Here’s How You Can Help Solve Sioux Falls Pothole Problem

Winter weather can be tough on a lot of things in this part of the country, your body, your health, your car, the city streets. Potholes are once again becoming a problem for drivers to navigate here in the Sioux Empire.

Sioux Falls Street Operations Manager, Dustin Hansen told KSFY TV, "The city typically fills about 7,000 to 8,000 potholes a year, we get 3,000 to 4,000 called in and the rest once we go out on a street if we see one we'll notice other ones and we'll get those filled as well."

As of late, the increased snowfall has slowed down the city's ability to fill in the many potholes found on some of Sioux Falls more traveled streets.

According to KSFY, Hansen said the city typically try to get them filled within 48 hours. Right now they're a little backlogged which is typically the case in the winter, with crews probably three to four days behind on pothole repair.

Precipitation from rain and snow get into the cracks on streets, that moisture gets down into the subgrade and freezes up, resulting in the dreaded pothole.

According to Hansen, the city uses different mixes to patch up potholes depending on the season we're in. Hansen told KSFY, "We use an asphalt mix, we have a special winter mix that usually does a little bit better in the winter. The only bad part is if it's below freezing usually the retention time for those patches are only about 20 to 40 percent where in the summer time it's more of an 80 to 90 percent retention."

Should you happen to encounter a few pesky potholes yourself, the city encourages all motorists to please call the pothole hotline and report them. That number is 605-367-8002.

Source: KSFY TV