KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City is bringing in reinforcements to battle the war against potholes.
"Our crews are doing what they can. We have 10 to 12 crews out everyday around the whole entire city," Maggie Green, spokesperson for the KCMO Public Works Department said.
But there's only so much ground they can cover.
Green said last Thursday and Friday, city crews filled 2,100 potholes alone and as quick as they're patched, more pop up.
"Starting tomorrow we're going to have split shifts we'll have several crews go out and addressing potholes and then as soon as the snow started hitting tomorrow night, early Sunday we'll have crews around the clock plowing and salting the streets for snow," Green said.
That's where Superior Bowen, one of the largest asphalt paving and construction companies in the Midwest, comes in.
"We don't normally step in to help the city. We saw a need here. I think with the work force they had, it's hard to ramp up," Trey Bowen, President & CEO of Superior Bowen said.
To start the hometown company will devote three of its crews to help the city. They're also using a special mixture to fill these roadway craters.
Instead of petroleum, the firm is using a compound made from bio-oils which adheres to asphalt better and is flexible whenever cars go by.
"So, it'll get better with time and we won't have to repeat over and over having to fix these potholes," Bowen said.
The company already uses the compounds in several cities around the country including New Orleans, LA, Birmingham, AL, Hattiesburg, MS and Madison, WI. Kansas City will be the first in the region to benefit from it.
"Those that are out patching the potholes, doing the hard work, we think they're the most popular Kansas Citians right now, they probably surpass Patrick Mahomes," Bowen said.
