CDOT responds to driver complaints about bumpy pothole repairs in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Many drivers have told KRDO 13's The Road Warrior that several recently-repaired large potholes are just as rough to drive over as they were before they were filled.

The Road Warrior previously reported on potholes or other road damage on northbound Powers Boulevard (Highway 83) near Aeroplaza Drive and Airport Road, and on southbound Interstate 25 near the Centennial Boulevard interchange; they were widely considered to be among the city's worst potholes during that time.

Some drivers are disappointed in the quality of the repairs, believing that the former pothole areas should be smoother to drive on.

Crews often use cold-mix asphalt to quickly patch a pothole and minimize traffic impacts; options include a liquid asphalt-type product called Gap B or a more expensive material called Fibercrete.

Randy Johnson, a project manager for the Colorado Department of Transportation, explained why pothole repairs can't be perfect.

"The best way to do it is to really get in there and sort of cut it, compact the underlying material and then place some asphalt in lifts," he said. "And oftentimes, that requires lane closures at night."

In other words, a perfect repair would require replacing the entire concrete panel or panels around a pothole -- which means pouring cement and waiting for it to cure -- and isn't an easy task on heavily-traveled highways like Powers and I-25.

"To be efficient, it takes some planning and knowing how many potholes are in the area before we can conduct an operation like that," he said.

Johnson said that there currently are no plans to improve upon the pothole repairs already made.

The Powers potholes mentioned above are also near the project to build an overpass at the Airport Road intersection; it's likely that longer-lasting repairs may have to wait until that project ends in late 2026.