Weekly Update: More on potholes and paving

Friends,

You know it and I know it: We have a huge pothole challenge this winter in Memphis. It’s frustrating for all of us.

But the good news is this: Our crews are working diligently on it.

We went in-depth this week on the work being done in a Q&A posted on our new website. The story probably answers many of your questions about potholes.

But the key point is this: We’ve redirected staffing to prioritize potholes, with 12 crews of about 50 employees working days and weekends to fill as many potholes as we can. The weather has not been our friend; heavy rains like the one we had Wednesday and Thursday slow our work considerably. (And as you may have heard, February was the wettest February on record in Memphis.)

Since mid-January, though, we’ve filled more than 15,000 potholes. And we plan to have crews out working this weekend, too.

You can help us by reporting potholes to 311. But please know our crews are making the rounds and filling potholes on their own -- in fact, about 85 percent of the potholes we fill are from our crews finding them first.

More than that, you probably know by reading this email in the past that we’ve doubled street paving from just four years ago. So this summer, we’ll make even more headway on the kind of permanent fixes that we all desire.

I know this sounds like boilerplate, but I mean it: Thank you so much for your patience as we tackle this challenge.

Expungement progress: This week, another 25 Memphians went through the skills training that's part of our program to pay for expungements of non-violent criminal records using private donations.

To date, we've paid for 120 expungements, clearing a major hurdle some face when trying to enter the workforce.

Highlights from performance review: You know that we heavily incorporate data into our decision-making about how to run an efficient and reliable government. Our monthly data review took place this week, and here’s a closer look at some of the improvements that have been made.

Work is coming: The long-planned project to remake Elvis Presley Boulevard is getting closer to reality. Here is more about the upcoming schedule.

Congratulations, Bobby: WDIA is a significant presence in our city, and Bobby O’Jay is an important voice on its airwaves. Bobby celebrated 35 years in the WDIA studio this week, and I had a blast at his party, where we presented him with a proclamation honoring his work.

Yours,