Pothole patching plan in St. Paul unveiled by Mayor Her, public works

New pothole patching plan unveiled in St. Paul

A new “pothole patching plan" will be in place in St. Paul for 2026, hoping to solve an issue that has plagued city residents for years by using new equipment that helps recycle “hot patch” asphalt.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and the city’s public works department are set to unveil a new "pothole patching plan" for 2026 in an effort to solve an issue that has plagued city drivers for years.

St. Paul potholes

What we know:

On Wednesday, Mayor Her and Public Works Director Sean Kershaw held an informal meeting to "fill the gaps" of public knowledge on their plans to address the city-wide nuisance.

Together, the team demonstrated a "new-to-us" piece of equipment called the Bagela, which recycles old asphalt into new "hot patch" mix that will then be used to pothole patch St. Paul city streets.

They also shared an outline of broader efforts to address the problem going forward.

FOX 9 was onsite for the presentation, and it can be watched in the player above.

The backstory:

Potholes are patched by the same Public Works crews that plow streets.

By late January, St. Paul officials say they have received more than 20 inches of snow and precipitation (including freezing rain and rain), while declaring three snow emergencies – similar to 2023, which saw a record-setting winter for precipitation.

In addition to the snow and sleet, the Twin Cities have experienced several freeze-thaw cycles causing ice-buildup and expediting damage.

Icy conditions combined with additional plowing and road treatment have only made the problems worse.

When you hit a pothole

What you can do:

If a driver hits a pothole in the Metro and it damages their car, first, they have to figure out who's in charge of the road: the state, county or city. They could be liable for the damage and the driver could see some reimbursement.

To file a claim for damage incurred on state roads, click here. To file a claim in St. Paul, click here. To file a claim in Minneapolis, click here. 

Reporting a pothole

Dig deeper:

To report a pothole location to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, click here. To report a pothole in St. Paul, call 651-266-9700 or email potholes@ci.stpaul.mn.us. To report a pothole in Minneapolis, click here.

St. Paul Mayor Carter, city leaders address potholes [RAW]

St. Paul city leaders on Thursday, April 6, addressed the ongoing pothole problem in the city and their plans to repair roadways.