JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Department of Transportation crews are focusing on pothole repairs as weather allows and throughout the spring to keep roads as smooth and safe as possible. The public is asked to report potholes so MoDOT’s maintenance crews can assess the damage and complete the needed repairs.
“To be proactive and efficient, we’re using historical data—in addition to reports from the public—to identify areas where potholes most commonly develop,” said Chief Safety & Operations Officer Becky Allmeroth. “We ask motorists to please be patient with us and give our crews room to work safely as they repair the roadways.”
Potholes form when temperatures warm up during the day but continue to be cold at night. The rain and snow leave moisture that seeps into cracks and joints in the pavement. Frozen water in cracks and under the surface of the roadway causes pavement to bulge and bend. Then when ice melts, the pavement contracts and leaves gaps or voids in the surface under the pavement. When vehicles drive over the bulging pavement, it weakens the roadway, eventually causing chunks of pavement or asphalt to pop out, creating potholes.
MoDOT maintains 34,000 miles of road, including interstates, U.S. and Missouri routes, and lettered routes. In 2025, MoDOT patched more than 650,000 potholes at a cost of $20 million. This season, MoDOT will have approximately 300 pothole patching crews working statewide to respond as soon as possible after receiving a report.
“Innovation is at the heart of how MoDOT keeps everyone safe as we work to repair potholes across the state,” said Allmeroth. “We’ve equipped our protective vehicles with technology that sends real-time digital alerts to drivers through connected devices such as the Waze app, giving them extra time to slow down and move over. By combining smart tools with proactive planning, we’re working to protect our crews and the traveling public.”
Motorists can report the location of potholes on state-maintained roads using the following tools:
- Call the 24/7 Customer Service Center at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636).
- Use the Report a Road Concern form at modot.org.
- In some areas of the state, Waze users can report potholes using the hands-free reporting feature within the app.
- Potholes on city streets or subdivisions should be reported to local city or county maintenance.
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For more information, call MoDOT at 888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org. To receive the latest statewide news and text alerts, signup for e-updates.
