Indy's pothole numbers are trending down

Driving the news: As of Thursday afternoon, Indianapolis had more than 4,700 open pothole repair requests.

• Indy DPW spokesperson Kyle Bloyd said that so far this season, crews have used around 800 tons of asphalt mix to fill about 40,000 potholes and close around 2,200 requests.
• Caveat: Each request for service may include multiple potholes.

Yes, but: Bloyd said the number of complaints this season is down about 1,400 year over year, a drop he attributes to multiple potential factors.

• "One, maybe people aren't reporting them. Or two, maybe all the money that's gone into infrastructure in these last few years is finally starting to show the benefits … specifically the stormwater investments," Bloyd said. "That's something that we've been really talking about for the last few years in helping make these roads last a bit longer."

State of play: Bloyd told Axios that crews are still waiting for temperatures to consistently hold above 40 degrees so asphalt plants can begin producing the hot mix needed to more permanently patch streets.

• "As soon as they do, we'll be first in line to get our share and start putting it in the ground," he said.

Between the lines: Weather remains the biggest roadblock to repairing roads until more permanent options become available.

• Bloyd said that when the conditions are frigid, the cold mix available right now is almost as ineffective as gravel.
• DPW crews are also currently working 12-hour shifts to keep up with plowing duties, and resources are spread across both tasks.

What he's saying: "The workers that are driving snowplows, a lot of them are the same people who are going to be filling potholes," Bloyd said. "So they're kind of focusing on one task at the moment, and that's keeping city streets clean."

What's happening: Pothole counts climb each year when the bitter cold steps aside and lets warmer weather roll in.

• Potholes form when water from melted snow seeps into the road pavement. When that water freezes, it expands and raises the concrete.
• Roads shift and contract as it gets warmer, creating gaps between the pavement and ground that result in road damage when impacted by vehicles.
• The worst potholes typically don't form until March, when the weather warms up.

What's next: The kind of warm weather that budding potholes thrive in.

• The National Weather Service says the high temperature on Monday will climb back into the low 50s and remain there for at least a few days.

How it works: To report a pothole, contact the Mayor's Action Center at 317-327-4622 or go online.

• It can take as long as a week and a half for requests to be closed, but weather can affect timing.

We want to know: What street has Indy's worst potholes this season? Email [email protected] to send us your nominations.