Chicago’s 2011 pothole tally hits record – Illinois state roads wear out 33 percent faster than repair rate

By Jon Hilkevitch
2 January 2012 The tally on Chicago’s rutted streets and alleys is in, and it’s a record: Crews filled more than 600,000 potholes in 2011, or about 25 percent more than in 2010, according to the Chicago Department of Transportation. In a city notorious for aging asphalt and unpredictable winters, 2012 threatens to ring in thousands more pavement craters, despite plans for an aggressive street-resurfacing program aimed at staying on top of the problem. A total of 568,426 street potholes were filled last year, Transportation Department officials said. It breaks down to an average of 57 pothole repairs for every lane-mile in the city. The department said it filled 141,128 more street potholes in 2011 than in 2010. Crews also filled 47,452 potholes in alleys, up from 31,130 in 2010, officials said. Weary drivers might feel like they’ve hit every single trough. “The condition of the streets overall has deteriorated,” said Chicago Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein. “The combination of old asphalt and the blizzard of 2011 (in early February) caused a significant spike in potholes.” […] Potholes represent part of a growing problem with crumbling roads across Illinois. State roads are wearing out 33 percent faster than they are being repaired, according to a new study by the Transportation for Illinois Coalition. By the end of 2017, nearly one out of every four miles of roads will be in unacceptable condition if the current pattern continues, the study warned. […]

Chicago’s 2011 pothole tally hits record