Information from Seattle Department of Transportation

In 2022, SDOT crews filled 23,000 potholes, which is 50% more potholes than were filled in 2021 and the highest number of potholes in the past five years.

SDOT has increased the size of the pothole response team this winter due to pavement damage from the December ice storm. So far in 2023, SDOT has already filled about 5,500 including as many as 500 potholes in a single day. Photos, graphs, and maps about SDOT’s pothole response effort are available in this blog post. 

For most of the year, the majority of potholes are filled within three days after they are reported by the public. When there is a large surge of potholes at once like in recent weeks, it may take longer than usual to fix each individual pothole because crews are working to fill so many at the same time.

When SDOT crews respond to a request to fill a pothole, they also repair any other nearby potholes they discover. This year, crews have also been patrolling snow plow routes to proactively look for new potholes. These routes are essential to Seattle’s transportation system and are more likely to develop potholes because they carry more heavy vehicles during winter storms.

New potholes continue to appear every day, so SDOT is asking for the traveling public’s patience as crews continue to repair new road damage. SDOT cannot fix potholes that it doesn’t know about, so the public can help by reporting any potholes using the Find It, Fix It app, this online form, emailing 684-ROAD@seattle.gov, or calling 206-684-ROAD.

Potholes are less likely to occur on streets that have been recently paved. Thanks to the Levy to Move Seattle, SDOT has paved nearly 30 miles of Seattle streets in 2022 and has paved about 200 miles since 2016. Some examples of this are our current project to repave Madison St and our recently completed work along Delridge Way SW and 15th Ave S.

SDOT also preserves and maintains roads with the Slurry Seal program, which adds a thin protective sealant to a street to keep water out and extend the life of the pavement. In 2022, SDOT re-sealed over 100 blocks of pavement in Rainier Beach, Rainier View, Dunlap, Greenwood, and Fremont.

Winter weather is tough on roads, causing potholes and other kinds of storm damage. Rain, snow, and ice all cause road damage as water finds its way through cracks in the pavement. When the temperature drops below freezing this water expands into ice and forces cracks apart, eroding streets and sidewalks from the inside out.

New potholes continue showing up for months after a storm. As cars, trucks, and buses drive over the damaged pavement it puts stress on the road, eventually causing large chunks of concrete to break off. 

Repairs made in the winter don’t last forever because asphalt does not bind to the surrounding pavement as well during cold weather. As winter rain keeps on coming, potholes may need to be repaired multiple times before the weather warms up. 

It takes time to repair all the damage after winter storms when there is a sudden surge of requests from around the city all at once. SDOT prioritizes work based on public safety focusing on more hazardous potholes first while crews continue to respond to other winter travel hazards like flooding, landslides, sinkholes, and fallen trees.