SF Public Works Crews On A Pothole Patching Blitz Repairing Storm-Damaged Streets

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) - San Francisco's streets have taken quite a beating with weeks of continued rain and thousands of pot holes have opened up around the city.

Sunday and Monday, San Francisco Public Works crews will be out on a pothole patching blitz to try to get caught up on all the damage caused by the storms.

"It kind of rattles you a little bit. If you've got a cup of coffee it's just kind of going everywhere, you know," said Tim Franks who lives and drives in San Francisco.

Even people who don't drive their own cars are noticing the tougher roads.

"Certainly on the buses, the rides are bumpy and jerky, and it's hard to stand up straight," says Elissa Woodruff who commutes on Muni.

"Geary Street, Lombard, Van Ness, 19th Ave - those streets where there is a lot of traffic trucks, buses. That's where the biggest problems are," says Rachel Gordon, spokesperson for San Francisco's Public Works Department.

"We certainly have been getting a lot of complaints. This is an opportunity for us to bring our crews in for extra shifts just to try to get a better handle on it," says Gordon.

In response multiple San Francisco Public Works crews were out on 12 hour shifts this weekend to handle the hundreds of 311 calls about the potholes.

The repair process is fairly simple, but labor-intensive.

First, crews sweep any water and debris out of the pothole. Then, they fill it with hot asphalt and pack it down to keep out any additional water. The last step is a sprinkle of sand across the top to cool the patch.

"It's good too on weekends. It's a little less traffic on some of these busy roads, because there aren't commuters on them. A little less inconvenience," says Gordon.

"Definitely glad to see them out here getting work done and making the city a better place," says Franks.

In the month of February, crews patched almost 2,000 potholes. They expect to repair the same number this month if the rain continues.