Ask The City – Why Are There So Many Potholes On 3rd Street & Grand Ave?

Your Question:

I am writing to address my concern with how the streets of Laramie are maintained. I am a freshman here at the University of Wyoming, originally from Lusk, Wyoming. Obviously Lusk is a smaller town than Laramie, so the traffic and "wear and tear" on Lusk's streets is hardly comparable to the always busy Laramie streets of Grand, 3rd Street, 15th Street, etc...
Furthermore, being from a smaller town--I am not aware of who is responsible for the maintenance of Laramie's streets. Having traveled the aforementioned streets yourselves, I am sure that you are well-aware of the numerous pot-holes that only get more hazardous with every day.
I realize that these pot-holes cannot all be fixed miraculously right away, but I would just like to express my concern with the damage that these pot-holes can cause to one's vehicle and the potential harm to the driver and their passengers.

The City's Answer:

Thank you for your recent message and for your concern with pothole maintenance in Laramie. First, I would like to say that the condition of City streets are a concern for us all, as we share the same roadways in our daily commuting. While the City is tasked with maintenance of most of the paved streets, some of the highest traveled are the responsibility of Wyoming Department of Transportation; these include Grand Avenue, 3rd Street, and Clark Street/Snowy Range Road – west of 3rd Street.

Each year, the City spends thousands of dollars to maintain roadways, including pothole patching. Several factors can influence the effectiveness of patching:
- Condition of the existing street: Many streets are severely eroded and a patch at one spot cannot prevent potholes at an adjoining location.
- Weather conditions: Patching work cannot occur during times when there is snow and ice on the roadway, or when temperatures are below freezing.
- Freeze/thaw cycles: If sub-base material is saturated, patch material will be “pushed” out of the pothole as the water/ice expands and contracts.
- Runoff of precipitation: Water that runs across a patched pothole will displace the material, leaving the original hole.
- Resource constraints: Funding and personnel are applied to the most needed tasks; the value of pothole repair must always be weighed against other needs.

As spring temperatures arrive each year, both the City and WYDOT are more active in patching streets and potholes. Additionally, the City has been active over the past few years in reconstructing many of the worst street sections and providing adequate drainage, new curb/gutter and new asphalt surfaces. Using current design standards and materials, these improved roads will provide for greatly improved driving surfaces for us all!

I hope this provides more information to you regarding the issue you raised. If you have additional questions, or if I may be of help to you, please contact me directly.

Richard Elliott
Public Works Director
City of Laramie
307-721-5241
relliott@ci.laramie.wy.us

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