Pothole operations ramp up in April when temperatures are more favorable for placing asphalt. Residents are encouraged to report potholes and other street concerns anytime at cityofcape.org/report.

Winter is especially hard on Cape roadways. Salt, moisture, and repeated freeze-thaw cycles cause pavement to crack and weaken. When water seeps into small cracks and freezes, it expands — eventually creating potholes. Snowplow operations, while essential for safe travel, can also add stress to already fragile surfaces.

The City maintains approximately 233 miles of streets and 22 miles of alleyways — about the distance of a drive to St. Louis and back. General maintenance and winter response are handled by the Public Works Street Division, while larger projects such as asphalt overlays, new construction, and most concrete repairs are funded through the Transportation Trust Fund program managed by City Hall.

In addition to street repairs and snow removal, crews remove storm debris, mow nearly 600 acres of right-of-way, trim and remove trees, operate street sweepers, inspect excavation permits, and evaluate more than 100 miles of pavement annually to track conditions and plan repairs.