Indianapolis leaders in ‘continuous battle’ to fix potholes, make roads better

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — City government leaders on Monday talked about better sustaining solutions for some roads plagued with potholes.

Dozens of crews, if the weather allows, are continuing to fill potholes and strip-patch daily. They focus primarily on the major thoroughfares all across the city.

On Monday, workers with the Indianapolis Department of Public Works began strip-patching part of North Meridian Street near East 55th Street, where freezes and thaws have combined with daily drivers to damage the pavement.

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Dan Parker, Public Works director, said Monday, “The older your street, the more cracks in it, the more moisture gets in, and so you have a continuous battle.”

Public Works crews through Friday had filled more than 22,500 potholes by using more than 500 tons of cold-mix asphalt, but, as temperatures warm, workers will use hot-mix asphalt, a more durable and longer-lasting solution.

Public Works’ total capital infrastructure planning for 2022 includes spending more than $150 million for roads, sidewalks, bridges and other transportation needs.

“We’ve had near record-breaking funding and investment in roads over the last few years, but it’s still not enough to get to every street,” Parker said.

City officials say crews are working around the clock to fix the roads and make them safer. Those crews, by the way, are the same ones that plow snow from the streets.

Targets for strip-patching work include many thoroughfares, which carry the majority of vehicular traffic. Locations for intensive strip-patching in 2022 include:

• Meridian St, from 54th St to 96th St 
• Emerson Ave, from County Line Rd to Stop 11 Rd 
• White River Pkwy W Dr, from 10th St to Pershing Ave 
• Emerson Ave, from Washington St to 16th St 
• Mann Rd, from Kentucky Ave to Thompson Rd 
• College Ave, from Massachusetts Ave to 10th St 
• St Clair St, from Delaware St to Davidson St 
• Fall Creek Pkwy N Dr, from Capital Ave to Pennsylvania St 
• 46th St, from Meridian St to Keystone Ave 
• Boulevard Pl, from 47th St to 52nd St 
• Kessler Blvd E Dr, from Linwood Dr to Emerson Way 
• 80th St, from N Keystone Ave to Westfield Blvd 
• Westfield Blvd, from 75th St to 80th St 
• 79th St, from Harcourt Rd to Ditch Rd 
• Grandview Dr, from Fox Hill Dr to Westlane Rd 
• W 86th St, from Conarroe Rd to the county line 
• Fishback Rd, from Raceway Rd to Wilson Rd 
• W 56th St, from Raceway Rd to Reed Rd 
• N White River Pkwy W Dr, from Cold Springs Rd to W 29th St 
• Prospect St, from Keystone Ave to Southeastern Ave 
• Raymond St, from Hunter Rd to St. Clifford Dr 
• Five Points Rd, from Edgewood Ave to Thompson Rd 
• Southport Rd, from Arlington Ave to Franklin Rd 
• Arlington Ave, from County Line Rd to Stop 11 Rd 
• Edgewood Ave, from Keystone Ave to Gray Rd 
• Mann Rd, from Southport Rd to Ralston Rd

As strip-patching and other road construction begin this season, Public Works leaders encourage drivers to give construction crews the space they need.