We asked readers to tell us about the worst potholes in Central New York, and they responded. Here’s the latest in our closer looks, with details on how to report yours. The place: South Street in Auburn. There are potholes along the entire road. The problem: Auburn received $2.8 million in federal and state money in 1999 to reconstruct...
This pothole near Seward House on South Street, in Auburn, is shaking up motorists.
We asked readers to tell us about the worst potholes in Central New York, and they responded. Here’s the latest in our closer looks, with details on how to report yours.
The place: South Street in Auburn. There are potholes along the entire road.
The problem: Auburn received $2.8 million in federal and state money in 1999 to reconstruct South Street, which is one of its main streets.
The street runs through a historic area, posing a problem for construction. Bill Lupien, Auburn’s superintendent of engineering services, said a 100-year-old water line with lead joints lies under the street.
That meant that when reconstruction was done the crews could not use vibrating equipment to compact the road’s base, because the vibrations could have cracked the water line or walls in old homes, he said. Crews used rollers instead, which don’t compact the base quite as well, Lupien said.
As a result, “the road did not perform as anticipated,” he said.
Who is responsible: The state owns the road and contracts with the city to maintain it.
What’s being done: For now, the city’s public works department is filling in the potholes that develop. The city has gotten another grant to repave the road. “Hopefully we will be repaving South Street in 2011, or in the worse case 2012,” Lupien said.
Whom to call to report problem potholes:
For roads maintained by the city of Auburn, call 253-9554.
For roads maintained by the city of Syracuse, call 448-CITY.
For Onondaga County maintained roads, contact the maintenance facility near the pothole: Jamesville Maintenance Facility, 435-3400; North Area Maintenance Facility, 435-5452; Camillus Maintenance Facility, 484-1550; or Marcellus Maintenance Facility, 673-1681. Not sure which facility to call? Contact Glen Ireland, senior motor equipment dispatcher for Onondaga County, 435-3205.
For Oswego County maintained roads, 349-3437.
For Madison County maintained roads, 366-2221.
For Cayuga County maintained roads, 253-1366.
Or call us: To tell us about your car-killing pothole, call The Post-Standard’s Tip Line at 470-0600 or email citynews@syracuse.com.
Contact Charley Hannagan at channagan@syracuse.com or 470-2161.