Fixing a Pothole: Chicago Style

By Sean Stillmaker in News on Jan 9, 2011 5:00PM

Driving on some Chicago streets is like navigating a mine field. The city is supposed to fix potholes because that's where our taxpayer dollars go. But if you're fearful a city employee won't do their job you can go through a middle man, another city employee. Hyde Park Progress details their experience.

The big pothole was in front of the Museum of Science and Industry. The city put a temporary lid on, but since it was not installed properly motorist traffic emitted an exasperating noise when driven upon. So Richard Gill filed a complaint with 5th Ward Alderman Leslie Hairston.

Five days later a solo city employee was dispatched to fix the problem. He took his front loader, moved the plate and left. The noise emitted was even worse now, Gill complained. The next day at night (overtime pay) a crew erected barriers around the lid. Needless to say the noise was gone, but a pothole still present. After getting that sweet OT the crew went back the next day and filled it.

The existing problem is the inefficient city service. It took the hoopleheads two attempts and overtime to fix an hour problem, but the crew is probably second cousins with some clouting buffoon.

Another problem is the concerned citizen had to go to an alderman to get something done. An alderman making $110,000 a year to act as a middle man between city services and the people. The same alderman that took $94,000 out of the ward's infrastructure fund to give free parking.