The weather of the Ohio Valley is hard on Cincinnati’s streets. Potholes can appear overnight. Immediate repairs are often needed. Public Services is committed to repair any hazardous pothole within 48 hours of notification of its existence.

Initial response to a repair request is made by the Emergency Service Representative. These employees go to each pothole location and assess the extent of repair necessary. They then take whatever action is needed in order to make the area safe.

If the pothole is small, the CSR will fill the hole with a cold asphalt mix. For larger repairs a crew is sent.

The Department currently has 4 specialty vehicles that function as pothole and small repair trucks. Each of these trucks comes equipped with a jackhammer for removal of damaged asphalt as well as heated compartments for asphalt and hot tar. These trucks reduce the crew size for pothole repair, freeing up personnel for other operations.  

Two new pieces of equipment in Public Services’ fleet designed for pothole repairs are our Spray Injection machines. These machines are equipped with a bin of aggregate and a tank for an emulsion similar to tar. The materials are mixed as they are blown into the pothole.

Sometimes damaged areas are too large for any of these types of repairs. In these cases, a “General Repair” crew is sent. These crews handle repairs ranging from small sunken areas to hand paving alleys. They apply an asphalt overlay to the surface.  The area is prepared by being swept and then covered with tar. Asphalt is then wheel-barrowed into place and raked smooth. A small roller then compresses the asphalt into a smooth surface. The edges are sealed with tar to complete the repair.

Citizens requesting street repairs should call our hotline at 591-6000, or submit an on-line Service Request.