After a particularly brutal winter, the City of Somerville’s Department of Public Works (DPW) is ramping up its annual pothole repair push — and asking residents to help by submitting reports through the city’s 311 system.

“We’re from the government, and we’re here to help,” said Mayor Jake Wilson. “Keeping our streets safe and well-maintained is a core part of what we owe residents every day.”

Potholes form when water seeps into existing cracks in pavement and into the underlying soil, weakening the road surface.

Freezing temperatures cause that water to expand, and the weight of traffic breaks apart the asphalt, leaving holes that can grow larger if left unrepaired. The freeze-thaw cycles of New England winters make spring one of the busiest times of year for DPW pothole crews.

Seeing a pothole filled is a bucket list experience. Here’s our hard-working DPW crew doing just that.

Residents submitted more than 1,200 pothole reports through 311 in 2025 – a 38% increase over the prior year – and DPW answered: crews closed more than 1,300 requests, as they cleared out a backlog of requests from the previous year.

March is consistently the busiest month as freeze-thaw cycles peak, and with reports already running high in early 2026, crews are geared up for another active season.

Residents who spot a pothole, especially larger or more hazardous ones, are encouraged to submit a 311 report, which can be done via phone, email, app, web form, or social media.

Of course, potholes are just spot repairs. The City also steadily works to resurface full roads, upgrade full streetscapes, and repair sidewalks as well.

To learn more about Somerville’s paving and sidewalk management program, including upcoming paving work, please go to: somervillema.gov/paving.