We’ve talked here before about pothole problems and rutted roads around West Seattle. This week, we heard from a High Point resident named Casey Crowell who has an unusual take on it: He is concerned about the same potholes being fixed over and over, making things worse, rather than getting a longer-lasting fix in the first place. Here’s the letter he just wrote to the mayor about it, with specifics all the way down to the pothole Casey has nicknamed “Bruno”:
Dear Mr. Mayor; one of your campaign promises was to fix PH in Seattle in a timely matter. This letter is in regards to pot holes (PH) repairs in Seattle, specifically West Seattle, or maybe I should say the “attempts†to repair PH in Seattle. I drive a specialty car that cost a fair chunk of change and unlike many; I care what my car looks like. Because of this I watch the roads very closely to avoid PH and other obstacles. I have lived in West Seattle for about eight years (just moved into High Point) and commute daily north on 35th to 1st ave. s. where I work at the Starbucks corporate office.
Mr. Mayor, are you aware that your crews are fixing the same PH three and four times a year, year after year?
I am seeing the same PH repaired 3-4 times (mainly winter months) in a year only to make road conditions worse. Here is an example; there is a very large pot hole on 35th/Alaska ( I named it Bruno as it’s so big) and I have seen Bruno repaired and fall apart at least 4 times since this time last year. The pot hole needs fixing, the city comes out and fixes, within 2, 3, weeks the repair material is all over the street and the pot hole is back. So now you have a pot hole and a bunch of gravel all over the road causing a road hazard. Who is accountable for this, I think that is you. I would have been fired long ago if I performed my job as poorly as your pot hole repair team.
I am giving you the benefit of doubt as I can not imagine you know this is occurring and would not put a stop to this. I am now taking pictures and dating them to post on a Blog to prove my point.
I constantly hear that our taxes must be raised to pay for road and transportation repairs and projects. Well damn it we would not need to raise taxes if our money was spent wisely. I absolutely will not support another tax hike until I see things like this being looked at and I belive a lot of other people will feel the same way once I have produced the evidence I am collecting.
The money spent on PH could be better spent on artwork that no one will see it (ha, ha).
I will not let this issue go until I get some kind of resolution. There is absolutely no excuse for this and if you will not resolve it I will do everything in my power to make that known. But as I said I can only assume you do not know about this or you would have put a stop to it. So, if you are not aware of this you are now and I would appreciate some kind of action. Hire me, I guarantee it would be resolved quickly.
I am getting together with a Blog to start posting pictures for proof and to initiate discussion about this blatant waste of taxpayer’s money. I will send you a link once it is up. I also plan to request work orders or at least get some accounting of the numerous unsuccessful repairs from the city. Can you help with this? Can you tell me how many repairs were done last year and what was the cost over the year, in other words what did you spend on pot hole repairs in 07?
One of your campaign promises was to fix PH in a timely matter, your promise now needs to be to fix the problem with fixing PH 3 and 4 times a year, year after year. What is the cost over a year to fix the same PH over and over? There are typically at least 2-3 workers, a flagger, a couple vehicles, assorted equipment, and repair materials at each repair. Add that up city wide over the years and it must be millions.
A more cynical person would say this is just a city works program, it reduces unemployment. I choose to belive that is not the case and you Mr. Mayor can help me resolve this waste issue.
Thank you for listening Mr. Mayor
Respectfully, Casey Crowell
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