INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Though it’s summer and construction season, potholes, patchwork, and uneven concrete still riddle our roadways here in Indianapolis, leaving many to wonder what’s being done.
Well, the good news is, a lot, actually.
"I grew up on a farm in Iowa. This is like driving through a plowed field, it shakes the car up and everything,” Jose Beyer said.
Not only do these bumpy conditions make for a rough commute, but it can also put a damper on safety.
"People try to avoid it and you don't know if they're going to take a left on the turn lane, left turn lane, and then they dart in front of you and you have to put your brakes on," Beyer said.
Though it may seem as if the roads are no better than they were back in winter and spring, statistics show otherwise.
Let me break down some numbers from the Indianapolis Department of Public Works:
Since January 1st of this year, there have been 35,438 service requests for potholes, which is 21,387 more than the same time frame last year.
7900 tons of hot mix asphalt has been used to patch up those holes, and on any given day, 10 crews are out and about working on the roads.
As for INDOT, since January 2nd of this year, there have been over 4700 service requests, which is 1300 more than last year. As for the asphalt, 3200 tons has been used.
On any given day, 30 crews are out working on filling potholes or other maintenance projects in INDOT’s East Central District, which spans 15 counties.
"That number right there should tell you that we had a lot of potholes to fill and a lot of pavement to work on,” said Lamar Holliday, a spokesperson with INDOT’s East Central District.
The uptick in requests is because of the weather.
“This past winter was just absolutely brutal to our roads,” Holliday said.
Holliday says INDOT is working on a number of projects: I-65 on the northwest and downtown, I-465 on the northeast, and (come September) I-465 on the southwest, all a part of road improvement projects.
"These projects that we have programed is a testament that we have roads that need to be worked on and they need to be worked on quickly,” Holliday said.
Holliday says crews are working around the clock to make your commute go a little more smoothly.
