Noticing more potholes on Sacramento County roads? Here’s how long it takes to fix them

Picture this: You’re cruising down a Sacramento road and all of a sudden your stomach tightens to the gut-wrenching sound of your tire banging into a pothole.

If that scenario sounds familiar, odds are it’s happened to you at least once in the last couple of weeks since Sacramento was drenched with back-to-back severe rain storms. Since Dec. 30, said Sacramento County spokesman Matt Robinson, the county has received roughly 700 pothole reports.

Sacramento County Department of Transportation has repaired more than 7,000 potholes or more than 18,000 square feet since the hazardous storms began nearly one month ago.

Robinson declined to give The Bee an estimate of how much money the county has used to repair its potholes because officials are “still assessing the funds.” The county is hoping to get reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for infrastructure damage.

How do I report a pothole in Sacramento?

Along with the original wear-and-tear of the county’s roadways, heavy rainfall was predicted to make road damage worse — which it did.

Some advice: If you see a pothole in Sacramento, don’t leave it for the next person. Instead, report it right away.

“We do it ourselves, we go out, we take an eyeball” Robinson said, “but we also need the public to call 3-1-1 to let us know where they see them as well because we can’t be everywhere.”

To report a pothole in Sacramento County, dial 3-1-1 or visit Sacramento County’s 311 website. Be sure to give the location of the hole. Staff will then pass the information to the Sacramento County Department of Transportation.

CITY OF SACRAMENTO

Since Dec. 26, the city has filled more than 5,000 potholes, said spokeswoman Gabby Miller in an email to The Bee.

Rules for reporting a pothole in the city of Sacramento are similar, besides a few details.

The city asks residents to file pothole requests by either dialing 311 or using the 311 mobile app. Be sure to give staff the hole size and location.

How long does it take to repair a pothole in Sacramento?

Robinson said Sacramento County Department of Transportation works to fill pothole requests within 72 hours after they’re reported through 311.

CITY OF SACRAMENTO

Depending on the severity of the pothole, the city of Sacramento, according to its website, generally repairs damages up to three days after they’re reported to 311.

Multiple potholes can be patched at one location. Residential streets, Miller said, are mapped out by neighborhoods and patched by a two-person team.

What is the process of fixing a pothole in Sacramento?

Sacramento County fixes potholes with a hot asphalt patch mix because it’s both economically and time efficient.

Once the asphalt is laid down, the roads can immediately be driven on.

“It’s not that the pothole mix has to cure or anything,” Robinson said. “It’s a mixture that allows us to drop it in, seal the hole and move on.

If the entire process seems fast, that’s because it is. For example, crews can fill up to two potholes in roughly 10 minutes.

The longevity of the fix, Robinson said, depends on the road’s volume of traffic. Others believe it has everything to do with the materials used for the job.

The temporary repairs, according to previous Bee reporting, mean the patch doesn’t last as long. While a more permanent fix can last up to 20 years, it’s more expensive and labor-intensive.

CITY OF SACRAMENTO

Depending on the job, according to previous Bee reporting, the city will use either a hot or cold asphalt mix to fix its potholes.

Both mixes are made of rocks, sand and oil. Hot mix, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, is heated to at least 300 degrees before it’s applied to the road, hence the name. Cold mixes can be directly applied to the ground without much prep time.

If the city repairs a pothole during working hours or if the hole requires a large fix, the city will patch the hole with a hot mix.

During the weekend or rainfall, potholes are patched using a cold mix because it only takes one person for the job and the supply is easy to get.

This story was originally published January 18, 2023 at 1:22 PM.