Mpls. Public Works Has Hands Full With Snow, Pot Holes

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- When it comes to Minnesota's roads, repair crews just can't seem to catch a break.

Last week's snowfall kept crews busy with removal and you've likely noticed large pot holes covering our roadways. Now, experts say to get ready, it's going to get worse before it gets better.

For the Minneapolis Public Works Department, between snow removal and pot holes, they're doing the best they can to keep up.

"We are really starting to see an explosion of pot holes out there," Mike Kennedy with Minneapolis Public Works said.

Snowfall hitting pavements and the following deep freeze is the perfect recipe for damaging pot holes. The prolonged deep freeze means not only larger pot holes, but more of them, too.

Now, the problem is that with the snow cover, many of the potholes are not yet visible. So, while crews were out Wednesday patching up holes, their first priority is to clear the streets of the snow and ice.

"If it snows again, we got to drop that and go back to snow and ice control," Kennedy said.

And when crews do fix pot holes in this cold, it's only a short-term fix.

MnDot says they ask for your patience and that they are doing the best they can. They also say drivers can help minimize damage by slowing your speeds and leaving adequate distance from the car in front of you.

That way you can see the pot holes ahead and avoid them.