Ald. Burgelis Proposes Plan to Speed Up Pothole and Alley Repairs
Record-breaking year prompts call for additional capacity
Alderman Peter Burgelis has introduced Common Council File #260699 directing the Department of Public Works to develop a plan to expedite pothole and alley repairs, including using outside contractors to supplement City crews.
In just the first eight months of 2026, Milwaukee received 24,000 pothole service requests, far surpassing the previous full-year record of 16,804. City crews also set a productivity record, resolving about 15,300 requests during that timeframe.
“The numbers tell the story: our crews are breaking records filling potholes, and they still can’t keep up with the amount of requests,” Ald. Burgelis said. “Residents don’t care whose truck shows up. They care that the road gets fixed. When demand overwhelms our capacity, we need to add capacity, not add months to the wait.”
The resolution calls on DPW to identify street and alley locations appropriate for contracted repairs and move toward bidding additional work. Ald. Burgelis will work with DPW and Council colleagues to direct funding through the appropriate local street and alley capital accounts. Contractor availability is limited this late in the construction season, so the goal is to scope additional work and get it competitively bid without paying an unnecessary premium or delaying other local road projects already scheduled.
“Our City crews have been working overtime all spring and summer and have done more than ever,” the Alderman noted. “Now we need to give them another tool to attack the catastrophic backlog.”
The resolution will be heard by the Common Council’s Public Works Committee on Thursday, September 10th at 9 a.m. in City Hall, 200 E. Wells St.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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