This just in from the Mayor’s office
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, April 22, 2013
CONTACTS: Doxie McCoy (EOM) 202.727.9691; doxie.mccoy@dc.gov
Monica Hernandez (DDOT) 202.671.2261; monica.hernandez@dc.gov
Mayor Gray and DDOT Launch Potholepalooza 2013
District’s Fifth Annual Campaign to Expedite Pothole Repairs across the District; Residents Encouraged to Report Pothole Locations
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Mayor Vincent C. Gray and District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Terry Bellamy today launched the District’s fifth annual Potholepalooza campaign to expedite pothole repairs on roadways across the city. The Mayor and Bellamy helped fill potholes on Whittier Street in Northwest Washington as DDOT crews mobilized for the month-long campaign.
“Even though we have had two relatively mild winters in a row, there are always potholes to fill,” said Mayor Gray. “Potholepalooza is great example of how we are striving to provide the best customer service possible through our District government agencies, and we appreciate the participation of District residents who reach out to us during this annual campaign to help ensure our streets are in good shape.”
This year’s Potholepalooza will run through May 22. As part of the campaign, DDOT is adding extra crews to fill potholes and aims to repair identified locations within 48 hours (the normal response time is within 72 hours). During Potholepalooza, residents and commuters are encouraged to phone, go online, tweet, use Facebook, e-mail or use the DC311 smartphone app to submit requests for pothole repairs.
Residents can track the Potholepalooza campaign’s progress online using an online map. DDOT will be posting daily updates of the overall totals of potholes filled during its Potholepalooza 2013 project at ddot.dc.gov/potholes. In addition, there is a Potholepalooza Facebook page at www.facebook.com/potholepalooza. Visit and “like” the page for the latest Potholepalooza 2013 campaign updates, photos, videos and more.
“Our fifth annual Potholepalooza campaign is a chance to collaborate with residents and commuters to smooth over our city’s streets,” said Bellamy. “It’s also an opportunity to showcase the work of our Street and Bridge Maintenance crews, who will be out there filing potholes, as well as our customer service staff, who will be fielding Potholepalooza requests.”
The first-ever Potholepalooza was held in 2009; over the past four campaigns, DDOT crews have filled 21,011 potholes. In 2012, DDOT received 453 service requests for pothole repairs during the month-long campaign and filled 2,443 potholes.
How to report a pothole
Residents and commuters can notify DDOT in a variety of ways:
1. Call the Mayor’s Call Center at 311;
2. Use the Online Service Request Center at 311.dc.gov;
3. Send a tweet to twitter.com/DDOTDC;
4. Post a comment to the Potholepalooza Facebook page at www.facebook.com/potholepalooza;
5. E-mail Potholepalooza@dc.gov; or
6. Use the District’s new DC311 smartphone application.
Those who report potholes should identify the precise location, including the correct quadrant (NW, NE, SW or SE) of the District, and provide as much detail as possible about the hazard, including the approximate size and depth of the pothole. DDOT crews will also be out and about proactively identifying potholes.
How is a pothole repaired?
Road crews fix a pothole by filling it with replacement pavement material. Cold patches are used for small potholes in lightly trafficked areas because they can be quickly applied. Hot asphalt is used in high-traffic areas or on large potholes, because it will hold much more effectively. If the road has become pitted with potholes, it may need to be resurfaced. Resurfacing a roadway involves stripping the upper layers of asphalt off, roughening the bottom layers, and applying a new upper roadway surface.
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