trucks and buses stress the roadway causing a movement of the subsurface. Once there is a weak spot, every car that travels over it worsens the problem, and eventually a section of the material will fail. The most common cause is the freeze/thaw cycle. The ice/snow melts during the day filling cracks with water. At night the water freezes and expands, pushing the pavement upward while traffic stresses the pavement. When the pavement thaws, it collapses into the void created by expanding ice. Continuing traffic breaks the pothole edges and makes it larger.•How can I report a pothole?
You can report a pothole to the Service Department by calling us at 513-248-3728, or select Report It within the Service Department’s page at www.miamitwpoh.gov, or select Action Line from the home page, where an E-Gov can be created. Key individuals within the Service Department are directly notified of the pothole. The person who reported the issue can track the progress of the pothole from initial report to the completed repair.•How soon are potholes repaired?
It is the Miami Township Service Department’s policy to inspect and classify all reported potholes within 24 hours, repair all potholes classified as moderate or severe within 48 hours, and repair all potholes classified as low within 72 hours.•How are potholes repaired?
Ironically, the time that potholes appear is often not the optimum time to be making permanent patches. Temporary repairs are typically made until weather improves to keep the roads safe for drivers. In the winter it’s too cold for the materials to work properly. The material congeals and is not easy to work with. The ideal time is summer, when materials are fluid and sticky.Once a pothole is reported to the Service Department, a work request is issued to the Road Maintenance Supervisor. He will evaluate the pothole and give it a rating. If it is rated at moderate or severe, a crew will fill it within 48 hours with cold patch. In some cases this is a temporary repair and will be filled with hot patch once conditions are favorable for a permanent repair. If it receives a low rating, the pothole will be added to a pothole list and is typically filled within 72 hours. Once a list is compiled of low priority road issues, a crew will fill all potholes and repair road failures with hot patch.