Duluth Street Maintenance Team Making Progress on Potholes

A milder winter and dry spring have given the City a head start on street repairs

DULUTH, Minn. — Summer in Minnesota means potholes, but this year is a little different. Thanks to a mild winter and low-moisture spring, the Duluth street maintenance team is ahead of their typical schedule.

This year, they were able to get a jump start on repairs, beginning in May. According to Street Maintenance Operations Manager Geoff Vukelich, they’re already almost done with the the first round of priority repairs. The city has also been able to work on crack sealing, something that has been pushed aside for three to four years. Next up on the repair list is residential streets.

“Please be patient,” Vukelich said. “We have only 35 women and men that fill the potholes. And these are the same people that mow the right-of-way sides, these are the same people that do the grading, and these are the same people that do the snowplowing. We have a 27-mile long city, so making sure that we’re doing the best we can and are being the most efficient at it.”

Vukelich says City of Duluth’s online Resident Problem Reporter is the best way for Duluthians to report potholes or other road concerns. This year there have been significantly less reports. Vukelich estimates 40 to 50 percent less because of the winter and spring conditions.

So while you might still see potholes around, you’ll just as many — maybe even more — patched up.