Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Potholes are just a part of life in Buffalo and Western New York.
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Knowing where they are is key for public works crews across the region and in Buffalo the reports come from calls to 311, from reports from staff and from self assessments of roads completed by road crews.
"Today is a pothole blitz," said Buffalo Commissioner of Public Works Nate Marton Sunday as he talked about a coordinated daily effort to target the urban craters that create a mine field for drivers across the city. "We know there’s damage all over the city streets."
While pothole work is completed on a daily basis, pothole blitzing on the weekend is effective given the lighter traffic on the streets. "It’s advantageous to us from a safety perspective and less interruption of the drivers," Marton says.
Seven crews were dispatched across the city Sunday from 7am into the afternoon, filling the pesky potholes with cold patch and packing it in to create a smooth surface.
Marton acknowledges the damage to roads is somewhat more severe this year following the two historic storms that saw snow measured by the foot followed by a thaw in both cases, creating the perfect environment for potholes.
Residents are encouraged to report potholes by calling 311 and Marton says the mayor maintains a 48 hour guarantee to fix the holes that are reported.
The weekend blitzing will continue into the spring and Marton assures residents the potholes are being taken seriously and work will be carried out on a continuous basis.
"We’ll be hitting those potholes every day."
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