Thousands of street craters keep Joliet city workers busy year-round

It’s almost like a game of whack-a-mole.

Once the city of Joliet fills a pothole, there always seems to be others opening up and needing attention.

The number of potholes that city workers fill each year numbers in the tens of thousands, Joliet Public Works assets supervisor Mike Eulitz said.

Crews sometimes have to fill in the same potholes multiple times in a single year.

“It’s a never-ending business,” Eulitz said.

Just as when the city clears the streets of snow, Eulitz said he tries to focus on main routes, especially older roads such as Black Road, Ingalls Avenue and Jefferson Street toward downtown.

Eulitz said city crews are out year-round filling potholes. Freezing weather makes the job more difficult, as water seeps into the road, freezes and creates more potholes.

Ultimately, many roads will continue to need attention until they’re resurfaced.

Eulitz said he understands the public’s concerns and frustrations with potholes.

A study by AAA found that American drivers have spent about $15 billion to repair damage from potholes over the past five years, or about
$3 billion a year. The study found that the average repair bill associated with a pothole mishap is $306. In 64 percent of the cases, the repair bill was $250 or less. Only about 6 percent of incidents resulted in a bill of more than $1,000.

Potholes can damage wheel rims, puncture tires, bend wheels, ruin the engine or exhaust system, damage a car’s alignment and destroy shocks and struts.

AAA advised drivers to keep their tires properly inflated. Drivers also should make sure the tire tread grooves are deep enough, and if they are not, to buy new tires. If avoiding potholes is not possible, slow down, keep a foot on the brake pedal and try to straighten the steering wheel before impact, officials said.

Eulitz said the public also is key in reporting potholes to the city, especially on secondary roads.

“They’re our best inspectors,” he said.

He encourages anyone to call 815-724-3650 to report a pothole or enter a complaint on the city's website.

Eulitz also gave one key piece of advice for all drivers: “Try to avoid them.”