The Missouri Department of Transportation is used to dealing with potholes, especially with the arrival of spring. But this year the department is trying to fix more potholes sooner with Missouri Pothole Patrol, a newly initiated, month-long effort to find and repair road damage. The department is asking motorists to call in to report potholes. MoDOT area engineer for Central Missouri Mike Schupp says drivers can spot road damage the department might not otherwise know about.
“We need people that are out there, that are out there driving the roads every day that see something that needs to be fixed to give us a call, make us aware of something, so we can get it on our list and fix it as soon as possible,” Schupp said.
Most of these repairs will be temporary patches, but the department plans to repair the potholes permanently once the weather is warmer. Schupp says this kind of rapid response is especially important after a winter with heavy precipitation.
“We have potholes every year, but any time we have a wide fluctuation in temperatures and that much moisture, our pothole numbers definitely go up,” Schupp said.
To report potholes in your area, call 1-888-ASK-MODOT.