Since the mayor of Indianapolis, Joe Hogsett’s emergency declaration, the city has spent $8.5 million trying to get roads in better shape. The Department of Public Works (DPW) crews have filled thousands and thousands of potholes and contractors have repaved small sections or major thoroughfares that are scattered with craters to patch. Still, there are more than 6,000 pothole requests open as of March 26, 2018, despite the work of 13 of the usual 20 crews, which toiled all day Monday to continue closing out requests. The DPW has stated that they will continue until they feel that they have caught up. Last month, the City-County Council approved a $14 million appropriation for emergency road repairs, and of that total, only $13 million was set to go specifically toward labor and materials costs for fixing the roads now. There is $8.5 million left, that means nearly two-thirds of the emergency money is gone. The results according to the data collected show that the number of closed potholes is now outpacing the creation of new ones. The DPW officials expect the money they’ve received, plus the money already budgeted for snow removal and pothole patching. Many residents are skeptical of what the money will be sufficient to do as they are happy to see the impact of strip patching in areas but are worried to see so many old repairs reopening with each round of weather changes. Old potholes have returned to 79th near Georgetown. The residents of this neighborhood believe that the strip patching or repaving is necessary. However, the strip patching is not cheap and the DPW’s repair schedule has generally reserved the process for the highest-traffic roads. Moreover, various community leaders have fought for years to get mayoral administrations and their public works departments to maintain their neighborhood roads, without much success.
Bad road conditions affect everyone on the road, but how reacting to potholes is still something that only a driver can control. Driving cautiously and being aware of everything around you can keep you safe, but you cannot control how other people choose to drive on unsafe roads. Swerving to miss one big pothole while not paying attention is all it takes to have a serious accident. If you have ever been in an accident due to the reckless driving of others on unsafe roads, please contact the experienced legal team at Schiller Law Offices at 888-578-3100 or at IndyInjured.com to learn more about your potential right to compensation.
Source:
https://fox59.com/2018/03/27/residents-react-to-dpws-progress-on-roads-after-first-month/