Check out our new site
http://potholes.phila.gov

IS IT A POTHOLE?
Can a hole by any other name, still be called a hole? Not necessarily so.  A hole in the road surface can be a pothole, a utility ditch or a cave-in.

Report a street defect

POTHOLES are bowl-shaped openings that usually have raveled edges and can be up to 10 inches deep. They occur when the top layer or asphaltic surface of the roadway has worn away, exposing the concrete base (Example).

Customer Service Standard:

• Response time of 1 business day (Requests reported by 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, and found on City and State streets will be repaired within the next business day)
• Redress - The Streets Department will notify customer if pothole repair is not made within one day.

CAVE-INS (sometimes called sinkholes) are holes that reach past the concrete base of the roadway. This void can occur when the dirt below the concrete base has washed away, causing the upper surfaces to fall though (Example).

Repairs to cave-ins entail repairing the subsurface of the roadway and may involve repairs by property owners and/or other utility agencies (Water Department, PGW, PECO, cable utilities). Every effort is made to address permanent restoration in a timely manner.

DITCHES are rectangular excavations in the roadway. These cuts are made by utilities and plumbers to reach underground lines. The contractors are responsible for filling the ditch and paving it temporarily, and notifying the city upon completion of their work. The Highways Division then schedules a permanent repair to the roadway. If a ditch is not backfilled properly, it will wash out or sink in, leaving a large hole (Example).

Customer Service Standard:

• Response time of 30 business days
• Redress - The Streets Department will notify customer if ditch repair is not made within 30 business days.

WHO DO I CALL ABOUT POTHOLES?

LOCATION AGENCY & CONTACT INFO City Street Streets Department Customer Affairs Unit Phone: (215) 686-5560, *FIX (cell phones) Email: csstreets@phila.gov Web: http://www.phila.gov/streets State Highway PennDOT Maintenance Hotline Phone: 1-800-FIX-ROAD (349-7623) Map: State Highways Trolley Track Area (Inside tracks andd 18" on either side) SEPTA Customer Service Phone: (215) 580-7852 Web: http://www.septa.org

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT A PROBLEM HOLE?

The Highway Division of the Streets Department maintains over 2,000 miles of public city streets. However, 390 miles of streets within the city limits are actually state highways, maintained by PennDOT. There are also private streets within the city limits maintained by homeowner associations. Potholes between trolley and train tracks or within 18 inches outside of the tracks, are maintained by SEPTA. You do not need to know who maintains it in order to report it. We are here to help. Just give us a call.

Customer Service Unit

215-686-5560

HOW DOES THE HIGHWAYS DIVISION DECIDE WHICH POTHOLES SHOULD BE REPAIRED FIRST?

Potholes found on major highways, and potholes that are an immediate hazard to motorists or pedestrians, are given primary attention. Repair crews will fill all potholes encountered, and make safe any ditch that requires a repair in each grid section assigned.

HINTS FOR SPEEDY SERVICE CALLS

To help expedite your service request, please be prepared with specific information when you contact the Customer Service Unit:

• Give the exact location.
• Be prepared to describe the hole.
• Is the hole on the sidewalk or roadway (driving lane or parking lane)?
• Size (approximate length/width/depth)
• Is there a barricade over this hole?
• Note whether you hear or see water in the hole.
• Is this a bus route?
• Is the hole in a trolley track area?

The more information we have, the better we can serve you.

Back to Highways