Chicago inspector general says preventative pothole work would save city millions each year

pothole

According to the city’s inspector general, Chicago isn’t doing enough to prevent potholes, and it’s costing the city money.

The Chicago Tribune reported that city Inspector General Joseph Ferguson released a report saying that the best way for the city to improve roads would be to work on the roads before the potholes ever even develop.

Ferguson’s report said that the city could save millions by allocating $2.9 million to seal cracks and take other preventative maintenance. In fact, Ferguson said that taking preventative measures instead of earmarking most of the budget for filling potholes and repaving streets would save about $4.6 million a year and keep the roads smoother faster.

The Chicago Department of Transportation said it’s already started to do some of the recommendations of the inspector general.

“CDOT appreciates the (Office of Inspector General’s) work and has already begun to implement the recommendations in its report,” CDOT spokeswoman Susan Hofer said. “While this audit looks back to 2000, CDOT initiated a comprehensive pavement management program in 2013 as part of its efforts to implement a proactive pavement management strategy that is aligned with best practices. CDOT’s pavement management program aims to better maintain Chicago’s streets in a cost-effective way that extends pavement life and meets the mission of CDOT to provide safe, usable roads.”