You already knew you could order a pizza - and soon, possibly, hail a ride in Jefferson City - with your phone. But did you know you can use it several different ways to order the Pothole Patrol?
The what?
Yes, the Pothole Patrol. Earlier this month, the Missouri Department of Transportation started an enhanced pothole repair initiative.
Through the rest of March, maintenance crews throughout Missouri are committed to repairing potholes with asphalt as quickly as possible after it's reported. MoDOT will aggressively respond and patch potholes to keep state highways smooth and safe for Missouri motorists, the agency said in a news release.
"We want to get asphalt in the hole as quickly as possible. If you report it in the morning, our goal is to repair it before you drive the same road the next business day," MoDOT State Maintenance Engineer Becky Allmeroth said.
So many times, government work seems far removed from the people it serves. So we like the ability to easily access a much-needed service and see results so quickly.
You can report potholes in several ways:
Call the agency's Customer Service Center at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (888-275-6636)
Use the "report a road concern" form on the web at www.modot.org.
Use your smart phone/tablet with a mobile friendly form at www.modot.org/roadconcern.
Send an email to [email protected].
MoDOT spends about $15 million a year on pothole patching, with the majority of that during the month of March. It's not unusual for the agency to patch 300 potholes in the state on any given day.
MoDOT says potholes form when temperatures warm up during the day but continue to be cold at night. The rain and snow from winter leave moisture that seeps into cracks and joints in the pavement. When temperatures drop, the water freezes and expands the pavement. This expansion causes the pavement to bulge and crack. When cars drive over the bulging pavement, it eventually causes chunks of pavement to pop out.
The state of Missouri maintains 34,000 miles of road including interstates, U.S. and MO routes and lettered routes. Potholes in city streets or subdivisions should be directed to your local city or county.
MoDOT has struggled in recent years to find the funding to maintain roads, including I-70. But it is nice to see the agency being responsive to a problem that's so frustrating to drivers on a daily basis.