CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Residents near Timbergate Drive raised concerns this week after city crews were seen filling potholes during near-freezing temperatures.
Neighbor Ron Parker expressed frustration about the state of the road and the city’s response.
“It’s to the point where trying to leave or come to my neighborhood, you almost have to have a 4x4 and then send somebody out to put a bandaid on it, and it’s ridiculous. I’ve been here since ‘09, and the road’s done nothing but get worse and worse and worse," Parker said.
The city’s Public Works Director, Ernie De La Garza, explained that the repairs were necessary despite the cold weather to address safety issues.
“A lot of time what happens is, you have potholes in the path on a two-way street, some of these vehicles will try to dodge potholes and they end up on oncoming traffic. So you have to provide a traversable roadway,” De La Garza said.
When asked about the effectiveness of filling potholes in colder weather, De La Garza stated that the department used an all-weather mix, as the two plants in Corpus Christi that provide hot mix, suitable for temperatures above 50 degrees, are currently down for the winter season.
“In the event that some of that material doesn’t last, when the plants fire back up, we go in and put in a more permanent solution in those pothole locations,” he added.
One resident also questioned why seven crew members were assigned to the job. De La Garza clarified that extra hands were available because others were temporarily reassigned.
“We’re not going to send our mowing teams home, our maintenance team home because they need to be available in the event that something that needs more hands on the job,” he said.
City officials announced that construction on Timbergate Drive is scheduled to begin in March.
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