Kansas City's pothole problems are back
City added more than $6 million in latest budget for street preservation
City added more than $6 million in latest budget for street preservation
City added more than $6 million in latest budget for street preservation
The same sort of weather pattern we had last winter appears to be repeating this year. That's bad news for Kansas City roads.
Among the worst potholes KMBC 9 News found Thursday were near 63rd Street and Prospect Avenue. They were bad enough that crews blocked them off with cones.
"You're talking about those ditches we've been running in that they call a pothole? They are not potholes. They are ditches," resident Mary Lee said.
Kansas City Public Works said there have been about as many potholes reported for the first 21 days of the month this year as there were last year.
"Oh, yeah, three or four of them. You've got to go into the middle lane to keep from tearing your car up," resident David Meade said.
Most Public Works crews are preparing for more snow Thursday into Friday, so they're not patching the holes. They will do that when the forecast is better.
The potholes were an issue in last year's Kansas City's mayor's race. A symbol for the charge the city was ignoring basic services.
"Well, that was the promise of the mayor, wasn't it? He's going to fix them. Well, I guess we've got to give him a chance," said Len Dawson Jr.
The city added more than $6 million in the latest budget for street preservation partly in response to the potholes last winter.
Because of the weather pattern, it looks like they're back.
"I've seen more here. It's just normal. They fix them as they can, and we get more every year," resident Dean Underwood said.