SEATTLE — Freezing temperatures last week led to an increase in potholes on Seattle streets.
Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) crews are working to fill each one, with the goal of fixing potholes within three business days of when they are reported. Currently, SDOT said that this is achieved about 80% of the time.
"Winter storms really do a number on our roads," SDOT Press Secretary Ethan Bergerson said. "Water gets down inside cracks in the pavement and it causes erosion; what's really tough is when we see a freeze like last week, if there's water in the pavement, it expands and tears the pavement apart."
SDOT confirmed it filled 25,000 potholes in 2023 -- an increase from 23,000 in 2022, which was also a rise over the year before. Weather conditions played a role in those numbers.
Even when potholes are filled, they can come apart again because asphalt doesn't bind to the pavement as well in cold temperatures. Those fixes may only last a few months and SDOT must return and put a more permanent fix on it in the spring or summer.
"We can't fill a pothole unless we know about it, so please keep on telling us. That really helps us out," Bergerson said.
SDOT works throughout the year to prevent potholes where possible by completing larger pavement projects and using a special type of sealant. Still, weather is unavoidable and often brings resource challenges with it.
"The same crews filling potholes are the ones who fill a snowplow or respond to a landslide, for example. The same severe weather events that cause potholes also make them harder for us to respond to right away," Bergerson said.
The department offers a map showing potholes fixed in the last 90 days and those that have been reported recently.
To report a pothole near you:
- Find It, Fix It App
- Submit an online report
- Email 684-ROAD@seattle.gov
- Call (206) 684-ROAD [7623]