Potholes in the Streets
The Street Department patches potholes in the traveled portion of the roadway. When a request is received, the pothole is usually patched within 72 hours of receiving the call.

• Street Department Policy
  There are two type of streets in St. Joseph. There are streets with curbs and gutters, and there are streets without curbs and gutters.  
• Curb and Gutter Streets
  The street department is responsible for patching potholes in the traveled portion of the roadway.

  On a street with curbs and gutters, the traveled portion is from the curb on one side of the street to the curb on the other side of the street. The City's responsibility lies between point A and point B.

• Streets Without Curbs and Gutters
  On this type of street, the traveled portion of the roadway is from the pavement edge on one side of the street to the pavement edge on the other side of the street.

  This is a typical no curb street. Street Department responsibility for patching lies between point A and point B.

• Pothole Program
  The Street Department has an ongoing program which catalogs each pothole in each district.

  A supervisor routinely drives every street in St. Joseph and logs every pothole he finds.

  The potholes found are then put on a list by work districts 1 through 9 and patched.

  High severity potholes (large and dangerous) are patched first in work districts 1 through 9. Low and medium severity level potholes are then patched in those districts.

• Pothole Severity Levels
  Potholes are breaks in the pavement surface where the pavement is missing due to dislodging or settling of the asphalt pavement. They are caused by a weakness in the pavement such as at crack intersections, or alligator cracked areas. A weak pavement, poor base and poor drainage are all contributing factors.
  • Low Severity Potholes
    In the low severity level, the pothole is small ranging in size from 1 to 4 inches across and not more than 1 inch deep. Temporary repairs can be made by sweeping out the pothole, priming with liquid asphalt, and filling and with an asphalt mix and compacting. A more permanent repair would be to cut the pothole square to the bottom of the pothole and placing a permanent patch.
  • Medium Severity Potholes
    In the medium severity level, the pothole is 4 to 8 inches across and 1 to 2 inches deep. Patching should be done as soon as possible to prevent further pavement damage, or damage to vehicles.
  • High Severity Potholes
    In the high severity level the pothole is 8-inches or more across and 2 or more inches deep. Patching should be done as soon as possible to prevent further pavement damage or damage to vehicles.
  
  
• Seasonal Patching
  In the warm months of the year usually April through November, potholes are patched with a hot mix asphalt material.

  In the colder months of the year, December through March, a cold mix asphalt material is used.

Private Driveways
The City assumes no responsibility for holes in the entrances to private drives. The most frequent complaint we get is, when the street was paved, the contractor put an apron from the pavement into my drive. Now it has holes in it and I need the City to repair them.

• Driveways on Curbed Streets
  The street department assumes no responsibility for pothole repairs behind the front face of the curb. (Points A & B in the photo). In some instances, the contractor will place a transition apron of asphalt from the pavement into the driveway. However, the City does not maintain those aprons.
• Driveways on Curbless Streets
  The street department assumes no responsibility for pothole repairs beyond the edge of the roadway in driveways. (Points A & B in the photo). In some instances, the contractor will place a transition apron of asphalt from the pavement into the driveway. However, the City does not maintain those aprons.

Entrances
This Street Department does assume responsibility for potholes in alley entrances. There are three types of alley entrances.

• Curbed Alley Entrances
  The Street Department will patch potholes within the alley entrance. The entrance is defined by the curb return, which runs from the street to the alley pavement. This is defined in the photo as points A & B.
• Curbless Alley Entrances
  The Street Department will patch potholes within the alley entrance. The entrance is defined by the edge of the roadway and the area where the alley pavement begins, or, (The limit of the street right of way). This is defined in the photo as points A & B.
• Gravel Alley Entrances
  The Street Department will patch potholes within the alley entrance of a gravel or dirt alley only to the extent of covering a culvert pipe or easing the transition from the pavement edge to the alley surface. In these instances only gravel will be use. This is defined in the photo as points A & B.

Shoulders
Shoulders are placed along a street where curbs do not exist both as a transition between the pavement and the roadside drainage area and to protect the pavement edge. Shoulders are constructed of gravel and may range in width from 16 inches to 10 feet. The Street Department does patch potholes which develop in existing shoulders.

• Gravel Shoulders
  When a pavement without curbs is resurfaced, shoulders are placed along the pavement edge. These shoulders are to allow a smoother transition between the pavement and the roadside drainage area and to protect the pavement edge.
• Asphalt Shoulders
  Pavements are sometimes constructed with wide shoulders placed to provide a smoother transition between the pavement and the drainage area. They are also used to protect the pavement edge. The Street Department does maintain these shoulders when they are constructed with the pavement.
• Parking Area Shoulder
  A frequent complaint the Street Department gets is, The shoulder area where I park in front of my house is full of holes. Will the City fix it?
  Areas constructed for parking are not considered shoulders. These areas are constructed by Citizens by having rock hauled and spread outside the pavement area. In some cases asphalt is used.
  
  Some shoulders are constructed by Property Owners for parking areas. These areas are sometimes constructed of asphalt or chip seal. The Street Department does not maintain these shoulders.

  

  Some shoulders are constructed by Property Owners for parking areas. These areas are sometimes constructed of Rock such as 1 1/2 inch rolled stone or 1 inch clean rock. The Street Department maintains the first 16 inches along the pavement edge of these shoulders.