All jacked up about patching the potholes

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All jacked up about patching the potholes

Around Osceola

Wednesday, 05 May 2010 00:00

By Brian McBride
Associate Editor
There were certainly some holes in the city of Kissimmee’s story last week when it addressed some road concerns, but in the end, they were filled.
From April 27-29, The Hartford, a financial services group, funded a Pothole Patrol, spending about about $5,000 to fill some of the city’s potholes. The patrol was made up of city public works employees.
“Over the next three days, we plan to fill as many potholes as possible,” Sarah Cook, Hartford marketing director, said.
The city was chosen for the road improvements through the results of a Hartford residential transportation survey, plus the fact that the company has a high number of Hartford customers and employees in the area, Cook said.
Website viewers were asked to rate the worst pothole in the area. The winner? Located at Simpson Road and Simpson Ridge Circle. About 50 people voted online, Cook said.
Other potholes up for a vote on the website were located at: Lakeshore Boulevard and Ruby Avenue, Boggy Creek Circle and U.S. Highway 192, Central Avenue and Fountainhead Circle, Patrick Street and Randolph Avenue and Armstrong Boulevard and Columbia Avenue.
On the morning of April 27, work to fill potholes started at the corner of Mill Slough Road and Mill Run Boulevard. Kissimmee Mayor Jim Swan pitched in by operating a jackhammer.
With the downturn of the economy, any financial help to the city was a plus, he said.
“It’s a partnership effort. Anytime you can have a partnership effort with any entity, it’s a good thing,” Swan said. “It’s saving taxpayer money and that’s the bottom line.”
This is the second year in a row that The Hartford has conducted its Drivability Survey and Pothole Patrol. Last year, it partnered with five cities to fund their pothole repairs.
“At The Hartford, our auto insurance products are designed to help keep life uninterrupted. There are all sorts of things that can disrupt the daily drive – construction, auto accidents, weather conditions and even the condition of the roadways,” said Kathleen Bromage, The Hartford vice president and chief marketing officer for personal lines, in a press release. “In fact, potholes are a prime example – they may look small, but they can cause big interruptions in your commute. That’s why we’re launching The Hartford Pothole Patrol campaign.”
Why does The Hartford donate funds toward filling these potholes?
“The Hartford knows that smoother roadways can promote safer driving, fewer accidents and fewer claims. We believe that smoother, safer streets are one way to ensure that driving remains pleasant and uninterrupted during the daily commute,” Cook said.
In the end, 7.5 tons of road patch were used to fix potholes around the city.
“While we know we can’t fill every pothole, the Pothole Patrol is a symbolic gesture to show drivers that we want to help keep their commutes smooth and safe,” Cook said.
According to information listed on The Hartford website:
• Driving on rough roads costs the average American motorist about $400 per year in additional vehicle operating costs.
• The term “pothole” was first used to describe a road hazard in 1826.
• A U.S. study estimated that vehicle repairs for damage caused by potholes and other dangerous road conditions costs $4.8 billion annually.