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Pothole Patching in Saint Paulimage

The City of Saint Paul strives to provide safe and well-maintained streets. Taking care of potholes in a timely manner prolongs the useful life of streets and reduces future maintenance and rehabilitation costs. 

Public Works crews fill potholes year-round. Several pothole patching crews are sent out each day to repair main (arterial) and residential streets across the city. On average, a crew will hand shovel 15-20 tons of asphalt per day to improve street conditions.

In Cold Temperatures

In the winter, potholes are patched with a special type of asphalt called “winter mix.” Winter mix uses a softer, stickier asphalt that can be compacted into a hole even in below-freezing temperatures. Winter patches are temporary as the mix warms with the spring and summer temperatures and the material becomes too soft to stay in place.

In Warm Temperatures

In the spring, summer and fall, potholes are patched with “hot mix” asphalt - the same asphalt used to build new roads. Hot mix patches last anywhere from a year to several years. Hot mix is not available until late March or April, depending on weather conditions.

Watch a few short videos to learn how potholes form, as well as WCCO's "Good Question" (2023) about pothole patching and "What is the difference between Hot and Cold Mix?"

Watch Good Question Video: Pothole Patching

See how potholes form

2026 Pothole Patching Plan

By the end of January 2026, Saint Paul has received more than 20 inches of snow and precipitation (including freezing rain and rain). The city has declared three snow emergencies, which have been very similar to the timing of the three snow emergencies declared in 2022 in which we had a record-setting winter for precipitation. In addition to the precipitation, the region has experienced freezing temperatures that are causing freeze-thaw cycles. The freeze-thaw cycles, combined with older roads, creates additional cracks, dips, and potholes of all sizes. This combination creates icy conditions on the roads and build-up of ruts and ridges that cannot be moved by plows and require additional treatments to remove. 

What are we doing about it now?
  • We have had crews pothole patching all winter. If they are not plowing/treating streets to address winter weather, they are pothole patching.
  • Since the first week of January, and continuing through the spring, Saint Paul Public Works is offering employees voluntary overtime, including weekends, to come in and pothole patch streets.
  • Potholes do have a “triage” hierarchy. Bigger potholes addressed first, multiple complaints for same location, potential to do damage to vehicles:
    • Arterials/collectors
    • Residential streets
    • Alleys
  • Due to the amount of potholes, crews are addressing the larger potholes as priorities. There could be several smaller potholes and poor street conditions that cannot be addressed at this time. 
    • Staff is noting these larger street segments that will need additional attention during weekend work or in the the spring
  • Public Works pothole crews are responding to complaints, but also “running routes” across the neighborhood to proactively look for larger issues. 
    • Proactively “running routes, ” which is driving designated routes in neighborhoods. will take several weeks, but it allows city staff to better access the larger overall issues and pavement condition concerns throughout the city.

How to Report Potholes

Public Works is currently pothole patching throughout the city. Public Works sends out pothole patching crews daily to repair main (arterial) and residential streets across the city.  Crews are also responding to complaints. Supervisors are checking all complaints and will get them added to the patching lists. 

Be patient. We have supervisors checking out all reports and triaging them accordingly. It might take some time for us to get them all patched.

Pothole Driving Safety Tips
  • Drive aware! Stay focused on driving. 
  • Slow down. This will help you see and potentially safely avoid potholes, when you are able to do so.
  • Leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle ahead of you to carefully avoid driving in a pothole where safe and possible to do so.
  • Caution driving through "puddles" or standing/pooling water on the streets as they could be larger potholes.

Help Public Works Pothole Patch and Improve Your Street

Only report potholes on arterial (or main) streets at this time. Public Works is currently concentrating pothole patching efforts on residential streets. With the systematic route patching approach, please be patient as it might take crews longer to respond to patching complaints on residential streets, compared to previous years. Please use these tips to help Public Works crews to patch potholes and improve the pavement conditions on your street:

  • Move vehicles. Please move any vehicles parked on the street when you see pothole patching crews in your neighborhood. The city will not be posting temporary “No Parking” signs.

  • Do not push any materials, including leaves, grass, or debris into the street. Please properly bag and dispose of any leaves, dirt, and grass clippings. Residents can take materials to Ramsey County compost sites, use their residential yard waste services, or if the resident is part of the Citywide Garbage Service, they can put out compostable yard waste bags with their garbage service to be collected at $3 per bag.

  • Do not put garbage or recycling carts in the street. Please make sure carts are only placed on the boulevard or driveway apron, not the street.

  • Be patient. Public Works will not be able to provide residents with details or timelines about when specific streets will be patched, as the street conditions vary greatly across the city.

Skimming Projects

Skimming is a short-term maintenance approach to seal pothole patches to address extreme repetitive pothole patching needs. 

The skimming work will be done in sections and may or may not include parking lanes and/or go to the curb line. If the skimming work goes over bike lanes they will be restriped.

Skimming is maintenance work, does not change geometry or facilities on the road, and is not assessed to abutting property owners.

Reporting Damages from Potholes

If you believe your vehicle was damaged due to a pothole, you can submit a claim form to the City Clerk's Office.

Please note that for claims the City must have received prior notice of the pothole/street defect and then failed to correct the defect in a reasonable period of time based on the available crews.